http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/groups-push-for-limits-on-access-to-abuse-victim-videos
Let me begin by saying I appreciate Bar President Bergmanis speaking up for the rights, what few are left, of registrants which echos down to their families. Before my next statement I will say that as the President of a nationwide organization, Women Against Registry, we do not condone any type of child abuse sexual or physical, but the victim's rights group in Missouri specifically has pretty much succeeded in taking the rights of the accused off the table only to be replaced by the heavy hand of the prosecutor in the form of a plea deal offer after threats of intolerable sentences if a child has to testify. I have talked with legislators from all over the nation and victims rights groups. The legislators have recognized the need for a better balance. and many victim's rights groups want legislators to stop wasting budgets on folks with a minuscule recidivism rate.
Allow the victim their rights AND the accused their right to due process without politics and advocate posturing. Let's begin to deal in truths and facts.
Here is a suggestion, how about our state legislators; Senator Dixon and Representative Haefner sponsor bills to dial back some of the budgeting mentioned above and propose it be spend to mandate Child Sexual Abuse Training Programs, such as Stop it Now to teach children, teens AND parents to recognize and act appropriately on warning signs. That is if the Missouri legislature truly want to protect children from experiencing this in the first place.
Vicki Henry,
Women Against Registry
