The bill would have prevented rapists from sharing custody of children borne out of assault
Five Maryland legislators have failed to pass a bill that would have allowed women to prevent rapists from contesting for child-custody if the child was conceived as a result of sexual assault.
The bill was proposed by Maryland Delegate Kathleen Dumais to address the current policy which requires sexual assault survivors to negotiate child custody terms as well as any adoption issues they may have with their assaulter.
The bill had been passed by both the House and the Senate and only required finalization of the text which had to be completed on Monday. However, a five all-male panel set to decide on the bill’s final text failed to do so letting the current policy stand.
Sen. Cheryl Kagan voiced her disappointment to the Baltimore Sun over the issue, “Although I have great respect for my colleagues, not having women on the committee was tone-deaf. I wanted to watch as the conscience for women and rape survivors.”
Maryland is one of seven states in the US that have no laws protecting victims of sexual assault from sharing parental rights with their rapists.
Read more at The Daily Beast
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