Father Drew rape victim, other activists call for Ohio law changes to protect kids from sex abuse

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WXIX) – Ohio wants legal guidelines that do a greater job defending youngsters from intercourse predators who victimize them, in line with activists who traveled to Columbus and held a information convention Thursday contained in the statehouse to name out lawmakers.

These activists embody Paul Neyer, the person who got here ahead in 2019 to press costs in opposition to a priest within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Father Geoff Drew, and one among his classmates from St. Jude Faculty, the place the rapes occurred, Rebecca Surendorff.

That is Neyer’s second journey to our state’s capitol this 12 months to foyer for a state legislation change to present victims extra time to take civil and/or legal motion in opposition to their abusers.

Neyer is popping out along with his story repeatedly as he tries to be part of the change he says is required to stop extra children like him from being victimized.

He confronted Drew in court docket at his sentencing after which went on digicam and launched his title in an interview with FOX19 NOW adopted by an tackle as he held up a photograph of himself on the age he was raped when he appeared earlier than a Senate committee on Might 31.

He urged senators to increase the statute of limitation for victims to hunt the justice he says they deserve (modification to Senate Invoice 226).

Up to now, it seems no state legislation adjustments are coming this 12 months.

Each the Ohio Home and Senate are in what the activists known as a “lame duck” session.

The Common Meeting hasn’t voted on proposed laws in months and isn’t anticipated to till not less than after the Nov. 8 election.

Neyer, in the meantime, plans to maintain sharing his story and doing extra analysis into what the Archdiocese knew about Drew, after they knew it and what they did. A few of these particulars had been anticipated to come back out at Drew’s trial had he not pleaded out.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has conceded it made “severe errors” for years in responding to issues about Drew’s habits.

They’re in search of the “laicization” of Drew, basically stripping him of his priestly duties. He’ll now not be permitted to carry Mass, take confessions, administer sacraments and have a priestly project in any archdiocese.

The second-highest rating member of the archdiocese, Bishop Joseph Binzer, finally resigned within the fallout over Drew.

Binzer stays a priest. He holds the title “Bishop Emeritus” and was assigned final 12 months to be the pastor at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Symmes Township.

Neyer, in the meantime, plans to share his story this weekend with some 2,000 males from greater than 40 states who’re touring to Better Cincinnati for Crossroads’ annual “Man Camp” in Clermont County’s Washington Township.

He hopes that he’ll encourage them to talk out about something bothering them. His message, he says, isn’t particular to only intercourse abuse victims.

“Some males are referred to as the load carriers in most cases. Males are informed ‘carry this weight.’ Males don’t search remedy, don’t converse out, don’ speak to folks,” Neyer stated Thursday morning as he drove to Columbus for the information convention.

“Girls, alternatively, they speak to anyone all day. They go to the lavatory collectively, the whole lot is speaking. Males really feel alone, judged, scared, etcetera. So to have anyone stand in entrance of them and inform them their historical past at the start of a secure occasion (like Crossroads’ “Man Camp”), my hope is when they’re of their small teams (speaking on the camp), after they have the chance to go to prayer camp, they’re able to open up about no matter it’s in actual life that’s holding them again.”

It was a Crossroads “Man Camp” the place Neyer first felt sturdy sufficient to confide to others about being sexually abused.

“All of us have spider webs,” Neyer stated. “All of us clear out our closes however nobody goes in and kills the spider. That’s what I hope these guys do.”

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