CA- Contra Costa officials want review of child abuse reporting law, SNAP responds

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, [email protected]) 

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. 

http://www.mercurynews.com/my-town/ci_25789023/contra-costa-da-concord-police-chief-others-recommend

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.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 25 years and have more than 18,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org) 

Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell,[email protected]), Barbara Dorris 314-503-0003 cell, [email protected])

 


Showing 2 comments

SNAP Network is a GuideStar Gold Participant