General Assembly Passes Bill to Improve Effectiveness of Sexual Abuse Reporting in Schools
GoLocalProv News Team
General Assembly Passes Bill to Improve Effectiveness of Sexual Abuse Reporting in Schools
The bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Maryellen Goodwin and Rep. William O’Brien.
“Our goal here, above all else, is to create a system that protects kids and gives them help when they need it. There needs to be a clear understanding of when schools should contact DCYF about suspected abuse. Making the reporting law more specific will help ensure that incidents cannot be swept under the rug, while also protecting DCYF from having to waste precious resources and time investigating matters that aren’t abuse, or weeding through multiple reports about the same incident, so they can instead focus on helping children who need their services,” said Senator Goodwin.
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The bill would clarify the circumstances in which a person should raise a flag about possible abuse, and would also designate school principals and headmasters — or another leader designated by the school —as the person who should make the report to DCYF.
The bill calls on the Department of Education to issue policies and procedures for handling the reports, which could include training for school officials so they are well-equipped to determine when and how to report.
Representative O’Brien added, “Protecting students from sexual abuse is extremely important. We must make sure our laws are effective and clear, and that every adult who works with children at a school understands their responsibility when it comes to reporting suspected abuse. Making this law work optimally will help provide a quick response to abuse allegations, and will also serve as a deterrent to those who would target children at school.”
Growing List of Alleged Sexual Harassers
Politics
Members of the Rhode Island House of Representative
State Representative Teresa Tanzi said she has been the victim of sexual harassment in the RI State House by a fellow male legislator.
Rhode Island State Police and Attorney General Peter Kilmartin are investigating the charges.
The State Police and Kilmartin Released the Following Statement
“Yesterday, Attorney General Peter Kilmartin contacted Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Department of Public Safety, regarding allegations of sexual harassment at the Rhode Island State House made by Representative Teresa Tanzi. The two agencies are working together to review the allegations. As is the policy of both the State Police and the Attorney General’s Office, the two agencies are not going to be making further comment with respect to the status of or direction of the inquiry.”
Entertainment
Harvey Weinstein
Former entertainment boss and political influencer and fundraiser is now facing allegations from dozens of women. Reported by the New York Times that law enforcement in NY is poised to file rape charges against Weinstein.
Politics
Roy Moore
GOP candidate for U.S. Senate has been accused by eight women of sexual abuse. The impact has seen Moore drop in the polls and now the seat that was a lock to stay Republican is a toss-up.
Moore and, now his wife, deny the claims and say they are politically motivated.
Media
Michael Oreskes
The National Public Radio senior news editor was forced to resign, "Our top editor, NPR Senior Vice President of News Mike Oreskes, has resigned following accusations of sexual harassment. Three women have filed complaints, one a current NPR reporter, the other two alleging harassment from two decades ago when Oreskes was at The New York Times."
But now, Oreskes may just be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Now, the controversy has expanded. On Thursday, NPR reported, "As NPR's Board of Directors meet in Washington, D.C., this week, the network finds itself confronted by a series of dispiriting developments: a CEO on medical leave; a chief news executive forced out over sexual harassment allegations; the sudden resignation of a board chairman; fresh complaints about inappropriate behavior by colleagues; and a network roiled by tensions over the treatment of its female workers."
Politics
Donald Trump
"Meanwhile, some of the women who accused Donald Trump of sexual harassment or assault during the presidential campaign wonder when the president might finally pay a price for what he allegedly did to them.
'Things just seem to fall off of Trump, I’m extremely disappointed,' says Jessica Leeds, 75, who alleges Trump tried to kiss her, fondle her breasts and put his hand up her skirt while on a flight to New York in the early 1980s," reports People magazine.
Entertainment
Andy Dick
"Clearly Andy Dick’s behavior is reprehensible. We used him twice on our show two years ago when he was sober for an extended period in order to encourage him to change his life. Sadly he has not. We no longer use him on our show,” Judd Apatow tweeted Tuesday after social media users criticized him for not speaking out against Dick," reported the Chicago Tribune."
Entertainment
Andy Signore
"Andy Signore, creator of Screen Junkies and the “Honest Trailers” series, has been fired effective immediately, Defy Media announced Sunday evening. Signore has been accused by several women of sexual harassment, and at least one said he tried to sexually assault her," reports Variety magazine.
Entertainment
Oliver Stone
"While Oliver Stone defended Harvey Weinstein amid more than a dozen allegations of sexual harassment and assault, a former Playboy Playmate accused the “Platoon” director of sexual assault.
