By Courtney Hessler, The Herald-Dispatch
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Judiciary Committee has pushed forward two bills in the past week that, if passed, would fill in gaps in the law to better protect victims of sexual extortion or revenge porn.
Senate Bill 86, sponsored by Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, calls for the creation of a criminal offense of sexual extortion and sexual extortion by a person holding a position of trust, supervisory authority or disciplinary power over another person, or the attempt to do so. Also sponsoring the bill is Amy Grady, R-Mason; Richard Lindsay, D-Kanawha; and Mike Caputo, D-Marion.
Woelfel said the bill was important to fill gaps in the law as West Virginia continues to seek out what it can do for victims of sexual offenses.
“It’s a bipartisan bill that puts West Virginia at the forefront of advocating for our sexual abuse and in this case felonious sexual exploitation,” he said. “There are prosecutors in the state that feel the state does not provide them with clarity.” …
