Congress Finally Approves New Bill for Survivors of Sexual Assault

With the high number of untested rape kits even with making strides to reduce a national backlog, the Senate finally approved a proposed bill that grants survivors of sexual assault the right to a sexual assault evidence collection kit, to be told of the results and to be notified in writing before the kit is destroyed. .

The bill was approved on Wednesday, September 28th, and prompted by a sexual assault survivor 24-year-old, Amanda Nguyen, a former Harvard University student who now leads an advocacy group that helps assault survivors.

"Basically, I had to pen my own rights into existence,” Nguyen said in an interview.

Nguyen told lawmakers that the trauma and aftermath of her assault was made worse by her experience with the criminal justice system she came to believe was working against her.

What's sad is, this is the case for most women and men who become victimized by the police and the court system.

Nguyen had to return to Massachusetts on numerous occasions to prevent the destruction of her rape kit.

The new bill, under the name of The Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act requires steps to ensure that people who have been sexually assaulted have access to a trained sexual assault counselor and comprehensive information about victims’ legal options.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said Nguyen and other sexual assault survivors "face heartbreaking challenges" due to sexual assault laws differing from state to state and facing revictimization by the court systems.

"Survivors of sexual assault like Amanda need to know the government and justice system are on their side," Shaheen said, calling the bill "a strong signal to survivors across the country" that Congress is committed to changing the culture around how sexual assault survivors will be treated in the criminal justice system.

Sources:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/congress-adopts-bill-rights-sexual-assault-survivors-42433007