Sexual Assault Survivors Advocacy
About Chris McGhee
As the father of three daughters, Chris is keenly aware of the challenges of raising kids. Between social media, climate change and the pandemic, children are exposed to stressors their parents never had to consider while growing up.
In 2021, Chris's youngest daughter was sexually assaulted by a York City Police Officer. Through the manipulative behavior of grooming, the officer earned the trust of the entire family and used his authority to take advantage of the child. The officer pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of Corruption of a Minor and was sentenced to five years of probation. He also was required to complete sex offender treatment and abide by the terms of adult probation for sex offender, but:
- He received no jail time for his crime;
- He did not have to register on the National Sex Offender Database.
Literally, someone stealing a car will receive a harsher penalty than the cop did in this case.
Outraged by this absolute failure of the legal system, Chris researched and was shocked to learn that this is a common plea deal for officers who commit sexual offenses with minors in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That is because police officers, even Student Resource Officers, cannot be charged with Institutional Sexual Assault currently, as the law stands. As a result, survivors of sexual assault are prevented from seeing justice served, especially at the hands of law enforcement.
As a parent and a concerned member of society, Chris refused to accept this as an acceptable punishment and committed to never allow another parent or survivor watch a member of law enforcement who used their position of authority and inflicted so much pain and trauma walk out of a courtroom as a free person. There are plenty of people in this world who can and should be doing something about this and Chris decided to let them know it.
HB 1847
Chris began to spread the word about the injustice being done to our children and started working with state representatives to change the statue so that police officers, who are hired to protect and serve, can receive the same felony charge for assaulting a child as a teacher, an employee of a state or county juvenile detention facility, a mental health professional working at a licensed residential facilities serving children and youth, a principal, a librarian, a school coach, or an employee of a childcare facility would.
In November of 2023, Pennsylvania State Representative Joe D'Orsie, introduced HB 1847 which would enhance the charge from a first-degree misdemeanor to a felony of the third degree in instances where the accused is a police officer or school employee and is in the position of instructor or mentor of the abused child. HB 1847 would close the loophole that officers currently have available to them by increasing the first degree misdemeanor charge to a third degree felony, and including up to seven years of prison time, when the assailant is a peace officer.
When in a position of authority, the consequences should be more severe, just as the consequences are more severe when someone in the general public hurts a police officer. For example, in the state of Pennsylvania, a simple assault to a civilian is a misdemeanor, however, assault of a police officer is aggravated assault, which carries a felony charge.
Through Chris' lobbying efforts, HB 1847 was co-sponsored by Chris Pirelli and is currently sitting in the PA Judiciary Committee being considered for a vote. If you want to see HB 1847 become law and help survivors see justice, contact Representative Tim Briggs who chairs the Judiciary Committee by emailing him at RepBriggs@pahouse.net or calling his office at (717) 705-7011.
Media Appearances
Washington Post- Betrayed By The Badge
A Washington Post investigation by Jessica Contrera and Jen Abelson found hundreds of law enforcement officers in the United States have sexually exploited kids.
SASS podcast with Dave Markel
Sexual Assault Survivor Stories -SASS- is a weekly podcast designed for the purpose of providing victims and survivors of sexual assault and rape information and a forum to better understand the complexities, adversities, victories, and all the dynamics of surviving and healing.
Dear Katie: Survivor Stories podcast with Katie Koestner
Katie Koestner, who appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine at age 18 as the first to speak out nationally as the victim of date rape, talks with survivors of sexual assault, rape, and abuse about what they went through and how it impacted their life afterward.
Releasing soon.
Danielle Shea Podcast
Danielle Shea is a survivor who empowers fellow survivors struggling with confidence and self-worth to feel powerful and create the life they envision. This podcast supports survivors in developing self-awareness, accessing hands-on healing tools, and offering peer support, all from a lived-experience expert.
Releasing soon.
What They Don't Say: Sexual Assault and Everything in Between Podcast
Lauren & Shannon take an unfiltered deep dive into the raw realities of trauma, sexual assault, and going through the trial process, exploring what it's like to experience these traumatic events and the emotional toll it can take on survivors on a daily basis from a no bullshit perspective.
Releasing soon.