William C. Flook, The Examiner
2008-01-03 08:00:00.0
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Richmond -

Gov. Tim Kaine rolled out a package of legislative initiatives Wednesday that would expand the rights of sexual and domestic-abuse victims and bring Virginia in line with federal law, calling the move “overdue.”

Kaine’s initiatives seek to bar police from forcing a sexual-assault victim to take a polygraph test as a condition for investigation and to lift requirements that victims almost immediately pursue charges to be reimbursed for a forensic medical exam.

Both requirements are barred under the federal Violence Against Women Act of 2005, whose mandates go into effect over the next several years.

The governor also wants to streamline the processing of protective orders and do away with a law that allows a person to avoid sex charges if he marries his teenage victim, who can be as young as 14.

“It’s been 20-plus years since there has been a very comprehensive review of Virginia’s response to prevention of sexual violence,” said Kristine Hall, of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, who welcomed the initiatives. “That means that some things that come to our attention today have been on the books

and not examined for a long time.”

The proposed legislation is part of a series of bills Kaine will push during the upcoming General Assembly session, which convenes Wednesday. The changes closely mirror some of the 2006

recommendations by the governor’s Commission on Sexual Violence.

“The physical and emotional trauma suffered by victims of sexual violence, often compounded by silence and stigma surrounding the crime, calls for special attention in our response and prevention efforts,” the governor said. “These measures will help us

move towards prevention and response efforts that put victims first.”

Republican legislators contacted Wednesday declined comment because they had not seen Kaine’s proposals.

At a glance

Gov. Tim Kaine announced proposals to reform domestic and sexual violence laws that would:

» Remove requirements that sexual assault victims pursue charges within 48 hours to be reimbursed for a medical examination to collect evidence.

» Prevent police from requiring victims take a polygraph test as a condition for investigating the offense.

» Prevent an offender from marrying a teenage female victim to avoid charges.

» Require court staff to immediately enter protective orders in abuse cases into the Police Virginia Crime Information Network.

wflook@dcexaminer.com