By Tom Flanigan
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-957576.mp3
Tallahassee, Fl – A young Florida woman once again plans to walk from one end of the state to the other. Tom Flanigan reports it's the second year that Lauren Book, a one-time victim of sexual abuse, has made the marathon hike to focus more attention on the crime and promote tougher laws to deal with it.
Lauren Book was barely in her teens when her nanny started sexually assaulting her. That abuse would go on for six years. Book says millions of other children are also victims.
"One in three girls will be sexually abused before they're 18 and one in five boys will be sexually abused before they're 18. These numbers are staggering."
Book and groups of supporters now plan to hike a thousand miles in a zig-zag course across Florida. They'll start the walk this Saturday in Key West. They hope to wind up in Tallahassee on April twenty-sixth. In the meantime, State Representative Chris Dorworth of Lake Mary, is pushing a bill that support's Book's campaign.
"Everything from offering relocation assistance to victims of sexual violence to making sure that prosecutors have all the weapons that they need at their disposal to make sure that they're able to prosecute and to swiftly remove these people from society for a very good, long time."
Fellow Republican, New Port Richey's Mike Fasano is pushing the same bill in the senate.