Man pushes for laws to keep sexual predators out of hospitals
75-year-old Edward Bowman is pushing legislators to create a law, “Clara’s Law”, to be named after his late wife Clara Mae, that would ban sexual predators (not sure whether the term “predator” is used to distinguish the different classification or if it’s used by him synonymously with “offender”) from nursing homes, hospitals and medical facilities all over the country.
In 2006, Edward’s late wife was sexually assaulted by a male nurse and he has been on a crusade since to get a law passed in her memory. This year, he is going to walk 237 miles from Mount Dora to Tallahassee, to meet with Florida lawmakers.
While Mr. Bowman has a sad and compelling story, he’s missing the mark on some facts.
Firstly, the nurse who assaulted his wife was not on the registry. Therefore, “Clara’s Law”, had a version been in effect back then, would have done nothing to protect Clara.
Secondly, the overwhelming majority of sexual assaults are committed by first time offenders. If another patient is assaulted by a healthcare worker, there’s a 97% base chance that it would be by someone not on the registry, further reduced by the fact that it’s unlikely that a hospital worker with such a criminal history would be working in a capacity where they could assault a patient, making the odds negligible.
Third, the unintended negative consequences of a law that would ban registrants from hospitals, would be that they would be prevented from visiting with loved ones, including their own children (see: https://floridaactioncommittee.org/wi-registrant-father-wins-right-to-visit-sick-son-in-hospital/, https://floridaactioncommittee.org/registrant-denied-access-to-hospital-for-sons-surgery/, https://floridaactioncommittee.org/sex-offenders-banned-from-florida-hospital/).
Bowman has been pushing for a “Clara’s Law”, in one form or another, for over a decade. Prior versions would have required healthcare facilities to report incidents of sexual misconduct (not convictions, but reports) to the state Health Department and potentially a national clearinghouse, but those measures failed.
We can understand Mr. Bowman’s desire to memorialize his wife, but banning an entire class of former offenders from hospitals – the effect of which could be to prevent children facing scary medical procedures from the comfort of their parent – is not going to do Clara any justice.
Discover more from Florida Action Committee
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Mr. Bowman is a one topic fanatic.
I hope NO ONE with any authority gives his idea any validity.
HE just wants to feel good…and screw others to do it.
Mr. Bowman’s efforts are a classic example of public ignorance of the subject. I hope he doesn’t get attacked by a bear on the way to Tallahassee or maybe he would have to shift his effort to a “bear registry” which would of course be just as silly.
I do not think ignorance is the correct word,, I think he is just trying to make a name for himself,, get his name in the spot light similar to the tuff on sex offender politician’s,
Has anyone from FAC officially reached out to him to provide this evidence to him to help himself get over his delusional self-ignorance.
If it goes too far, what about the ACLU?
When are these people going to realize accountability goes to the businesses in question (here being the hospital) and not the entire world, just in case. I’m tired of hearing these ignorant people. I understand his pain, personally, trust me, but good lord, no humanitarianism. They simply can’t look beyond their pain. Isaiah 29:13 says it all. Thanks for always providing us with the facts, and a place to voice.
This is a good analysis, FAC, but you’re making it too complicated.
Statistically, what is the number of sexual assaults committed by VISITORS to a health care facility?
Answer: it is 0.
Is there any precedent for a registered sex offender engaging in sexual misconduct while visiting a health care facility?
No. No precedent exists.
So this proposal is not even about risk. It’s not that there’s low risk. It’s that there’s none at all.
Now, what might have prevented his loved one’s sexual assault? Perhaps background checks on nurse candidates. But they already do that, without a new law.
We don’t have to oversimplify the argument, in order to make it simple enough that even a state legislator can understand.
What can we do here, FAC? I am a complete novice.
No law will stop a single person from committing a crime should that be their intent.
No restraining orders
No backgrounds checks
No ankle monitor
No curfew
No marked license
No marked passport
Etc, etc, etc…
just as ill conceived as megans law and the adam walsh law..both of which would have done nothing to protect the victims they were named after as well..
the problem is not that we have stupid people.. we have always had stupid people.. the problem is we have politicians and news media that sensationalize and capitalize on the stupid people at the cost of neglecting all else..
Is it a bad idea? of course it is? is it stupid? yup..of course it is…
Will some stupid politician who is trying to cover his own crimes and score a few votes push for it? sure as sugar is sweet…
home of the free..hahahaha.. not as long as stupid people and politicians have the loudest voices..