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Groups combating domestic violence and sexual assault listen yesterday as Gov. Tim Kaine proposes new laws.
LINDY KEAST RODMAN/RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
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Kaine
LINDY KEAST RODMAN/RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH
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Kaine proposals target assaults
Kaine focuses on domestic and sexual abuse.
By CHELYEN DAVIS
Date published: 1/3/2008
RICHMOND--Gov. Tim Kaine says the state has made strides in keeping violent sexual offenders behind bars, but it's time to focus on the victims of such crimes.
To do that, Kaine yesterday announced proposals for the upcoming legislative session, several of which aim to make less traumatic the experience victims of sexual violence have with the police.
"Many times people suffer in silence, and that's one of the reasons we're trying to address this issue," Kaine said in a news conference.
He was flanked by members of his Commission on Sexual Violence, which recommended several of Kaine's proposals.
One would eliminate a requirement in some localities that victims pay for the "physical evidence recovery kits" used to collect physical evidence of a sexual crime if they do not agree within 48 hours to prosecute that crime.
Each kit can cost up to $800 and is paid for by the state if the victim prosecutes, but if a victim refuses to prosecute he or she can be charged for the kit.
Whether to prosecute an attacker is "the last thing that somebody in the immediate aftermath of a sexual assault needs to worry about," Kaine said.
Another proposal would bar police from administering polygraph tests to victims of sexual assault.
Kaine said a 2004 survey showed that 72 percent of law enforcement agencies sometimes make sexual assault victims take lie detector tests, while only about 15 percent of such agencies said they never ask the victim to take a polygraph.
Such tests on victims, he said, suggests that their stories of assault are met with skepticism that "compounds the injuries and trauma that they suffered."
Some police agencies, such as the Fredericksburg Police Department, have special units assigned to handle sexual and domestic assault.
Natatia Bledsoe, spokeswoman for the city police said that department has a policy "that precludes victims of sexual assault from having to submit to a lie detector test."
The federal Violence Against Women Act, passed in 2005, requires that states stop using the polygraph on sexual assault victims and charging them for evidence kits by 2009, or risk losing federal funds.
Other proposals from Kaine include eliminating the "marriage as subsequent defense" statute. Under that statute, someone who commits "carnal knowledge" of a 14- to 16-year-old, and later marries the victim, can use the marriage as a defense.
Date published: 1/3/2008
Most recent reader comments:
Kaines proposal targets assaults
(posted by
bucks
, Jan. 3, 2008 1:25 pm)
Some of these abusers are able to bond out of Jail because of the Courts. One recently bonded out at night and almost immediately killed his victim. There have been others. Some have been incarcerated numerous times for domestic abuse, assaults on family members, especially the women in their lives. The Courts are too lax with these offenders. Take a closer look at them before giving them bond so they can go take revenge.
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