Ohio Bill Would Compensate Ariel Castro's Victims and Future Captivity Survivors
A new bill proposed in Ohio would compensate the three victims of Ariel Castro fro all their pain and suffering while held captive. The bill has already passed the committee vote and will now be considered by the House of Representatives.
Known as the Survivors Abduction Act, the bill would provide each victim with at least $220,000 from the Ohio Court of Claims' crime victims fund. Michelle Knight would receive $275,000 for her 11 years of imprisonment; Amanda Berry would receive $250,000 for her 10 years of imprisonment, and Gina DeJesus $225,000, according to Reuters.
The bill would also include five years' worth of education, room and board for free as well as Medicaid funds for life at the discretion of the Governor for all victims held captive for eight years or more.
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"I was outraged and thought of what, if anything, can be done to help these women on their long road of recovery," co-sponsor John Barnes Jr. told Reuters.
While most are in agreement that the victims deserve some form of help and assistance as they try to rebuild their lives, some question whether the government is heading down a "slippery slope" of favoring certain victims of special circumstances, especially with the eight-year mandatory captivity requirement to qualify for the Survivors Abduction Bill.
"I don't see it as fair at all," tweeted Jay Dog. "Who gets to decide what victims for lack of better word 'earn' it?"
"Yes, I hate to disrespect anyone, but if it wasn't a media sensation would they get anything?" Jay Dog later asked.
Ariel Castro, the man who held Knight, Berry, and DeJesus captive was sentenced to life in prison plus 1,000 years. However, he allegedly took his own life while in jail by hanging himself with a bed sheet.
The three victims have begun moving on with their new lives and are even being seen out in public. Castro's house was demolished as a symbol of a fresh start for the entire community.
