Start the Clock Later on Child Abuse Law

Stillwater News Press
April 10, 2015

http://www.stwnewspress.com/opinion/james-hutchison-start-the-clock-later-on-child-abuse-law/article_4fa06308-df43-11e4-9e38-6714fbf6d9c7.html

A 4-year old girl will only be 16 when she must choose to confront her abuser in court. Because of her minor status, she may still be living with her abuser during this difficult decision.

Without prospects of gaining independence, finding her own job and place to live, or attending college, the 16-year-old girl feels trapped and simply lets her abuser go unchallenged in court.

The state of Oklahoma secretly promotes this child’s psychological conflict. With the statute of limitations being merely 12 years, the state is promoting further injustice against a minor by leaving her voiceless and fearful of formally charging her abuser.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Health Services, 60.73 percent of child abuse victims were under 6 years old when the abuse occurred. Of their perpetrators, 78.62 percent were their mothers and fathers. Therefore, over half of our Oklahoma children will still be in their parents’ care when the statute of limitations will run out.

We can easily change this unacceptable policy. By simply freezing the statute of limitations for victims until they are 18, a child will be able to face her abuser as an adult rather than a minor. The 12-year statute of limitations would not begin to tick away until the child gains adult status as an 18-year old.

We need to give our Oklahoma children justice rather than silencing them through this unfair statute of limitations. Justice should not have an expiration date.

James Hutchison of Cushing is a political science major at OSU. This is the third in a series of op-ed pieces from students about Oklahoma issues.