Contact: John Moynihan, jmoynihan@votf.org, (617) 558-5252, (617) 680-2131 cell

For Immediate release

Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) congratulates Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and the General Assembly of the Commonwealth for the passage of House Bill 211.

“Finally the voice of the victims has been heard,” said VOTF member Shannon Whelan and member of the group Protect Our Children KY, a coalition of advocates for the bill.

House Bill 211 makes sexual contact with someone younger than 16 a felony if committed by someone older than 21. Currently, some forms of sexual contact with teenagers are misdemeanors. Felony charges also could be filed against anyone in a position of authority or trust — such as a family member, teacher, employer, clergy member or coach — who has sexual contact with someone younger than 18.“It will allow kids that do talk about abuse until years later to be able to bring charges,” Whelan said.  A felony in Ky. has no statue of limitations.  The civil SOL has already been extended.  HB 211 also increases the penalty for not reporting abuse.

Backers of the bill included the three VOTF affiliates in Kentucky, the Catholic Conference of Kentucky — representing the state’s Catholic bishops, the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Kentucky Episcopal Diocese, the Kentucky Council of Churches, the Kentucky County Attorney’s Association, the  Kentucky Youth Advocates and the Family Foundation of Kentucky. “When we started we did it under the label of VOTF” said Whelan, “but that changed as we had many other denominations join us.”

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Press contact

John Moynihan (617) 558-5252, (617) 680 2131 ©

About Voice of the Faithful (VOTF) VOTF is a worldwide movement of concerned mainstream Catholics formed in response to the clergy sexual abuse crisis. The group’s mission is to provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church. Its goals are to support survivors of clergy sexual abuse, support priests of integrity, and shape structural change within the Catholic Church in full accordance and harmony with Church teaching.