Macomb, IL – A circuit court judge says a lot of progress has been made to debunk myths about sexual assault and abuse victims, but there's still room for a lot more progress. For example, in numerous cases sexual assault victims do not immediately report the crime. Judge Charles Reynard says it's incorrect to then assume there must be something wrong with his/her story. He says the victim is simply acting like a victim. Reynard says handling such cases requires good, strong teamwork between victim advocates, police, prosecutors, and the courts. Reynard also believes research has proven that pre-natal and early childhood programs help reduce crime. He'd like to see more invested in such programs and in parent coaching and healthy family programs. Reynard shared his insights in Macomb, where he addressed a seminar on prosecuting sexual abuse and assault cases. Reynard has served on the bench for four years in Bloomington. Before that, he served 16 years as McLean County state's attorney.
Debunking Myths About Sexual Assault
