CFCtoo rallies to pass Child Abuse Reporting Expansion Act

May 31—ALBANY — One in nine girls, and one in 20 boys under age 18 are thought to experience sexual assault or abuse in the U.S., but in New York, when a religious leader like their pastor, rabbi or imam becomes aware of the abuse, they aren't required to report it to authorities.

A group of activists, survivors, family members, clergy and New York state legislators are hoping to change that with the Child Abuse Reporting Expansion, or CARE Act. That bill would change state law to require that clergy members of any faith or tradition report instances of child abuse that they become aware of to the proper authorities.

Supporters say it's a next step to justice after passage of New York Child Victims Act, which allowed for victims of childhood sexual assault to sue their abuser in civil court if their case was beyond the statue of limitations timeframe.

"The Child Victims Act was a critical step in ensuring that victims of child sexual abuse are made whole and helped open those doors to pursue justice," said state Sen. Brad M. Hoylman-Sigal, D-Manhattan. "It is also imperative that we close the current loopholes in our laws that permit such abuse to exist undetected for decades."

Led by CFCtoo, an anti-abuse advocacy group with roots in St. Lawrence County, supporters have argued that New York state is out of the norm when it comes to mandated reporting of abuse cases. In Florida, everyone over 18 is mandated to report instances of sexual assault and child abuse to the state, and in 32 other states clergy are included in the list of mandated reporters as well.

The CFCtoo activists, many of whom are survivors of abuse or family members of survivors of abuse sustained while they were members of The Christian Fellowship Center, an evangelical Christian organization with several hundred members and churches in Madrid, Potsdam, Canton, Richville and Moira.

Bonnie Ogilvie is the mother of CFC church member Sean M. Ferguson, who pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual abuse.

"I stand before you today as the grandmother of children who've suffered child sexual abuse," she said. "The CARE Act is not just a piece of legislation to me, it's a desperate plea that no more children have to be hurt."

Ms. Ogilvie said she learned that her son had sexually abused his children after he was charged, and then learned that the abuse had happened six years earlier and was known to his pastors and church leaders, who kept the information to themselves.

"The pastor decided not to report the abuse, and left my grandbabies in the house with their molester," she said. "For these pastors, even an abusive husband is better than no father or husband in the house at all."

The Rev. Peter M. Cook, executive director of the New York state Coalition of Churches, said while his coalition of nine Protestant denominations have not all thrown their official support behind the CARE Act, he has seen support for the basic premise of the bill among all denominations in his coalition membership.

He said he's worked as a pastor in three states beside New York, and in each one he was required by law to report abuse cases he was aware of.

"When I became executive director of the New York State Council of Churches seven and a half years ago, I assumed incorrectly than New York, being a progressive state, had the same requirement of clergy to report. I was wrong."

There is opposition to the CARE Act, from faith groups that argue against state influence on clerical duties. Michelle Wilbur, advocate for CFCtoo and a survivor of abuse herself, said the Roman Catholic Church opposes the bill, and Rev. Cook said there are many other religious groups that not only reject government intervention, but idealize men at the top of their hierarchy and are unwilling to support anything that could punish them.

"We have a continual job to take on white Christian nationalist culture," he said. "It really centers on the male heads of household who shape and control their families, and that's ripe for abuse. It's a whole different Biblical theological system, and we have to continue to speak out against it."

The CARE Act has bipartisan support in both houses of the state Legislature, but as this year's regular legislative session comes to a close, it has not moved from the Children and Families Committees of the Assembly and Senate since it was introduced on Jan. 30.

Speaker of the Assembly Carl E. Heastie, D-Bronx, said in a press conference Tuesday that he was aware of the bill, but not aware of any efforts to pass it before the end of session.

"I know of the bill, but I don't know where it is," he said.

Ms. Wilbur said she and CFCtoo will continue to fight for the passage of the CARE Act.

"Children of New York, please know that CFCtoo is here for you, we are fighting for you," she said. "We have committed to fight this battle today so you don't have to."