In a disappointing turn of events, a group of five male lawmakers has let down the women they are meant to serve by failing to repeal a shocking law that requires survivors of sexual assault to negotiate custody arrangements with their assailants. This legislation, currently in place in Maryland, forces women to collaborate with their rapists when addressing matters of child custody and adoption—a scenario that only adds to the trauma of those already suffering.
Maryland ranks among seven states that do not allow women to sever the parental rights of their attackers, according to NARAL, a reproductive rights organization. The distressing reality for women who conceive as a result of sexual violence is hard to fathom. “For those who decide to carry the pregnancy to term, the risk exists that the perpetrator may assert his parental rights,” the Maryland branch of NARAL explained. “This could mean that the rapist could remain a part of the survivor’s life for the next 18 years, complicating any efforts to place the child for adoption.” In some dire instances, these attackers have even leveraged their consent for adoption against the victim’s willingness to testify against them.
In a bid to alleviate this dire situation, Delegate Melissa Harper introduced a bill aimed at allowing women to terminate their rapist’s parental rights. Although the bill initially passed through both the House and Senate, a five-member negotiating group was tasked with finalizing the text. Instead of addressing this critical issue, the group chose to let time run out on the legislative session. Delegate Harper left the meeting visibly upset, feeling that a resolution was unattainable.
Now, Maryland’s lawmakers won’t revisit this essential legislation until the session begins again in January 2018. Unfortunately, women who have suffered rape and become pregnant do not have the luxury of time to wait for a legislative fix.
The five male lawmakers who failed to advocate for the women of Maryland were Thomas Reed, Nathaniel Brown, James Carter, Vincent Scott, and Edward Mills.
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This situation underscores the need for continued advocacy and legislative reform to protect the rights of rape survivors.
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