NASHVILLE (TN)
WZTV FOX 17 News
July 2, 2019
By Nikki Junewicz
It was an emotional day inside the State Capitol as House Bill 565 was signed into law by Governor Lee. It removes the statute of limitations for child sex abuse cases in Tennessee.
Among those there to witness the historic moment were four of the survivors who fought for its passage. They say this is a day they’ve been waiting for their entire lives.
For many of us, thinking back on our childhoods is nostalgic and happy. But for victims of sexual abuse, a trip down memory lane, brings heartache, pain, confusion, resentment.
Tina Bland-Ullery, Joanna Yoder, Donna Coulter, and Amanda Cormier first met at the signing, but they share an important bond. Each has ties to Tennessee and was abused as a child.
“I was raised in a very strict Mennonite community over in Pulaski and was sexually abused from the time I was three from the time until I was 21 by five members of my community,” explained Yoder.
Coulter, who’s from La Vergne, says her assailant was her father.
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