CALIFORNIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Monday, May 19, 2014
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests ( 314-503-0003, SNAPdorris@gmail.com )
Contra Costa officials, including the DA and the police chief, want a review of the child abuse reporting law and a possible changing of the law. We are grateful officials not only want a review of this law, but are speaking out publically about it.
As the law stands now there is a one year statute of limitations for mandatory reporting violations. When a child is sexually violated often times it is not just the perpetrator who is guilty of causing serious harm. More often than not somebody knew or suspected the abuse, but stayed silent.
We have mandatory reporting laws for a reason. To put a restrictive statute of limitation on holding those who broke the law and harmed children responsible is wrong. Any statute of limitation involving child sexual abuse hurts children and helps the guilty. And we hope it is changed.
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