Pennsylvania's child custody code requires the submission of a criminal record and abuse history affidavit which is designed to identify whether a party to a custody action or a member of their household has been accused or convicted of a criminal offense. The crimes are almost all violent crimes or crimes of a sexual nature such as rape, luring, exploitation and other offenses. Obviously, the existence of these crimes in a parent's background can have a significant effect on their custodial situation.
A loophole, however, existed which will hopefully be put to an end by a bill introduced in the Pennsylvania state house and senate designed to prevent a rapist from ever seeking custody of the child conceived from a rape. While it may seem inconceivable that a rapist could ever obtain custody of a child, the fact remains that under the black letter of the law, the rapist would have both a support obligation and standing to seek custody of the child they fathered.
The affect such litigation would have on the victim must be devastating and no woman should have to endure confronting their rapists in family court, let alone work out custodial exchange times. So while the child custody code may be able to use the criminal record affidavit to help justify precluding the rapist from having custody, nothing presently exists which precludes him from bringing the action and dragging his victim to court.
The Rape Survivor Child Custody and Support Act is being introduced by State Senator Randy Vulakovich (R-Allegheny) and Representative Joe Hackett (R-Delaware). The new law would allow for the termination of the rapists parental rights, but preserve the obligation to pay support. Under the current law, the only way to sever a rapist's parental rights would be through the adoption of the child. Doing so, however, would also alleviate any support obligation by the rapist.
As quoted by Kaye Burnet of Pittsburgh's National Public Radio, Kristin Houser of Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape admits that the number of women effected by this law may be small, but it is nevertheless a worthwhile and necessary piece of legislation: "[this] isn't necessarily the result of egregious things happening on a regular basis here in Pennsylvania, but it doesn't matter if it's happening to a lot of people or just a few. It shouldn't be happening at all."
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