COMMENTARY

What Commitment Looks Like

This is text of a letter written by VOTF Boston Area Council and distributed to VOTF Massachusetts members.

Dear VOTF Victim and Survivor Advocates,

Please join us on Sunday, July 16, at diocesan cathedrals to support the elimination of statutes of limitation (SOL) for sex abuse crimes against children. We will be in four locations: Boston, Springfield, Fall River, and Worcester.

On Friday, June 30, a bill to reform the statute of limitations for crimes of sexual abuse to children was released from the Judiciary Committee. While the legislation released is less than what is needed (It is not the original bill we all called and emailed about), there is no doubt that what occurred happened because of our collective efforts. We should consider this a small victory in an important battle of a broader campaign.

The Judiciary Committee released a bill, H836, which increases the criminal SOL for crimes of rape and some sexual assault crimes to 25 years, making 41 years of age the maximum age that a victim of these crimes can seek judicial action. We know that this is not enough time for many victims.

This legislation has the following deficiencies:

  • No repeal of SOL for civil actions
  • No repeal of criminal SOL
  • No extension on crimes of incest
  • No extension on most crimes of sexual assault (especially age 14 and over)

The effect of this incremental approach with these exclusions is to make Massachusetts a state with less tolerance for crimes of sexual abuse to children. We still have much work to do in the next month to amend this bill to make Massachusetts a ZERO tolerance state for these crimes.

Also on Friday, Cardinal O’Malley and the three Massachusetts Bishops issued a joint statement supporting this amended bill. Some of what they said in their statement was:

“The Commonwealth’s law enforcement officials should be given the tools they need to remove sexual predators from our communities. We support the proposed increase in the criminal statute of limitation for the sexual abuse of children.” To view their full statement, click here.

However, previous public statements made by the Massachusetts Catholic Conference indicated that they did not support repeal of SOL for civil actions and questioned the constitutionality of repeal of SOL for criminal prosecution, both of which are needed for a zero tolerance policy for these crimes.

The Dallas charter in 2002 demanded zero tolerance, and we should expect no less of the Massachusetts Bishops.

We ask you to join VOTF, SNAP, STTOP and other concerned citizens and stand in vigil outside the Cathedral on Sunday morning July 16 to remind the bishops of their commitment to do all they can to protect children from sexual abuse.

Support from the bishops to amend this bill to include the elimination of SOLs for all sex abuse crimes against children, both civil and criminal, could be what turns the legislature to amend and pass a complete ZERO Tolerance bill this session.

Please join us on the 16th. We will be handing out fliers to churchgoers in a respectful manner. The following week marks the fourth anniversary of our historic First National VOTF Conference in Boston. We committed ourselves to insisting that the Church do all it can to protect children then, and we need to keep insisting, while there are just days left to get legislation passed in Massachusetts.

Times and locations are below. Call a friend: not everyone reads his or her email. And, once again, thank you for all your actions to support the protection of children. Without your continued support we would not have come this far. Boston Area Council

Places and Times:

  • Boston, Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 11 am (Mass starts at 11:30 am)
  • Springfield, St. Michael’s Cathedral, 254 State St., 9:30 am (Mass starts at 10 am)
  • Worcester, St. Paul’s Cathedral, 9:30 am (Mass starts at 10:15am) 15 Chatham St.
  • Fall River, St. Mary’s Cathedral, 327 Second St., 9:30 am (Mass starts at 10 am)

Comment from Jetta Bernier, executive director of Massachusetts Citizens for Children, in response to those proposals [above]. “The proposed changes would exclude victims of incest, those who were abused after age 13, and those who were sexually abused but not raped. Additionally the Chairman has given no indication he intends to act on the bill that would repeal the statute of limitation for civil actions against sexual predators, which is the only means by which 95% of victims have to seek justice. Experiences of 31 other states do not support his expressed caution about potential problems with constitutional issues and judicial procedures.”

{Jetta Bernier’s remarks appeared in an update from the Coalition to Reform Sex Abuse Laws. Their web site is www.stopsexcrime.org.]



In the Vineyard
July 13, 2006
Volume 5, Issue 13 Printer Friendly Version (PDF)


Page One

Diocese/State Watch

SITE-Seeing, Etc.

Letter to the Editor -
a comment on Gaile Pohlhaus’s experience in Los Angeles


COMMENTARY

Book Notes: An overview of The Democracy of God: An American Catholicism by Robert Willis


Structural Change Working Group

Voice of Renewal/Lay Education

Prayerful Voice

Goal 2 - Priest Support


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