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  Child Victims Act Proves Its Worth in Surprise Case

The News Journal
January 23, 2010

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100123/OPINION11/1230317/1004/OPINION/Child-Victims-Act-proves-its-worth-in-surprise-case

Thursday's admission by former Judge William C. Bradley Jr., that he molested an 11-year-old boy 30 years ago is a stinging rebuke to critics who opposed last year's passage of Delaware's Child Victims Act.

Senate Bill 29 eliminated the two-year civil statute of limitations in cases of child sexual abuse and set a two-year window during which claims previously barred by statute could be filed.

That window closed in July.

Critics charged the act slandered all Catholic priests as pedophiles and that other classes of innocent defendants would have no protection from claims of unsubstantiated memories.

Mr. Bradley's admission shows that the bill was not a single-focused weapon against one group. Abuse of power is wrong no matter who is the victim. Abuse of a child is a crime that cries out for justice.

Fear of the judge's power enabled him to continue his abuse of authority, and not be held accountable for his crime for three decades.

The victim had to go out of the state to find legal help after several local lawyers were scared off.

At least 10 others have alleged they were victims of inappropriate sexual contact by the ex-judge when they were children.

None of this would have been made possible had the prime sponsor of the Child Victims Act -- State Sen. Karen Peterson -- allowed herself to be intimidated by arguments that her bill reflected nothing but bias.

 
 

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