Northern RI – The sponsors of a 2022 bill that changed the way Rhode Island handles the sexual assault of teenagers by those in positions of authority say their advocacy closed a loophole in state law – and at least one declared victory this week after finally seeing their work in action.
The legislation, which passed and was signed into law that year, made it a crime for individuals such as teachers and coaches to have any kind of sexual contact with a student between 14 and 18 years old. Prior to the change, Rhode Island’s third-degree sexual assault law only addressed “sexual penetration” against those under the age of consent.
Sen. Jessica de la Cruz, a Republican representing District 23 in North Smithfield, Burrillville and Glocester, said she was shocked when she first learned that the state law was not addressing the issue.
“I was in total disbelief because I just assumed that there were laws to protect minors,” de la Cruz said this week. “I couldn’t wrap my head around it.”
de la Cruz, who now serves as minority leader of the Rhode Island Senate, had sponsored the bill in a previous session, but struggled to gain support. Opponents at the time, she notes, said the change was not needed, arguing she had misinterpreted the law.
“My understanding of the law was there was a gap,” she said. “The law allowed children between the ages of 14 up until 16 to consent to a sexual relationship with a person in position of authority as long as there was no penetration.”
Under the previous law, children ages 16-18, she noted, could consent to a full sex relationship with someone in a position of authority.
The issue was brought to light again in 2022 amid allegations against Aaron Thomas, a former North Kingstown coach accused of conducting naked “fat tests” of male students.
de la Cruz once again brought legislation forward, signing on as a co-sponsor. But she notes that it wasn’t until the state attorney general testified that the old version of the Rhode Island law was indeed lacking that she had majority support.
“We were one of only two or three states that had a loophole,” she said. “Even then, I was negotiating trying to get this across the finish line, which surprised me. We’re talking about protecting children.”
The bi-partisan bill, which finally became Rhode Island law in February of 2022, strengthened the statute, classifying any kind of sexual contact with a teenaged student by those in authority as third-degree sexual assault.
“They cannot consent,” de la Cruz said of minors. “We need to protect them from predators.”
Thomas was ultimately convicted of two counts of misdemeanor battery, and found not guilty of sexual assault or child molestation.
But it was a different outcome this week for Sean Tormey, reportedly the first person charged under the revised law.
Tormey, a former Westerly High School employee, admitted to sexually assaulting a student in 2023, pleading no contest to two counts of third-degree sexual assault for engaging in sexual contact with a student. He is now required to register as a sex offender after receiving a five-year suspended sentence with probation.
de la Cruz said that while she respects the work of educators, additional laws could help to address the issue of impropriety in the classroom.
“Teachers do an amazing job,” she said, noting such laws can help to address “a few bad apples.”
“Are there individuals who shouldn’t be in a classroom setting? Yeah, that happens.”
“It happens everywhere,” de la Cruz added. “We need to be honest and recognize that there are some people who shouldn’t be educating our children. We need to take it a step further.”
The senator said she recently learned about potential companion legislation dubbed “don’t pass the trash,” which would give administrators access to a teaching candidate’s previous disciplinary records and any complaints against them in their prior school district.
“The teacher can go unnoticed and fly under the radar,” de la Cruz said. “If I was in that position as an administrator, I would want to know.”
You failed to mention that neither Donald Trump nor Bill Clinton have been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein’s abuse and they have both denied knowledge of his sex offending. All of the publicly available evidence to date suggests their relationships with Epstein ended years before his 2005 arrest.
Oh the irony of de la Cruz being “horrified” at minors not being protected from predators, when the president she constantly cheerleads for was best buds with Epstein.
What a ghoul she is.
so anyone that has friends or family that commit a crime are now guilty too? odd how our country has changed so much.