Letter to the editor: Coverage needed on legislators' failure to act for abuse victims

Contributions to the Tribune-Review from Spotlight PA are one reason I am glad to pay for my Trib subscription. Even when their investigative reporting does not draw a line to what’s happening in my home county, I appreciate the Spolight team’s mission of “hold(ing) power to account” anywhere in Pennsylvania.

One great example of this was the report “Justice Department expands claims against Pa. courts in opioid addiction treatment case” (Jan. 27, TribLIVE).

But I ask the Trib editors why they chose not to include another of Spotlight’s recent articles, this one on our state Legislature’s continued, partisan failure to act on behalf of their constituents who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse (“Relief for abuse survivors, other constitutional amendments halted in Pa.’s split legislature”). Leaders of both parties understandably believe strongly in the other causes they choose to tack onto proposed legislation; but I would argue, in this matter, their political maneuverings are “dangerous and cruel,” to borrow a headline from the Spotlight report on banning addiction meds.

With statute of limitations reform now being so many years in the works, our leaders still have zero results to show us, with no prospect of any real progress. If Spolight PA can call this out, why can’t my local newspaper?

Jennifer D’Souza

Washington Township, Westmoreland County