GUAM
Guam Daily Post
Johanna Salinas | Post News Staff
Guam teacher Joseph Santos has launched a drive for a petition titled “Silent No More” which asks the Guam Legislature to lift the statute of limitations for sex crimes. He said he was inspired by “Spotlight,” a film about the child sexual abuse cover-up by the Catholic Church in Boston.
Yet Santos says that this is not just a Catholic issue. After a student told him of her own trauma, Santos did research on what can be done for victims on Guam. “What I found out is that there is little, especially on the civil side, that the victims can do,” he said. “I then thought that a petition would be a good place to start. I chose the title ‘Silent No More!’ because I, as an individual, have been too passive, especially in cases such as this. Also, I want the victims to have their day in court so that they too can be silent no more.”
Santos said he is motivated by his students who have experienced sexual violence. “They did not ask me to, but I realize that at this point in their lives, they do not have a voice,” Santos said.
His students’ traumas caused him to think about how the statutes of limitations on Guam have prevented some victims from gaining justice. With his petition, Santos said he wants to bring to light child sex crimes that have been unreported.
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