State looking to extend statute of limitations for child abuse
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OLYMPIA, Wash. -- Victims of sex abuse by priests say the statute of limitations is protecting too many predators, and state lawmakers are now looking at ways to change that.
The issue is that child sex-crime victims often wait decades before coming forward, which can wipe out the chance for criminal charges against their tormentors.
In an effort to solve that problem, state lawmakers in Olympia are mulling plans to extend the timeline for reporting the crimes.
Years of abuse by priests they trusted left deep emotional scars on Barbara Dorris and Mary Dispenza. Dorris said she was just 6-years old when the abuse began, but it took her decades to overcome her shame and name her parish priest as a rapist.
"He escaped prosecution, basically, because of the statute of limitations," Dorris said. "It's very hard for victims to come forward."
State law says rape of young children can be prosecuted until the victim's 28th birthday if the incident is reported to police within a year.
Dorri said that law only helps the criminals.
"Statute of limitations currently are archaic and predator friendly," she said.
The Senate Law and Justice Committee is now looking at extending the statute of limitations so accused child sex predators can be charged up until the victim's 30th birthday.
Many sex abuse victims accuse the Catholic Church of protecting predators over the years, and they're asking Archbishop Peter Sartain to embrace the new legislation.
"He could end some of this right now by mandating that all of the priests, brothers orders, release records, let the public know," Dispenza said.
Church officials say they do support lifting the statute of limitations for child abuse cases and say they proactively report suspicious activity to the police.
"We are on record as saying that those who abuse children should be criminally prosecuted," said Greg Magnoni, the Archdiocese of Seattle.
The statute of limitations legislation is still making its way through the Senate with a companion bill that's navigating through the House.
Despite that progress, Dorris and Dispenza say the Catholic Church could do more to advocate the change.
"We feel Archbishop Sartain has an obligation to do outreach," Dorris said.
State law currently allows sex abuse charges to be filed at any time if new DNA evidence is found. Without that, the crimes can be difficult to prove so many decades later.
The issue is that child sex-crime victims often wait decades before coming forward, which can wipe out the chance for criminal charges against their tormentors.
In an effort to solve that problem, state lawmakers in Olympia are mulling plans to extend the timeline for reporting the crimes.
Years of abuse by priests they trusted left deep emotional scars on Barbara Dorris and Mary Dispenza. Dorris said she was just 6-years old when the abuse began, but it took her decades to overcome her shame and name her parish priest as a rapist.
"He escaped prosecution, basically, because of the statute of limitations," Dorris said. "It's very hard for victims to come forward."
State law says rape of young children can be prosecuted until the victim's 28th birthday if the incident is reported to police within a year.
Dorri said that law only helps the criminals.
"Statute of limitations currently are archaic and predator friendly," she said.
The Senate Law and Justice Committee is now looking at extending the statute of limitations so accused child sex predators can be charged up until the victim's 30th birthday.
Many sex abuse victims accuse the Catholic Church of protecting predators over the years, and they're asking Archbishop Peter Sartain to embrace the new legislation.
"He could end some of this right now by mandating that all of the priests, brothers orders, release records, let the public know," Dispenza said.
Church officials say they do support lifting the statute of limitations for child abuse cases and say they proactively report suspicious activity to the police.
"We are on record as saying that those who abuse children should be criminally prosecuted," said Greg Magnoni, the Archdiocese of Seattle.
The statute of limitations legislation is still making its way through the Senate with a companion bill that's navigating through the House.
Despite that progress, Dorris and Dispenza say the Catholic Church could do more to advocate the change.
"We feel Archbishop Sartain has an obligation to do outreach," Dorris said.
State law currently allows sex abuse charges to be filed at any time if new DNA evidence is found. Without that, the crimes can be difficult to prove so many decades later.
I am living this as I type!! Â I am now 49 and it didn't come out of me until 2 yr. ago. Â I came out with my info 2 weeks ago, called WA Police, OR police and the high school my molester taught at his whole career!! Â Because I am over 30 they say they can't do anything??????????? Â WHAT ABOUT MY LIFE???? Â I went to a year of therapy every week, diagnosed with PTSD, Anxiety disorder, panic disorder, severe depression and a touch of Agoraphobia. Â All because of what this man did to me when I was between the ages of 5-13, my whole childhood, you know, where children get that guidance on life and all........ Â The man molested all 5 of us kids for 20+ years, where's the statute on that?????? Â Now he lives a free man because of father time? Â It's unbelievable, being a teacher & coach his whole life and now he gets a pat on the back???? Â Very disturbing, it's an epidemic in this country and no one cares about the children, makes me want to puke!
