By Karina Shagren
KXLY [Washington]
February 1, 2007
http://www.kxly.com/news/?sect_rank=2§ion_id=560&story_id=8173
Spokane — It sounds ideal for victims. A bill in the Washington Legislature would allow the state to prosecute sex crimes decades after they occurred.
The idea has been considered before, but has never been passed in Washington. State Representative John Ahern of Spokane has pushed for the law for years. Now, State Senator Chris Marr is sponsoring a bill to lift the statute of limitations on sex crimes.
Many victims say it takes years to fully understand what happened to them. Victim advocates argue that reliving the past could be damaging.
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| State Senator Chris Marr is proposing eliminating the statute of limitations on sex crimes. Photo by The KXLY4 Staff |
"It's a deep dark secret I thought I'd take to the grave," says Molly Harding. She was just a young girl when she says she was sexually molested by her priest. For many who suffer through sexual abuse, it's not until adulthood when they finally understand.
"It took me 30 years for me to divulge the secret," Harding says.
Because it has been decades since the crime happened, Harding can't file criminal charges against her abuser. She's now pushing for state lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 5817, which would lift the deadline for victims of child sex abuse to press charges.
"I feel if you're in support of the bill, you're for the victims," Harding says. "If you're not in support, you're for the molesters."
"The most important thing for the community to understand is its not a simple issue," says victim advocate Melissa Cilley. She is concerned that if the bill is passed, victims could get a false expectation that prosecution, and justice, is guaranteed. She says that lost evidence, forgotten details and unforgiving defense attorneys could cause victims to revictimized.
"So much time has passed, it's difficult to recall every fact the way it happened," Cilley says. "Which opens up doubt. Which opens up why did it happen in the first place. Were you somehow responsible?"
Harding says she hasn't been traumatized by sharing her story. In fact, she says it's been healing. She only wishes she could tell it in front of a judge.
"I think he should pay," Harding says. "I would hate to see him destroy lives the way he destroyed mine."
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