Hope Issues Post-Judiciary Committee Statement
LANSING, Mich., Sept. 23, 2026 — State Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) issued the following statement following today’s House Judiciary Committee meeting: “Today, I shared in the House Judiciary committee that I am a survivor of sexual abuse. When I woke up this morning, I did not plan to so publicly share this. In fact, before sharing with the world, I had only shared my history of sexual abuse with my husband and my therapist. “Too often, people who say they are speaking or acting for sexual abuse victims are not. These people do not know what they’re talking about. And sometimes, they just don’t care about survivors. Instead, they are hijacking the real hurt caused by sexual abuse to manipulate people. It is sickening and disheartening, which brings me to the bills that were in today’s Judiciary committee. “The bills we heard today would increase penalties for all degrees of criminal sexual conduct. The reasons offered to support this legislation ranged from the ignorant to the absurd, but all were bullshit. I wish I could believe the bills were offered with good intentions. I do not. “The bill sponsors and the entire House Republican Caucus were using the crime of sexual abuse as a political football. This was and is a sick attempt to get the Democrats they perceive as politically vulnerable on the record against longer penalties for sexual abuse. It’s the same old “soft on crime” sideshow that politicians have dragged out in moments of desperation for as long as I’ve been alive. “And let’s be real: the same Republican representatives who voted to increase CSC penalties also passively rejected amendments that would actually help survivors get justice. Actions speak louder than words. “Like every other survivor of sexual abuse, I am much more than “just a victim.” I am a criminal justice reform-minded attorney and an elected official. I am also an informed human being. Today, I couldn’t stand listening to the bullshit being proffered purportedly for my benefit or the benefit of children or in the name of crime prevention. I just couldn’t. And that’s what my revelation this morning was. I could not sit silently while ignorant arguments on what victims and survivors experience or need are used in a disgusting game of political football — a “hail Mary” to advance flailing state rep campaigns. “I am a private person by nature. I am the rare politician who does not seek attention for its own sake. I am here at the Capitol to work on good policy and serve my community. This election season, I am a lame duck by choice. And as far as I am concerned, once my term concludes in December, I will have retired from politics. I never intended to share my survivor status anywhere, let alone in a public meeting. While I appreciate the support I’ve already received, I do not plan to talk about my personal experience after making this statement.” |
Press Statement | Rep. Kara Hope|
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