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 @ATHWL Welcome to the world of the molested!!!  Do you think we just hold it for the heck of it?  No, it's very shameful to have done to you, I am 49 and just came forward, why?  Because it caused a breakdown and I had no choice.  And yes, the cops laughed it off while my 2 little nephews are being babysat by this man who molested all us kids (5). Â
what are extra 2 years going to do? Just drop the limitation all together
There is a way of corroborating reports of sexual molestation by priests. Â The sad fact is most molesters are serial offenders. Â And in the instance of the Catholic Church there is often extensive evidence in the personnel files that dioceses and religious orders keep on their priests and brothers. Â The problem, of course, is that the church hides these documents, mostly because church leaders are complicitous in the abuse by covering up the crimes and shielding the abuser. Â Just take a look at what's happening in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Â This has been going on for decades.
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I am the only Catholic priest in the world with a doctorate in human sexuality. Â I am a gay man and the author of the seminal work - Gay Catholic Priests; A Study of Cognitive and Affective Dissonance back in 1981. Â The media firestorm that erupted after its publication and the backlash within his religious community because of its publication eventually destroyed his public priesthood.
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My new book, SECRECY, SOPHISTRY AND GAY SEX IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH; The Systematic Destruction Of An Oblate Priest, provides an intimate and disturbing look into the unseemly inner-workings of the Catholic Church. It is a story of how this institution deals with dissent in its midst, and to what lengths it will go to silence a whistle-blower. Â It involves the highest levels of the Vatican bureaucracy, secret documents, corporate incompetence, canonical corruption, and institutionalized homophobia on an epic scale. My account of ecclesiastical malfeasance is both timely and in sync with current trends in the popular culture, from the gay marriage debate to the revelation of rampant clergy sexual misconduct.
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My story reveals Church corruption, criminality and abuse of power that was once cloaked in secrecy to avoid detection. Â Mine is a story of a religious institution that will even violate its core principles to protect its public image. In other words, this is a story of a Church out of control.
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At the same time my story was unfolding an unimaginable scandal, involving hundreds of Catholic priests across the globe, was also brewing. Cardinals, bishops and provincials worldwide were furtively shuffling pedophile priest from one crime scene to another. Plus they were involved in a massive corporate cover up of their own crimes and those of their brother clergy. While I was being singled out for 13 years of Church vitriol, public character assassination and communal shunning these same Church leaders and others are lying, prevaricating and sabotaging any effort to uncover the burgeoning clergy sexual abuse scandal that now rock the front pages of newspapers all over the world.
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The public panic, among Church officials, exhibited toward me a single up-front gay priest in their midst-is in stark contrast to their apathetic and anemic response to the systemic clergy sexual misconduct and abuse that now  engulfs them.
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I have first-hand knowledge of this clergy abuse. I was repeatedly sexually molested by my superior as a 14-year-old boy in an Oblate seminary in southern Illinois. Â And all the religious superiors I told about the abuse did nothing to stop this serial molester. Â And even today I am not afforded justice, because of the statutes of limitation.
How on earth is someone able to prove they were molested years after the fact? I was molested at the ripe old age of 5 by my stepdad. For years I thought of what happened and hated him for it but I had no way of proving it; his word against mine doesn't hold water in a court of law. After decades of dwelling on it I finally came to forgive him, that in of itself put me at ease but it didn't remove the mental issues I have because of it. He has passed on now along with my mother, may they both rest in peace.
Priests are just as much to blame as any other pediphile that is out there destroying the lives and emotions of our young children! Â This new law would extend the statute of limiitations to 30 years? Â There is no statute of limitations on murder, so why should their be a statute of limitations on molestation? Â This is so wrong on so many levels!! Â These priests find ir so easy and they know no one is going to say anything because they are suppose to be trusted! Â Priests first and foremost are MEN! Â They all have the same emotions! Â Just because they wear a clerical collar does not excuse them one single iota! Â They are just as responsible as anyone else and if they breach that trust, then they should be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law and not hide behind their religion or have their religion's hierarchy protecting them!! Â I do not believe there should ever be a statute of limitations on molestation. Â When these young people are molested, they first feel shame and then are afraid to tell anyone what has happened to them, many times the pediphile will threaten the child to ensure that don't tell anyone and that child believes them. Â It isn't until much later in their lives that it comes forward as well it should. Â It is extremely devastating to a young adult to have to relive all of that tragedy all over again and yeah they remember all too well. Â That is engrained in them for the rest of their lives!!! Â To the lawmakers, please do not put a statute of limitations on molestation! Â It needs to be treated the same as murder! Â After all, they are murdering that child's soul....
