WASHINGTON
The News Tribune
JOSEPH TURNER; The News Tribune
Published: January 13th, 2006 02:30 AM
When a child is raped, does it matter whether the attacker is a stranger or a father, stepfather, brother, teacher, coach or priest?
To state lawmakers it does.
House Democrats and Republicans are filing a batch of get-tough-on-sex-predator bills to be considered during the 60-day session that began Monday, and the relationship between child victim and attacker appears to be the point on which they differ most.
Rep. Jan Shabro, R-Bonney Lake, and her Republican colleagues want rapists and child molesters to face a minimum of 25 years in prison, regardless of whether they are strangers or a member of the victim’s family or otherwise known to the victim.