How are therapists required to report sëx crimes?
I know someone who was 15/16 and was raped by her boyfriend. She’s an Oregon resident. She reported it to her therapist, who I think gave her the choice to press charges against him (he was 17/18.). The case didn’t go much further when she made the choice to not press charges.
I also know someone who was 5/6 years old in Idaho and was raped by family. It also came out in therapy and the person was found guilty of multiple felonies.
My question is, since it’s relatively the same crime being done, why is the therapist in the first case not required to press charges? Is it because different states have different requirements for therapists reporting these events? Is it due to the age of the victims?
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She CAN'T press charges. Only the District Attorney can press charges. It is not the therapist's choice whether she does or doesn't report the rape. The therapist is bound by the law to report the rape to the Police. The therapist is a mandated reporter.
AGAIN, no one but the DA can press charges. The therapist can't press charges. If the therapist didn't file a report with the authorities, charges can be brought against the therapist.
The only time I've ever seen a therapist not report a rape is when the therapist was positive there was no rape.
The age is 18.
Because of the age of the victim, and different states ave different laws.
The therapist in neither case pressed charges, as they don't have that authority. They refer the case to the police. The police ask if you want to press charges.
The therapist doesn't press charges. They report the matter to the police and it goes from there.