We, the Undersigned, endorse the following petition:

Please Pass Ohio Senate Bill 17

Target: John Willamowski, Chairman, Ohio Judiciary Committee
Sponsor: Brian Kozina, none
  • Signatures: 1,237
  • Goal: 10,000
  • Deadline: 3-6-2007
Ohio Senate Bill 17 gives victims of sexual assault effective civil recourse now and in the future.

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Number Date Name City State Are you a survivor of sexual assault? Please say a few words about why you support Ohio Senate Bill 17.
1,237 7:25 am PDT, May 26 Anonymous winter park Florida    
1,236 7:00 pm PDT, May 10 Kimberly Klubnik Medina Ohio    
1,235 4:28 pm PDT, Apr 25 Penniless Fairy Dublin      
1,234 4:35 pm PDT, Apr 21 Eileen Barnett Dublin Ohio No, I never have been assaulted. I have grandchildren and I think all the children should be safe in the world!!
1,233 3:55 pm PDT, Apr 21 Juanita Rebecca Marlowe-Brush Hilliard Ohio yes My brother inlaw molested me and 5 of my sisters over the years when we were children.He got away with it completely. I want him to have to register as a sex offender to protect children from him.
1,232 9:51 am PDT, Apr 10 Susan Bradburn geneva Ohio    
1,231 7:24 am PDT, Mar 20 Ginger Geronimo Birmingham Alabama    
1,230 8:49 am PDT, Mar 12 Anonymous cambridge Ohio yes because i just found out my daughter was molested
1,228 8:50 pm PST, Feb 23 Anonymous Cincinnati Ohio Yes. It's ridiculous that an adult can take advantage of a child and then, because of the Statute of Limitations, can get away with it.
1,227 8:31 pm PST, Feb 2 Anonymous Defiance Ohio Yes I was a victim of child molestation and rape at age 12 by my 16-year-old stepbrother. It was and still is horrifying. I wish there was something that could be done about it now. Maybe this bill will help that.
1,226 10:01 am PST, Jan 30 Anton Oscar Iorga Regina      
1,225 1:25 pm PST, Jan 16 Anonymous toledo Ohio Yes, as a child I was sexual molested as a child and had surpressed memories of it until a few years ago. Being sexual assualted or abused does horrifying damage to someone emotionally. It makes me ill because nothing can be done for what I went through, but maybe there is hope for someone else
1,224 12:42 pm PST, Jan 3 Daniel Overmyer Toledo Ohio No Pedophiles are the worst scum on this planet and i am in support of any bill to hinder their ability to act again.
1,223 6:58 am PST, Jan 1 Simos Tarabatzis Kavala      
1,222 3:20 pm PST, Dec 27 Ramona M. Valance Mansfield Ohio YES, I WAS MOLESTED WHEN I WAS A CHILD BY MY ADOPTED FATHER! A persons sin should finally find them out! My adopted father did several things to me and he should be brought to justice for his actions when I was a child. He MUST be held accountable!!!!! I STILL SUFFER!!!!!!!!
1,221 12:31 am PST, Dec 5 Anonymous Powell Ohio No. I am very disturbed by the laws and sentencing in this country that give pedophiles a slap on the wrist. Something must be done.
1,220 6:16 pm PST, Nov 27 Anonymous Ann Arbor Michigan    
1,219 11:05 pm PDT, Sep 25 Heather Goodin centralia Illinois NO I am a volunteer rape crisis counselor as well as a 911 operator. It is my firm belief that laws in all states need to be stricter and provide more rights to the victims especially increasing or eliminating the statute of limitations on child sexual assualt survivors.
1,218 1:21 pm PDT, Sep 25 Suzanne M Jack New Bethlehem Pennsylvania Yes I survived date rape, and my husband is a survivor of priest abuse. He suffered nearly 5 years of abuse beginning when he was only 7 years old. At 32, it still affects him profoundly in a negative way. We live in PA and currently, a similar law is being proposed here. We pray daily this type of law will be passed in every state so that all survivors will have the opportunity to expose the Catholic Church and their cover ups. For many survivors, it is truly the start of their healing.
1,217 5:55 pm PDT, Sep 18 Mark Setlock new york New York yes the effects of abuse do not fade with time ...they amplify the longer the abuser keeps quiet. there should be no statute of limitations, in ohio, or any state.
1,216 12:27 pm PDT, Sep 13 Cindy Wilson Columbus Ohio yes I am a survivor of sexual abuse. It has taken it's toll on me over the years. I've gotten help and am adjusting...but what a farce that I cannot do anything against my abuser! He's still in the same church that I grew up in and the pastor is still the same pastor that covered up when I was a teenager. We need this bill passed!
1,215 6:37 am PDT, Jul 26 Crystal crews Bluefield Virginia    
1,214 1:27 pm PDT, Jun 15 Rob Henderson Big Rapids Michigan No Anything that can be done to further protect our children, should be. There are too many sick people in the world these days and far too many ways to hurt our children. I do this for my Son and for all of the children who have been hurt.
1,213 2:46 pm PDT, Jun 7 jeffrey newlon akron Ohio yes when I was 5 by a 12 year old boy who most likely was abused by someone. Also my spouse and several others It is a crime against humanity not to pass this. It takes many years to break the emotional control of the abuser like a father. I watch the life of my spouse being sacrificed everday while she takes the fall for her father's dirty ugly secret. He has been abusing for over 50 years and must be brought to justce. He is currently watching a 14 year old girl while the parents are on vacation for 2 weeks. She is in danger and there is little I can do because of ohio's ignorant and irresponsible laws.
1,212 3:59 pm PDT, Jun 5 Pam Halstead York South Carolina yes  
1,211 10:36 am PDT, May 21 Robert Lee Hubbard Ohio    
1,210 9:01 am PDT, May 13 David Leighty Wadsworth Ohio    
1,209 7:23 pm PDT, May 11 Katie Klught Whitney Point New York i was assaulted when i was 10 years i hate rapest and molesters
1,208 6:52 pm PDT, May 4 Laura Horning Westlake Ohio    
1,207 1:37 pm PDT, May 1 Jake Scheiderer Senecaville Ohio    
1,206 11:40 am PDT, Apr 25 Cindi Haught Canton Ohio No, but I know survivors. Its just the right thing to do.
1,205 9:31 am PDT, Apr 23 Gregg Webb Wilmington Ohio    
1,204 9:28 am PDT, Apr 11 Karen Carlson cinti Ohio    
1,203 6:15 pm PDT, Apr 10 Anonymous hartville Ohio yes It something that will never go away no matter how much conunciling and family support. It rules your realsonships and everyday life. Always wondering if I could have stopped it and how.
1,202 4:20 pm PDT, Apr 9 Leigh Michelsen Miamisburg Ohio   My parents were divorced; it could have easily happened to me since my mom lived with an addict. I have family members who have been hurt by this. I'm also a mother. You can't have children and not care about this bill.
1,201 11:03 am PDT, Apr 9 Sheri H Beamsville   yes I had a family member through marriage try to kiss me inappropriately and I see how that has affected me growing up both emotionally and physically. I feel for anyone who has had to go through much worse and the person doing the assulting should be punished for what they have done.