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keep it fair! priests are not the only bad guys on the block, they have taken the hit because of the media coverage. yes we should protect childern from bad guys, but to single out priests is wrong too. some are the best people on the planet. also who can remember, in compleat detail, something so many years ago? yes the church should be shamed, but think of the people that live because. i for one don't go with the flow and i"m not religulousÂ
good ! maybe child molesters will start thinking twice, knowing it can catch up with them one day
goo! maybe molesters will start thinking twice.
Ok, so the state of WA has a statute of limitations of NEVER for murder. So, someone kills someone else, and they can be looked for FOREVER!
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Now, you tell a small child who's been molested that they have to hurry up and get to a priest before 28 (or 30 as being thought of now).
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You have GOT to be kidding me?!
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That NEVER goes away from a child. It goes with them FOREVER!
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I think killing someone AND doing VERY, VERY bad things to a child should be the same statute of limitations.
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FOREVER!!
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Makes is so that a priest can't think "Well, Jimmy Joe should be...34 now, so he/his family/community can't touch me."
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FOREVER!!!
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Make it so.
there should not be a time limitation. The victims need our support and the ability to speak out to be healed.
Anything that can be done to protect children, I'm all for it. I'm sick and tired of hearing about the absolutely terrible things that people do to small children. I say eliminate the statute and impose more severe punishment of people that commit crimes against children.Â
 @MikeCoomerÂ
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The question is, how do you prove an allegation regarding conduct that happened so long ago? With something like murder, there is often persistent forensic evidence. With molestation, that's more rare. How would you guard against potential false allegations, and the risk that innocent people might have false charges leveled against them for conduct that never took place?
 @Whobeke  @MikeCoomer It's the same if the case is one year, five years, or 25 years old. No amount of time should affect the due process. And, take it from someone who was molested as a child, admitting it, coming forward with it, and accusing someone of it, is not something you do just for fun or attention, especially as an adult. It's not easy. If someone has the courage to do it, they've clearly been through hel! because of it and have the right to demand justice, no matter how long it's been.
 @Sonolodo  @Whobeke  @MikeCoomerÂ
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Well, no, it's really NOT the same in terms of the available evidence. When all you have is one person's word against another, how can you possibly reach the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard required for a criminal conviction?Â
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You can see how time introduces a lot of difficulties.Â
There should never be a statute of limitations. It is the same as saying to the victim...oh don't worry in "x" amount of time it will never effect you and you will not remember any of it.Â
The boy was six, 6 six years old...friends should there really be a statute on any kind or sort of a limitation on this crime??? Is there a reason to ask such an idiotic question such as this???
I ask you Mr. judicial system....Do we support our children no matter what time of day it is or what year it is??? YES WE DO>>>
There should be NO statute of limits when it comes to PERVERTS praying on them with ther nasty members...How gross is that as it mames their little hearts!!
SIX years old people!!! This priest..no not a priest but a rapist,,,there is no set time when we should turn a blind eye whether it took place yesterday..today or 10 years ago!!
JUSTICE for the little guy!!
The main problem I see with this is the standard of evidence we'd use. So let's say an older man (in his 70's or 80's) is in a land or monetary dispute with someone. The other person finds a ne'er-do-well who lived in the same area as the old man as a child, and offers to pay him to make a false accusation of decades-old abuse.
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If the old man gets arrested, it might force him to abandon his claim, allowing the person on the other side of the dispute to prevail.Â
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And lest you think this kind of thing is impossible, I assure you, some people are absolutely devious, and would do something like this without any hesitation at all. We need strong standards of evidence to prevent false allegations from ruining lives. We've already seen where this kind of thing can lead during cases like the "recovered memory syndrome" debacle from the 80's and early 90's.
This mentions child abuse. It is child rape and there should be no statute of limitations.
Uh-oh, ........fellow Democrats best keep Senator Menendez away from Washington State.
For my money, there should never be a statute of limitation on any crime of the sort!