We are asking supporters of child sex abuse statute of limitations reform to email your state representative today (Find your state rep and contact info here) with this message.
Support McGeehan, Rozzi Amendments – Protect Kids, Not Predators!
Dear Representative:
Although the Task Force for Child Protection made recommendations for new laws dealing with child sexual abuse, it failed to take up the most powerful tool designed to expose predators and to afford victims the justice they deserve.
HB 342, a bill on the voting calendar for next week, may give us the opportunity to create a one time, two year window that suspends the civil statute of limitations to allow past victims of child sex abuse to be heard. It would allow access to the justice system so that suspects could be subpoenaed and deposed. The victim would still have to prove “gross negligence” and the current sovereign immunity defense for public employees would be suspended.
Rep. McGeehan and Rep. Rozzi will be offering child sex abuse statute of limitation amendments to HB 342.
It is critically important that you vote to protect children by supporting the McGeehan and Rozzi amendments.
It’s time to put the victims first.
SIGN YOUR NAME HERE
— Minnesota Child Victims Act: http://mnchildvictimsact.wordpress.com/
Emailed Rep Bernie O’Neill
I first reported on Brother Ken Ghastin back in August of 2009. It takes awhile for the Pittsburgh Diocese and the Pittsburgh media to play catch up. You would think the Pittsburgh media would be curious as to why I know so much about clergy sex abuse, maybe the Pittsburgh media simply doesn’t give a damn about children being used as sex toys.
Serra Catholic alumni asked to come forward
March 7, 2013 12:07 am
Serra Catholic High School is asking former students to come forward if they were abused by Franciscan Brother Kenneth Ghastin, a teacher at the school between 1983 and 1991.
Brother Ghastin was accused of abusing two minors in Boston in the 1970s, according to a letter sent to Serra Catholic alumni.
The Rev. Ronald Lengwin, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, said there have been no allegations of misconduct against Brother Ghastin during his time at Serra Catholic, and the letter is “part of our procedure.”
Although the letter explains Brother Ghastin was accused of abuse about 20 years ago — and it was reported in the Boston Herald in 2002 — Father Lengwin said “we didn’t hear anything about him until now.”
http://www.bishopaccountability.org/news2009/07_08/2009_08_13_Ference_DonaldWuerl.htmSee More
Donald Wuerl Zero Tolerance or Zero Credibility, Mike Ference, Examiner, August 13, 2009
http://www.bishopaccountability.org
How do we share this again? Thanks for the share buttons, need to spread the word.
A church reform colleague (a deacon) who is a leader in the Illinois effort would appreciate our support for eliminating that state’s statute of limitations via signatures to this petition
http://signon.org/sign/justice-for-child-victims
http://www.sol-reform.com/index.php
SOL Tracker
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Also from Penna.
““You have to recognize that in this system, a lot of people applying this law were art history majors in college,” said Bucks County District Attorney Dave Heckler, who chaired the child protection task force.”
http://www.ncnewsonline.com/opinion/x986701898/Child-abuse-task-force-triggers-legislation
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“Task Force Chairman David Heckler on Tuesday reiterated his belief that if the changes were in place in the late 1990s, former Penn State football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky likely would have been charged the first time he came to the attention of authorities. ”
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/11/pennsylvania_must_undergo_a_cu.html
Just need our lawmakers to do it instead of saying they are get a round toit. Might need to give them a few circles with toit written on it.On the other side have HB 342 and the other bills needed to protect our children.