33 U.S. states, plus the District of Columbia, either allow termination of parental rights in rape cases or restrict or prohibit custody and visitation. Iowa is not one of these states. This leaves women vulnerable for intimidation and harassment is their rapists seek custody of children conceived through sexual assault.
According to the Rape Survivors Child Custody Act, 64 percent of women impregnated through rape choose to give birth to and raise the child. These women have already endured enough trauma without facing custody battles against their rapists.
Rape survivors deserve to live and raise their children without further contact with their abusers. Please sign the petition to urge Iowa legislators to pass legislation to cut off parental rights for rapists!
We, the undersigned, are concerned with the lack of protections against rapists seeking custody of their children in Iowa.
33 U.S. states, plus the District of Columbia, either allow termination of parental rights in rape cases or restrict or prohibit custody and visitation. Iowa is not one of these states. This leaves women vulnerable for intimidation and harassment is their rapists seek custody of children conceived through sexual assault.
According to the Rape Survivors Child Custody Act, 64 percent of women impregnated through rape choose to give birth to and raise the child. These women have already endured enough trauma without facing custody battles against their rapists.
Rape survivors deserve to live and raise their children without further contact with their abusers. We respectfully urge you to pass legislation to cut off parental rights for rapists. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
