Flint Journal
May 10, 2010
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/05/senator_john_gleason_1321_flus.html
A bill extending the statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases against minors is so important to Sen. John Gleason that he's walking it to Lansing.
Gleason, D-Flushing, set out on the 50-mile trek to the state capital Sunday afternoon from his home parish at St. Robert's Catholic Church in Flushing.
Gleason introduced Senate Bill 1321 — a bill to extend the state's statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse cases — on May 7.
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| Sen. John Gleason\'s wife, Karen helps him adjust his hydration tube from his backpack as he gears up to walk from St. Robert Catholic Church in Flushing all the way to Lansing regarding a statute of limitations on child sexual abuse Sunday afternoon, May 9, 2010 Photo by Hollyn Johnson |
"It's important that we come together as a state and say this is enough," he said.
The bill would extend the statute of limitations 20 years for sexual abuse to minors in cases in the criminal courts. A similar bill was presented to the Michigan House this year.
Michigan Rep. Deb Kennedy presented a different bill to the state house in December, which would extend the statute of limitations in civil courts 30 years after the victims 18th birthday.
Kathy McCreedy, the leader of Protecting Michigan's Children, said it's important that the statute of limitations for this crime is increased.
"(Abuse victims) generally don't start talking about it until long after they turn 18," she said. "Personally, I didn't talk about until I was 50."
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| Sen. John Gleason says goodbye to his wife Karen and daughter Clancy, 13, as he gears up to walk from St. Robert Catholic Church in Flushing all the way to Lansing regarding a statute of limitations on child sexual abuse Sunday afternoon, May 9, 2010. Photo by Hollyn Johnson |
Both bills aim to create a two-year window where victims of childhood sexual abuse can identify their abusers in court. The window would start immediately after the bill's adoption.
Gleason said that he chose Mother's Day to start the walk because often mothers bear the burden of sexual assault, he said.
"When a child goes and talks to their parents, typically the first they go to talk to is their mothers," he said.
He said Michigan needs to become more aware of the problem and said he hoped this walk would do that.
"Too many families have been put through sexual assault on their young ones," he said. "I've tried myself to advance the cause for the families."
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