BRISTOW, OK (KFOR/CNN) – People in Bristow, OK, are showing support for a woman whose uncle molested her when she was a child by holding a protest outside the man’s current residence – next door to the woman’s family home.
After serving time in prison for molesting his 7-year-old niece, Harold English moved in with his mother next door to his victim and her family.
Since there’s no law in Oklahoma against the action, a crowd of protesters took to the road outside English’s residence Saturday as part of an effort to drive the man away.
“It’s messed up that someone can move right in next to their assault victim, and there’s nothing, no law against it,” one protester said.
Danyelle Dyer, English’s victim, is now 21 and says the move has been hard for her.
“I struggle with the emotions that it brings back. It brings back a lot of things that I have put away for years that I don’t want to think about and that I’ve kind of covered up…” she said.
Dyer and her family are working with state lawmakers to introduce a new law that could protect other victims.
“Hopefully, not only will it change Oklahoma’s state law, but multiple other states could possibly change their laws,” Dyer said.
Dyer says being a victim isn’t a badge of shame and hopes her efforts will bring awareness.
“It’s a great honor that I get to be the voice for so many men, women and children that have been abused,” she said.