Please Pass Ohio Senate Bill 17

Dear Representative John R. Wllamowski:

We, the undersigned, being of sound mind and judgement, do ask you to please pass Ohio Senate Bill 17 to the Ohio House of Representatives for a full floor vote, bringing Ohio Senate Bill 17 one step closer to aceiving it's goals.

Ohio Senate Bill 17:

  • Gives sexual assault victims effective civil recourse in the future by lengthening the civil statute of limitations to 20 years
  • Provides recourse for past victims of sexual assault by providing a one year period to bring a civil claim against their perpetrators if their statute of limitations has expired
  • Requires clergy to report the known or reasonably suspected abuse of a minor
  • Strengthens the Gross Sexual Imposition language of the Ohio criminal code
  • Exposes past sexual predators, ensuring they will not continue preying on innocent people

Representative Willamowski, the effects of rape and other forms of sexual assaults last far beyond two years. The need to give those who have been victimized the opportunity to bring closure to their horrific situations, and to protect children is crucial. Emotional and moral confusion make it extremely difficult to report cases of abuse, particularly when an abuser is a religious figure or a family member. The relationship between abusers and their victims is one of trust and secrecy, and two years is much too short a timeframe for victims to break out of that relationship in order to realize that what happened to them needs to be reported. Oftentimes it takes years for a person to realize that they were not to blame for the crimes committed against them and that he or she will need to seek counseling or therapy and come to terms with his or her abuse.

Representative Willamowski, please lend your support to Senate Bill 17 and encourage the rest of the Ohio Judiciary Committee to do the same. By doing so, you will help to protect children, help to give victims of sexual abuse an appropriate timeframe in which to report their abusers, and give victims an opportunity to seek justice and closure.


Thank you for your time, and thank you for supporting Ohio Senate Bill 17.

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