Posted: | June 30, 2020 11:23 AM |
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From: | Representative Donna Oberlander |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | Sexual Assault in Police Custody |
I will be introducing legislation that will ensure that police officers cannot coerce anyone in their custody or control from engaging in sex acts with them. Pennsylvania law already recognizes that inmates or others confined in government institutions such as jails or institutions caring for those with mental health challenges cannot give legal consent to sex acts with those who hold them. However, this protection does not extend to those who are legally detained by police officers. But those in police custody may in fact be even more vulnerable to predatory sex acts and should be accorded the same protections. In addition, police officers should never be able to use their official positions to coerce sex acts from confidential informants who are in frequent contact with officers. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB2655