Two women who survived being raped as children are hoping their stories could protect others.
“This would mean freedom for a lot of people,” said Dinah Griffey, who said she was sexually abused as a child by a family member.
She testified in favor of a bill to end the statute of limitations for rape and rape of a child.
Under current law, child victims have until the age of 30 to report sex crimes.
Adult victims have 10 years to contact authorities.
Griffey said too many victims are afraid to come forward until much later in life; in some cases, when it’s too late for justice.
“This would make you accepted,” said Griffey. “You don’t have to hide anymore.”
Defense attorneys have testified against the bill in past legislative sessions, claiming old cases are hard to defend and prosecute, and changing the light might give victims false hope.
Dinah Griffey’s husband, Representative Dan Griffey, R-Mason County, has sponsored the bill for four consecutive years.
“I wrote the bill because of the survivors,” said Dan Griffey. “But quite frankly, because I talked to my wife about the devastation that her monster had on her, her whole life.”
Griffey’s bill passed out of the House with overwhelming support last year but never got a hearing in the Senate.
He and his wife hope this is the year it will pass, even though it wouldn’t impact Dinah Griffey’s case.
Her attacker has passed away.
She’s gone public with her story to help.
“I’m never going to shut up,” said Dinah Griffey. “I’m going to keep talking about it forever until we get them justice because they deserve it.”
