For nearly a year, we've told stories of people who were sexually abused by priests — and made the difficult decision to break their silence — people like Michael Whalen, who first spoke out last February.

"I'm not scared to hide my face or what happened to me anymore," Whalen said. "I did it for too long."

For some, like Wayne Bortle, it took decades to build up the courage to come forward after burying the abuse in the past. 

"I've hid behind this story for almost 40 years," Bortle said in March.

The Child Victims Act, which Gov. Cuomo signed into law last week expands the statute of limitations for criminal and civil cases involving childhood abuse. It will also open up a one-year window in which survivors can file lawsuits against perpetrators or related organizations no matter how long ago the abuse happened. 

As more and more survivors reveal their ordeals and consider legal action, it could cause many to relive the pain all over again.

"It's tremendous courage for people to step forward and do this," said Dr. Nanci Monaco, a child psychologist and education professor at SUNY Buffalo State.

Monaco has worked closely with several survivors and their attorneys in the past year as they pondered their options for seeking money through settlements or lawsuits for what they've endured.

"It's always of concern that you will dredge up these feelings and the person won't have someone in place to go to try to sort it out," Monaco said.

She suggests it's important for people to seek help through therapy or support groups as they deal with the questions that come from sharing their secrets. She's advised her clients the legal process can take longer than many expect, and that money is only a small part of the healing process.

"Look at it as personal growth and an opportunity to make sense of their lives because if everything is just on winning a lawsuit for example, people will for the most part be very disappointed,” she said.

While speaking up and seeking justice can be challenging for many survivors, she says it can also be empowering to shed light on the problem. 

Dr. Monaco is currently researching the psychological and emotional effects for survivors who come forward. She says it will take years of study and more people willing to share their stories to find any link between legal action and healing for survivors.