Bill Would Deny Alimony To Spouses Convicted Of Violent Sexual Felonies

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - Four years ago, Crystal Harris was sexually assaulted by her husband with her two preschool boys awake upstairs, but that didn't stop a judge from ordering her to pay him alimony when they divorced.

"It's humiliating, and it's traumatizing, and it is just wrong," she said.

While one judge sentenced Shawn Harris to six years in prison, another ordered Crystal to pay up. During their divorce, a family court judge ruled Crystal had pay her attacker $1,000 in monthly spousal support and his legal bills.

The reason she says the judge gave her was simply - she made more money.

Crystal has taken her fight to the Capitol. Assemblywoman Toni Atkins is sponsoring a bill that would block any spousal support or other payment for someone convicted of a violent sexual felony against their spouse.

"I can't imagine any other woman ever having to go through what I went through," Crystal said.

"A rapist can now victimize their spouse twice - once during the rape, and then again forcing them to pay their rapist," Atkins said in address to the House committee considering the bill on Tuesday.

But there is opposition to this bill. It comes from the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists. They say the power to decide spousal support should remain with the judge.

"The court already has the ability to take that into account," Jill Barr said. "We just think that should be maintained."

But Crystal says her case is proof enough that judicial discretion is not enough. Now she's hopeful that the bill, which passed through the committee Tuesday, will soon become law. It now goes to the full Assembly floor for a vote.

"Finally, it's the first little bit of justice that I've felt like I've really gotten," she said.