NOW-NYS Urges NYS Legislature to Reveal Child Predators

ALBANY, NY (04/20/2009)(readMedia)-- At a press conference slated for 11 AM on April 21, 2009, at Room 130 in the Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY, the National Organization for Women-NYS will stand in support of legislation to protect New York's children and identify child predators. The key provision is to extend the statute of limitations for child sex abuse.

NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas said that "California and Delaware have already enacted legislation representing a proven method for identifying the child predators who are hiding among us." "And it's high time," Pappas continued, "for New York State to follow suit. So the National Organization for Women-New York State stands firmly in support of the Child Victims Act (NYS Assembly Bill A2596, Senate Bill S2568), as sponsored by Assemblywoman Marge Markey and Senator Thomas Duane."

Pappas explained that "research shows one in four women have been sexually abused in childhood. The Child Victims Act will help these victims and hold the offenders accountable. Those who would stand in the way of this progress should be challenged and asked the very important question: Why? It is our responsibility as advocates, and as human beings who stand for justice and fairness, to protect New York State's most vulnerable citizens. It is time for New York to spotlight its fugitive perpetrators and to give victims the power!"

"It is simple," Pappas concludes. "We must stop predators and their enablers from using technicalities like the statute of limitations to block child sex abuse cases. We should, for one year, allow prosecution of child sex abuse crimes, even if the statute of limitations would ordinarily apply.

In summary, NOW-NYS is proud to support the Child Victims Act of New York to, at long last, protect children from the dangerous and the callous predators and their enablers."