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october 27, 2009
JC Executive Session for House Bill 1523 to be held soon....I emailed
all of the members of the Judiciary Committee today:
On June 30, 2009 I testified before your Committee on behalf
of House Bill 1523, filed by Representative Ronald Mariano. This bill would repeal the statute of limitations for cases
of childhood sexual abuse. The Executive Session to determine the life of House Bill 1523 should be held soon. As
a result, I wanted to contact the Committee in an effort to urge you to pass this bill along in the legislative process.
I plan on following up with a hard copy of this letter, as well as posting it to my web page.
I am a survivor of a brutal rape at the hands of a stranger when I was just sixteen years old. My rapist invaded my
body and then he was gone. My sense of self, safety and security was completely destroyed. Even though the imminent
threat of "him" fades, he still managed to invade my thoughts and my mind. I walked around for many years
a prisoner in my own mind. The effects this rape had on me physically and emotionally were too much for my brain to
process and I had to live in avoidance for years in order to function in life. It is not the attacker that has the long-term
hold over a survivor of rape - it is the aftermath the event leaves in its wake and the ripples it sends throughout your life
and the lives of your loved ones.
Our laws simply cannot continue to tell our children that when
they do find the superhuman strength to come forward to try and confront their rape, "sorry, but it's too late".
And now you have to live with the fact that had you come forward earlier, you could have removed a rapist from the streets.
With the advancements made with DNA and the mere existence of the COTIS system, there is reality to
identifying a stranger rapist many years from the date of the crime, as well as generating cold hits. It is unjust not
to be able to prosecute solely because the statute of limitations has elapsed. Closing the door on a victim who is trying
to report a crime has been committed against them is simultaneously allowing a rapist back on the streets of the Commonwealth.
We group rapists and murderers together in our prisons and refer to them in the same category of conversation.
Murder has no statute of limitations. Rape needs to be the same. A piece of me was murdered on that day and I
know all other victims would agree.
I have been on television and in the newspapers. I have thousands
of followers on my web page, www.voicebychoice.org, from all around the US as well as overseas. I will produce signatures if that is what you need to see.
I personally think you need to stop wasting our tax dollars trying to argue a point that does not exist and abolish the statute
of limitations on reporting the crime of rape of minors. The majority of the Commonwealth believes the statute needs
to go and our laws need to start reflecting what society wants.
I will continue to push this
issue in any way I can. I know this is the right thing, not only for survivors of rape, but for our society as a whole.
We all benefit from removing rapists from the streets.
Thank you in advance, Elizabeth Holmes
Carmignani
october 5, 2009
I'm back after a much-needed break from this :)I took the summer off from this and although it seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye, it was a much needed break for
me personally. I have been in contact with the Judiciary Committee through Rep. Mariano's office and the hearing has
not been scheduled to determine the life of House Bill 1523. I made that 16 year old frightened little girl a promise
that I would see this through to the end. I only see positives for our society as a whole if this bill stays alive and
eventually passes through our legislative system. I believe in this bill and I will not accept anything less than an
"ought to pass" verdict.
I am writing a letter to all of the members of the JC to remind them
of the importance of this cause and the absolute necessity of aligning our written laws with society's wishes. Along
with the letter, I am including a copy of my speech that I made on June 30 at the State House.
The next
step is to wait for the hearing schedule to be posted, which will give us the date when the Committee intends to vote on House
1523. Thank you again for all of your continued support!
july 9, 2009
VIEW MY JC TESTIMONY ON WBZ-TV and NECN !
5:09 pm edt
june 14, 2009
WE DID IT - I AM TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF THE JC!!!!The Judiciary Committee has accepted my request to testify on behalf on House Bill No. 1523! I
will be testifying on June 30th at 1PM at the State House. Thank you to everyone for their continued support!
Joe Shortsleeve and Channel 4 News plan on being in attendance for my testimony. Thanks, Joe. Also, thank
you to Chief Bill Conlon and Chief Dave Majenski, of the Brockton PD and Abington PD, respectively, for their continued support.
