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Jehovah Witness victims of Childhood Sex Abuse - and all supporters from the State of Pennsylvania - Action Alert to get movement on SOL reform!
by Sol Reform 14 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Sol Reform
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=517365
Mary Young: Bill would extend rights of child sex-abuse victims to sue
State Rep. Mark Rozzi said he was talking to a group after a taxpayer rally in Harrisburg last month when someone asked him what else he was up to.[+] Enlarge. -
He told them about legislation he is co-sponsoring to raise the statute of limitations on the filing of civil suits in cases of child sexual abuse.
Afterward, one woman stayed behind and began crying.
Rozzi recalled her words: "Mark, I'm 75 years old. I was raped and abused by my uncle when I was 15. It was 60 years ago, and I have never forgotten one thing. I never told anybody."
"We cannot forget," said Rozzi, who alleges he was abused by a priest when he was 13. "It's in your mind every single day."
The legislation would allow adult victims of child sexual abuse to file civil suits against their abusers or the institutions that employed the abusers until the victims are age 50. The current age is 30. The legislation also would open a two-year window for victims to re-file cases thrown out of court because the statute of limitations had expired.
It wouldn't be retroactive; victims 51 or older would still be unable to file suits.
Still, some sort of change is needed because most victims don't come forward until later in life, Rozzi said.
Several states have increased their limits. Others are debating increases.
Pennsylvania's proposal has been stalled in the House Judiciary Committee since it was introduced in January. Chairman Ron Marisco, a Dauphin County Republican, has said he won't allow a vote because the proposed legislation is unconstitutional.
Apparently, Delaware lawmakers had no such concerns. They eliminated the statute of limitations, and victims there have won millions of dollars from the Catholic institutions that employed their abusers.
But this is not just about abuse by priests, said Rozzi, a Muhlenberg Township Democrat. Teachers, coaches and others use positions of trust to abuse children, he said.
"This is about justice denied, and we will not stop until we can get this done," he said.
Next week: Spring Township attorney Jay Abramowitch, who has handled numerous civil cases filed against priests and their dioceses, provides his opinion on the proposed legislation.
Contact Mary Young: 610-478-6292 or [email protected]. -
Sol Reform
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=517932
Originally Published: 11/2/2013 Mary Young:
Law must aid abused children
There should be no law limiting the length of time that adults who were victims of sexual abuse as children can file civil suits against their abusers or the institutions that employed them.
Spring Township attorney Jay Abramowitch is emphatic about that. Maybe even fanatical. He has handled numerous cases filed against priests and their dioceses. If legislators won't change the law to eliminate the statute of limitations, which currently requires victims to file suits before they reach age 30, then a proposal championed by state Rep. Mark Rozzi, a Muhlenberg Township Democrat, is the next best thing, Abramowitch said.
The proposal, as outlined in last week's column, would raise the age to 50 and open a two-year window for victims to refile cases previously thrown out of court because the statute of limitations had expired. Change is needed because most victims don't come forward until later in life, said Rozzi, who alleges he was abused by a priest when he was 13.
The proposal has been hung up in the House Judiciary Committee since it was introduced in January. Chairman Ron Marisco, a Dauphin County Republican, has said he won't allow a vote because the proposed legislation is unconstitutional. Abramowitch doesn't buy that.
"The Pennsylvania Constitution says the courts will always be open," he said. "This idea of a statute of limitations is archaic." Abramowitch said if the law does anything at all it should protect children, even when those children become adults struggling with the effects of their abuse.
"You have to try to visualize a 3-year-old or 5-year-old child being victimized in the most unspeakable way, and the person who did it simply lies, or the parents discipline the child for saying what happened," he said. "It's akin to murder, which has no statute of limitations." It's not about victims getting money, but about sharing their stories, Abramowitch said.
They're victimized twice, first by their abusers and then by a legal system that prevents them from having those stories validated in a court of law, he said.
