Protecting sexual assault victims

Dan Hegeman

Earlier this session, I was contacted by a constituent who was having a difficult time protecting his adopted minor daughter from being contacted by her biological father — the very individual who sexually assaulted her years ago.

Though the adoptive father searched for some measure of legal remedy, he was unable to find a satisfactory solution under current state law.

What the adoptive father needed was an order of protection on behalf of his adopted daughter.

But, while Missouri’s current law allows a person, including a child, who has been subject to domestic violence by a family or household member, or any person who has been the victim of stalking, to be granted an order of protection, the law does not extend to victims of sexual assault.

In this day and age, it is unconscionable that Missouri statute does not include this very necessary protection.

I strongly believe these victims should be able to seek court orders of protection.

This is why I filed Senate Bill 321, allowing victims of sexual assault to seek an order of protection by the court.

The bill and the necessary changes in the law are working their way through the legislative process and this expansion of order of protection has had strong support from both sides of the aisle.

This legislation has become one of my top legislative priorities for the 2015 legislative session and it is a problem that we must fix now.

As the General Assembly is closing in on the conclusion of the 2015 legislative session, I am fully committed to getting this critical piece of legislation to the governor’s desk and giving victims of sexual assault the ability to further protect themselves.