Al Schmidt: “On our watch, we prosecuted parents, we prosecuted grandparents, we prosecuted ministers, and we prosecuted coaches. Mr.…”

“On our watch, we prosecuted parents, we prosecuted grandparents, we prosecuted ministers, and we prosecuted coaches. Mr. Speaker, the only evidence you have is what that child can testify to in front of a bunch of strangers in a jury box, a judge in a dark robe, and people in our adversarial system because you rarely have physical evidence in these cases. We sometimes, but rarely, have extraneous evidence. That child has to be able to testify, or justice is never done, and that child cannot testify if he or she has not had the support and services of victim advocates at, for example, a child advocacy center to bring them to the point they can tell truthfully what happened to them. This bill is about justice, and I am proud to support it.”