Carrie Stevens, who was best known as Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in June 1997 but also had several small movie and TV roles, claimed Thursday that Stone had grabbed her breast at a party," reports the NY Daily News.
Politics & Entertainment
Al Franken
Former SNL star and progressive United States Senator, he has admitted (after the photo was released) or sexual harassment. Now, some Democratic colleagues are calling for an Ethics Committee investigation.
Others are calling for Franken to resign.
Entertainment
Chris Savino
“The Loud House showrunner Chris Savino has been fired from Nickelodeon, amidst allegations of sexual harassment.
Savino had first been suspended by the network when allegations first surfaced. A dozen women have accused Savino of inappropriate behavior, in a story first reported by the website Cartoon Brew. Their accusations — which date back several years — include unwanted sexual advances as well as threats of retribution after the end of consensual relationships," reports Variety.
Media
Mark Halperin
No journalist was hotter than Mark Halperin. But, now he has been accused of harassing a dozen women while at ABC News.
His Book contract terminated. And he has been fired from his slot on "Morning Joe." He has apologized for some of the instances and denied others.
Hollywood
Kevin Spacey
The actor that helped to create Netflix is now being unveiled by a range of accusers of being a serial abuser.
Multiple your men and boys have alleged Spacey sexuallty abused them. Netflix has dropped him from “House of Cards.”
Entertainment
David Guillod
"Three more women have come forward to say Hollywood manager and “Atomic Blonde” producer David Guillod raped them, including an assistant at his former management company who said he took her from her bed at a 2014 company retreat and raped her.
The other two women said he drugged and raped them at his home in 2015 — and that they woke up covered in blood.
Guillod denies all of the accusations. The new accusers, who do not wish to be identified, join “Ted” actress Jessica Barth, whose public accusation that Guillod drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2012 sparked his recent resignation from Primary Wave Entertainment, his management company," reports AOL.
Entertainment
Louis C.K.
"Accused by five women of sexual misconduct. The planned release of his film "I Love You, Daddy" halted. Netflix special has been canceled. He says the allegations are true and has apologized," according to ABC News.
Entertainment
Jeffrey Tambor
"...Amazon has launched an investigation into Tambor’s behavior in response to a leaked Facebook post from his former assistant Van Barnes which was circulating within Hollywood’s transgender community. In the post, Barnes, who is transgender herself, wrote about the sexual harassment she had endured at the hands of a former boss who had repeatedly groped and propositioned her, suggesting that sleeping with him would earn her an industry-appropriate pay grade. She accused her employer of making lewd comments, playing pornography at loud volumes, and threatening to sue her if she spoke up. Transparent’s writers have since been contemplating whether the fifth season can go on without its star," reported Slate.
Two additional transgender women came forward this week with new allegations against Tambor late this week.
Entertainment
Steven Seagal
Action actor has been accused by a number of accusers: including de Rossi, Inside Edition correspondent Lisa Guerrero, The Good Wife actress Julianna Margulies, and Jenny McCarthy.
Entertainment
Sly Stallone
The actor who created the Rocky character is accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl. The woman alleges that the event took place in 1986 -- Stallone was 40 years old at the time.
The Daily Mail, who broke the story reports, "That retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department detective sergeant John Samolovitch vouched that 'the copy of the police report is, in fact, a true copy of the original report.' The force is yet to comment."
Entertainment
James Toback
ABC reports, "Writer-director James Toback — Accused by hundreds of women of sexual harassment. Beverly Hills police investigating complaints. He has denied the allegations to the Los Angeles Times."
Entertainment
Ben Affleck
According to Rolling Stone, "Stephen Colbert asked Ben Affleck about his past sexual misconduct – last month, the actor apologized for groping Hilarie Burton on camera in 2003 – and his reaction to the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault allegations on The Late Show on Thursday. Good Will Hunting, the film that launched Affleck to stardom, was released by Miramax, a company co-founded by Weinstein.
"What I was accused of by a woman was touching her breast while I gave her a hug," Affleck told Colbert. "I don't remember it, but I absolutely apologize for it. I certainly don't think she's lying or making it up.'"
Politics
George H.W. Bush
Business Insider reports, "After actress Heather Lind accused former President George H. W. Bush of sexual harassment, five other women have since come forward with their own experiences with Bush, all of which involving him groping their buttocks during photo shoots."
