Did you hear our Perspective this morning on WNIJ? If you’re not a radio listener, check it out at this LINK.
Outgoing Kentucky governor Matt Bevin is using his final days in office to make a powerful statement. On Nov. 22, Bevin announced he was pardoning Paul Hurt, a man serving life in prison for sexually abusing his six-year-old stepdaughter. If there is one thing I thought we could agree on, even in a country as divided as ours seems to be, I thought we could all agree that the abuse of children is a heinous crime for which people should be punished.
The facts around Hurt’s case are complicated and the pardon seems to rest on the activism of the judge in the original 2001 conviction who later worked privately to convince the victim to recant her testimony. The issues when you start digging into the case are far beyond what can be managed in a short Perspective. But what isn’t complicated is this: we as adults have the ultimate responsibility for protecting our children. How we respond when a child discloses abuse and how we support them after that disclosure makes all the difference for how they will heal and whether that abuser will face consequences.
I believe the victim in Hurt’s case has had justice snatched away from her. I believe Matt Bevin has sent a message to child abusers that they will not be held accountable for harming children. I believe our world is a more dangerous place for children because of this pardon. And I believe that is completely unacceptable.
I’m Lynnea Erickson Laskowski and that’s my perspective.
