Beth Ferrier is one of the original 12 Jane Does and an activist from the 2005 civil suit against entertainer Bill Cosby, Heidi Thomas is another accuser and sexual assault survivor who never told a soul about her alleged rape for 30 years. She went public in January of 2015 after more than 20 women went public with their claims that Cosby had sexually assaulted and or harassed them.
Beth Ferrier and Heidi Thomas have teamed up together to push forward a campaign to abolish the Statute of Limitations in all the remaining states that set a time frame where a victim of sexual assault can report their crime committed against them leading to the predator being held accountable for his or her actions.
Beth Ferrier and Heidi Thomas were successful in June 2016 in the state of Colorado when they got the Statue of Limitations extended when Governor John Hickenlooper signed on the dotted line. It was a victory for sexual assault victims especially children who do not and will not have a voice until they are old enough to be deemed credible in a court of law. Most children under 4 are deemed non credible as they cannot form proper sentences yet and their developmental stage does not allow for them to express things they do not understand.
Governor Jerry Brown of California has had a bill to abolish the Statue of Limitations on his desk for weeks and has yet to respond which is quite disturbing because the infamous Brock Turner case took place in the state of California which outraged the nation and brought attention to laws surrounding sex crimes. The judge in the case allowed Turner to be sentenced to just six months in jail, three of which were served in total.
Heidi and Beth have tried multiple times over a course of several weeks to contact the Governor of California but Brown nor a representative have responded at this time and with just hours left it seems that sexual assault laws are the farthest thing from Browns mind or priorities at this time.
Dear Governor Brown ~
I am not so naive as to think this is being read by the Governor. I will try to be concise yet clear, hoping that this will receive the attention it deserves.
I am one of the 60+ (the number keeps growing) women who has publicly come forward as being sexually assaulted by Bill Cosby. I am not from California. I am NOT after notoriety. I am promoting further opening of the floodgates of discussion and disclosure. My eventual goal is to make Rape and Sexual Assault Federal Crimes.
TIME is CRITICAL.
I am writing in favor of Governor Brown's signature on SB813 regarding the Statute of Limitations for Rape and Sexual Assault. As you know, time is running out.
My feeling is that this bill would have been signed immediately if Gov. Brown knew:
...the gross underestimation of the number of victims of rape and sexual assault due to fear of reporting.
...the number of male victims. Few-to-none report the crime, due to attached stigma.
...this is not about sex. This is about power and control and anger. These are violent acts.
...the thousands of silent ones who are watching. They are too fearful to come forward for a myriad of reasons, but they will respond accordingly with their votes. Does this Governor really understand what they have been living with? Or does this Governor simply want this issue to go away...again?
There is a sense that "the time has finally come." The tip of this horrible iceberg of an issue has been revealed, and the momentum is building.
PLEASE, Governor Brown. YOU can be a leader among the nation, by signing and abolishing the Statute of Limitations for Rape and Sexual Assault.
Thank you,
Heidi Thomas
Castle Rock, CO
