BOSTON — Massachusetts laws are failing our children. That was the message from supporters of bills trying to crack down on teachers, administrators, coaches, mentors and more who sexually assault young people.
Supporters say the current system allows adults in positions of power and trust to exploit young people and escape accountability.
For years, 25 Investigates has followed the push to close the age of consent loophole, a push that continues to fail on Beacon Hill.
“Every day we delay, more children are at risk,” said Massachusetts state representative, Leigh Davis.
Davis was among a group of advocates sounding the alarm on a gap in the law that has children, who are victims of sexual abuse in schools, falling through the cracks.
“Under current state law, a teacher having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student is not considered a crime. That must change,” Davis said during a virtual news conference on Monday.
As 25 Investigates has reported for years, Massachusetts’ age of consent is 16.
As a result, a person in a position of trust-- like a teacher, coach or counselor--- who engages in a sexual relationship with a student aged 16 or older rarely faces consequences.
Legislation filed this session sponsored by Davis and state senator Joan Lovely is once again trying to change that.
“Misconduct that include sexual comments or jokes, exposure to genitals or being shown, or giving sexual pictures, being sent sexual messages by phone or online, or having been touched in a in a in a sexual manner,” said Jetta Bernier, executive director of non-profit Enough Abuse. (link: https://enoughabuse.org/
Bernier says they have been pushing for change for two decades, despite that, the Commonwealth has fallen behind.
“So, Massachusetts is one of only 11 states that has yet to address this,” said Bernier. “Few reports result in the disciplinary action of these employees, and this particular bill will help to change that.”
Prosecutors, like Essex County district attorney Paul Tucker say their hands are tied until the gap in the law is addressed.
“I think anybody with common sense would take a look at this and know that this is the right path to follow,” Tucker said.
“No survivor should ever be told their abuser walks free because our laws have failed them,” said Davis. “Our laws are failing our children.”
Advocates are also calling on the state Department of Education to maintain an accurate database of cases of sexual misconduct and abuse in schools and to share the findings every year with the legislature and with the public.
The lack of a database is something 25 Investigates exposed through our reporting.
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