How a former child star changed an 'insane' paedophilia law

Actress Alison Angrim, now 55 is best known for her role as child TV villain Nellie Oleson on the ‘70s series Little House on the Prairie.

The actress and occasional stand-up comic was 11 when she took on the role of Nellie in 1974.

She played the role for seven years until her character got married in 1981.

Angrim was abused by a family member from the age of six, but didn't go public with the allegation until she was 42, when she learned that sexual predators could avoid jail time - even if convicted - if they were related to the victim.

They could even have their records wiped by undergoing therapy.

She was determined to overturned the historic loophole in Californian sexual abuse law, and she succeeded.

Arngrim began working with National Association to Protect Children (PROTECT) and brought the law to the attention of Republican Senator Jim Battin who introduced a bill to correct the loophole.

In order to get the bill passed, Arngrim alongside other abuse victims testified in front of the California Senate.

Speaking to the Oprah Winfrey Network she said:

The majority of children who are sexually abused are sexually abused by someone they’re related to or someone very close to the family.

So, this wasn’t an ‘exception,’ as they were calling it.

It was, in fact, the rule.

It was insane.

Passing the bill wasn't easy - so Angrim took the fight to the media, telling the story of her abuse over and over again.

In 2005, the 'Circle of Trust' bill passed unanimously.

​Today, the former child-star wants to let all know that political change is possible and it all starts with "educating yourself".

A lot of people don’t realise [that] starting at the smallest levels is important.

Those people are going to be your state representatives eventually.

They can become your governor or even your president.

Huge decisions are made that affect you more directly at the local level.

HT Huffington Post

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