"It's very heartbreaking," Abramowitch said. "So many of them feel insecure and inferior. We need to give the victims a chance to come forward and have their day in court."
Contact Mary Young: 610-478-6292 or [email protected].
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Sol Reform
Pennsylvania in 2014
http://www.senatorteplitz.com/lawmakers-urge-action-on-bills-to-protect-victims-of-sexual-abuse
Lawmakers Urge Action on Bills to Protect Victims of Sexual Abuse On April 30, 2014
HARRISBURG, April 30, 2014 —
State Sen. Rob Teplitz and state Rep. Mark Rozzi today urged their fellow lawmakers to consider their legislation that would reform the state’s statute of limitations to provide better protections for victims of sexual abuse.
Senate Bill 1350 and House Bill 2067 would suspend the civil statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse who have not yet reached 50 years old; permanently remove the civil and criminal statute of limitations involving child sexual abuse; and remove the sovereign immunity defense for public officials and institutions.
“It takes incredible courage for sex abuse victims to come forward and share their stories, but because of the incredible toll that this horrendous crime takes on victims, they often need years and sometimes even decades to garner the strength to open up about abuse.
Unfortunately, Pennsylvania law prevents them from facing their accuser in court,” said Teplitz, D-Dauphin/York. “These bills would give victims the opportunity to seek justice so that they can heal and break the cycle of abuse.” Rep. Rozzi also unveiled the trailer for “You Have the Power,” a documentary featuring Pennsylvanians victims of sexual abuse.
“These people are our neighbors, family, friends and coworkers. While the statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys have been abused, only one in 10 will tell of his or her abuse,” said Rozzi (D-Berks). “We need to give them the opportunity to seek justice and protect future generations of children by bringing action against perpetrators.” The bills are updated versions of two measures that the lawmakers sponsored earlier this year.
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Sol Reform
http://sol-reform.com/News/pennsylvania-action-alert/
Pennsylvania Action Alert!
03 May 2014/in Pennsylvania /by SOL Reform
Contact your legislators now to support Rep. Rozzi’s bill AND the Sen. bill that has an age 50-retro extension
Rozzi unveils documentary featuring victims of sexual abuse State Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks, today premiered his documentary “You Have the Power” featuring victims of child sexual abuse and said the documentary demonstrates a drastic need for reform to the state’s statute of limitations law.
Rozzi said all victims and advocates featured in the documentary were impacted by abuse that occurred in Pennsylvania. “These people are our neighbors, family, friends and coworkers.
While the statistics show that one in four girls and one in six boys have been abused, only one in 10 will tell of his or her abuse,” Rozzi explained.
Rozzi discussed his H.B. 2067 that would suspend the civil statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse who have not yet reached 50 years old. The measure would allow victims the opportunity to seek civil recourse from their perpetrators and would permanently remove the civil and criminal statute of limitations involving child sexual abuse. “It takes victims years if not decades to acknowledge the abuse.
We need to give them the opportunity to seek justice and protect future generations of children by bringing action against perpetrators,” Rozzi said.
Rozzi was joined by state Sen. Rob Teplitz and state Reps. Louise Bishop, Madeleine Dean, Ed Gainey, Dan Miller, Tom Murt, Steve McCarter, Mike O’Brien, Steve Santarsiero and Brian Sims. Teplitz has drafted similar legislation that would suspend the statute of limitations and remove the sexual abuse statute of limitations for civil recourse and criminal prosecution. His bill would also remove the sovereign immunity defense for public officials and institutions.
“It takes incredible courage for sex abuse victims to come forward and share their stories, but because of the incredible toll that this horrendous crime takes on victims, they often need years and sometimes even decades to garner the strength to open up about abuse. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania law prevents them from facing their accuser in court,” said Teplitz, D-Dauphin/York.
“These bills would give victims the opportunity to seek justice so that they can heal and break the cycle of abuse.”