Support Criminalization of Sexual Abuse by Clergy, Healthcare, Mental Health and Legal Professions a
- by: Jay White
- recipient: Vivian Figures, State of Alabama Legislature
Support a bill to remove or extend the Statute of Limitations for Sex Crimes and Criminalize Sexual Abuse Committed by those entrusted with people seeking treatment, counseling or representation.
I support and encourage the Alabama State Legislature to make it a felony for a medical professional, mental health professional, educator, legal professional or member of clergy to rape, molest or sexually abuse any person being treated or ministered to in the State of Alabama.
Due to the particularly heinous nature of such a crime and the vulnerable state of the victim I also support the elimination of the Statute of Limitations in these cases.
Due to the nature of the professional/client or minister/church member relationship, the victim is in a vulnerable position and oftentimes is unable to grasp or acknowledge that a crime has been committed. For many victims of these crimes it takes decades to reach an understanding that they were victimized and to gain the strength and words to report the abuse.
I support this action because the professional, who is bound by a code of ethics for that very reason, must be held accountable for the long lasting or permanent damage inflicted upon the mental, physical and spiritual health of the victims.
