A Success in New York! Lawmakers Pass Bill to Close Therapist Sex Abuse Loophole

Yes! Check it out on NBC New York:

After I-Team Investigation, Lawmakers Pass Bill to Close Therapist Sex Abuse Loophole

Law would make reporting of statutory rape mandatory for therapists and mental health counselors

By Chris Glorioso and Tom Burke
Thursday, Jun 21, 2012

The New York State Legislature has passed a bill that would require state officials to notify law enforcement of certain sexual misconduct allegations against therapists and mental health counselors.

The new legislation comes in response to an I-Team investigation that found state regulators failed to tell police about a Long Island therapy patient who reported her counselor manipulated her into a series of sexual trysts.

The bill, sponsored in the state Assembly by Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale), and in the Senate by Stephen Saland (R-Poughkeepsie), would require the state Office of Professional Discipline to forward sex complaints about therapists to police or a district attorney.

“I want to make sure this rape never happens to anyone else without law enforcement being involved,” Paulin said.

The state’s criminal code says therapists, counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists are guilty of statutory rape if they have sex with patients during the course of a treatment session.

Read the article in its entirety and view the videos at NBCNewYork.com.
An article also appears on MSNBC.com

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Comments 6

  • WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!!
    I’m crying tears of joy right now. Thank you, Kristi for posting this!!!

  • And it was NOT AN AFFAIR…..It was SEXUAL ABUSE!!!!!

    • Thank you! Jeez, when are the journalists going to get this?
      You may want to consider commenting on the original article. It’s a way to offer feedback for the journalists and help educate the readers.

  • Wonderful!! Now if only the legislators in New Jersey would wake up!!!!!

  • YES!! Every law passed is a victory we can build on. Well done to the lobbyists behind this for their determination and dedication to the cause. God bless ya!

  • Thanks for posting-I too am THRILLED about this law. I know of a case that was filed prior to the law passing. Do you know if the DA or police will still be notified about him? He deserves to be in jail for what he has done to people. I can only hope that one day he will be charged for his crimes. I know of at least 3 victims and one has filed a complaint. I filed a complaint for abuse but there was no physical contact in my case. Just years of manipulation and emotional torment. I have to say that the case my husband and I have pursued against him (both with licensing board and for damages) has helped with some of the healing. But, knowing he is still out there “treating people” (and some are people I still care deeply about) is devastating. Thanks you for your website. It’s wonderful that you are getting the word out so that when someone feels they are to blame they can read and know that sex with a therapist is ABUSE no matter what. Even if it feels consensual IT IS NOT because there is a power differential and there is no way that the patient is to blame. EVER.
    All the best,
    H

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