4:13 pm edt
june 3, 2009
The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC) I have accepted a position with BARCC as a Medical Advocate Volunteer! I will be alerted to cases during my designated
shifts and I will be a first responder to the hospital. I will be there solely to support the victim and their
family, walking them through the evidence collection process and ensuring the victim receives the proper information and care
throughout the hospital experience. I will attend their Rape Crisis Certification Training program this Monday, June
8th! Thank you for your continued support!
11:19 pm edt
may 22, 2009
Joint Committe of the JudiciaryThe JC has not posted the hearing schedule yet. It was rumored to be coming out soon, but we are still waiting.
We will only receive a few days notice before the hearing actually takes place. As you can imagine there are many
Joint Committees - as a result a different hearing schedule and the respective committee meeting that day is posted
on their webpage on a daily basis. http://www.mass.gov/legis/legis.htm
may 8, 2009
The Enterprise is running my story this Sunday! I interviewed with Allan Stein, correspondent for the Brockton Enterprise, this week and the story will be printed
in this Sunday's paper - May 10th - Mother's Day! I will be posting the link to my webpage once the story is
available. Thanks for your continued support! And Stay Tuned...
11:09 am edt
april 30, 2009
THANK YOU!The response and support I have received has been amazing. People I haven't spoken to or seen in years are reaching
out - even complete strangers offer their support! The activity on the web-page has increased and continues to do so....so
thank you for making power in numbers! I learned this morning that the hearing schedule for the Judiciary Committee
should be out by the end of the week. I have not heard from them as to whether I can testify or not, but the time is
approaching and I'm determined to make it happen! I'll keep you posted.
1:14 pm edt
april 27, 2009
TONIGHT - CHAN 4 NEWS @ 11PM!My story will air on the Channel 4 news (WBZ-TV) tonight at 11PM. Please tune
in to watch. They have been running previews all weekend long...very dramatic. Joe told me I would be happy with
it and I can already tell I will be from the preview alone. Thanks again, Joe Shortsleeve and WBZ-TV for allowing me
to tell my story. I can only hope other victims will come forward so we can put an end to this nonsense once and
for all.
11:32 am edt
april 14, 2009
My goal is to testify in front of Judiciary Cttee - Bill 1523House Docket No. 481, Filed on 1/12/2009 , Presented by Ronald Mariano
House Bill No. 1523
My
goal is to testify in front of the Judiciary Committee for House Bill 1523. Sen. Morrissey has been kind enough to write
Chairperson Creem on my behalf. I have also written to the Committee with my views from the victims' standpoint as
to why the statute of limitations should be abolished in the state of MA.
12:29 am edt
My story will be on Channel 4 News I taped an interview with Joe Shortsleeve from Channel 4 News this past Friday! Chief Majenski
of the APD and State Senator Michael Morrissey also appeared to be interviewed regarding lifting the statute of limitations
on reporting the crime of rape in MA. I met with Joe in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery and we spoke of what happened to me
and the impact it has had on my life. This is tentatively scheduled to air Monday, April 27
at 11PM. I'll keep you posted.
12:22 am edt
march 30, 2009
Reply Brockton Police Department (BPD), Chief William ConlonI would like to thank the Chief of the BPD for replying to my letter so quickly. Thanks to Chief Conlon the mystery
regarding my missing DNA evidence has been solved. While it was not the answer I was hoping for, at least I have an
answer. The BPD picked up my rape kit from the Brockton Hospital on April 22, 1991 and the evidence was subsequently
destroyed 3 years later in 1994. The confusion regarding my evidence was a result of the hospital using my nickname
as opposed to my legal name and the fact that it was picked up some 8 months later as opposed to the date of in the incident,
8/10/1990. I realize if BPD had the option they would have held onto my evidence, but could not due to lack of storage
space. It is beyond unacceptable to me that the state would rather destroy evidence from a suspected child rapist rather
than spend the money to process and store this information. This issue just received a voice that will not be silenced.
5:47 pm edt
march 23, 2009
I will periodically post updates to my Blog...I will post updates to my story as I receive them. Please check back with me and the website to see what feedback
I receive as a result of your help.
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