Patti Kelly’s story is powerful — and not uncommon.

She was raped.

At the time, she was just a teenager.

She was violated, confused and traumatized and could not quite tell her story immediately following the traumatic events.

She wasn’t ready to testify in court. Years later, when she was ready, the statute of limitations for reporting rape in Georgia had expired, and it was too late for justice.

Some Georgia lawmakers want to keep that from ever happening again.

They have introduced a bill that would eliminate the statute of limitations for reporting rape, and we think that is the right thing to do.

Senate Bill 287, introduced by Sen. Harold Jones, D-Augusta, calls for the elimination of both the statute of limitations for reporting aggravated sexual battery and aggravated sodomy.

The statute of limitations for reporting rape is 15 years, as it stands now.

For reporting aggravated sexual battery, the law limits the reporting period to seven years.

It doesn’t matter what a victim’s reasons are for not reporting such a crime immediately after it happens.

Their reasons are their own.

But whether it takes a day, a week, a month, a year or decades to be able to tell the story, give the details or maybe testify in court, the crime still happened and the perpetrator is no less guilty, simply because of the passage of time.

So, arbitrary timelines make no sense.

The state of Georgia should protect victims and seek justice without some ticking time clock.

Many victims, such as Kelly, simply need time to come to grips with what occurred and to find the strength to come forward.

Others may have repressed memories often associated with traumatic events, that do not surface until years later.

Yes, it may be more difficult to prove a crime was committed after years have passed, but that does not make the victim’s story less real or the crime less criminal.

The Senate Judiciary Committee passed SB 287 unanimously.

We believe it should make it through both chambers and be passed by the General Assembly.

We encourage our legislative delegation to vote in favor.