Fix Iowa's Failing Child Sex Abuse Laws before 2022 Session Ends

Описание: 00:00 Senator Janet Petersen

02:56 Kylie DeWees, Iowa native who knows first-hand how Iowa abusers and institutions that fail to protect children escape justice

07:43 Presentation by Kathryn Robb, Esq., Executive Director of ChildUSAdvocacy

Iowa has a failing grade in protecting children from sexual abuse and sex trafficking

Statement by Kathryn Robb, Esq., Executive Director of ChildUSAdvocacy
“Sadly, the Legislative and executive leaders in Iowa choose to focus on a non-existent threat to girls relative to trans kids, and completely ignore the overwhelming evidence of child sexual abuse.
“The real threat is to children, all children – girls and boys – at schools, churches, homes, and on the field. 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 13 boys will be sexually assaulted before their 18th birthday. The epidemic reaches across the political spectrum and is found in every sector of society.
“27 states have passed revival legislation and 17 states have completely eliminated their SOL (Statute of Limitations) for child sexual abuse. SOL reform exposes hidden sexual predators thereby making the children of Iowa safer – period!
“With the present law, Iowa has a failing grade in protecting children from sexual abuse and sex trafficking. If Iowa leaders really want to fight child sexual abuse and threats to children they need to start in their own legislative backyard with reforming their predator-friendly statute of limitations.“

(https://www.childusadvocacy.org/)


Fix Iowa's Child Sex Abuse Laws by Closing Legal Loopholes That Shield Abusers
Senator Janet Petersen
“While ignoring real threats that harm Iowa children, Governor Reynolds and Statehouse Republicans use school librarians, teachers, authors, and the media to fire up their extremist base.
“Iowa’s current civil statute of limitations laws allow serial child rapists to continue harming our children. Here’s how. Respected studies indicate that twenty percent of Iowa girls are sexually abused before their 18th birthday. Yet, under current Iowa law, those victims are barred from seeking civil damages against their rapist the day those victims turn 19.
“Other states are bringing justice to child sex abusers while Iowa fails to act. Seventeen states have completely eliminated their statute of limitations for child sex crimes.
“More than half of the country has passed revival legislation with multiple states passing lookback windows for child abuse victims. These “lookback windows” give child abuse victims an opportunity at justice when the victims have matured and are able to confront their abusers. Iowa needs this legislation to stop child abusers and punish the institutions that protect them.
“Is there still time this session to protect Iowa children by punishing adults who abuse them?
“Look, Governor Reynolds and Statehouse Republicans overhauled the state’s tax code in a matter of days. There is plenty of time for a leadership bill to protect Iowa’s children from real threats by passing civil statute of limitation reform (Senate File 32) before we adjourn for the year.”