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About Stand Up For DC Women
The goals of Stand Up For DC Women! are to raise awareness about injustices in the treatment of sexual assault victims by law enforcement and health care institutions in the District of Columbia (D.C.), educate the community on the rights of sexual assault victims, and ensure that all victims of sexual assault receive adequate care through D.C. hospitals and law enforcement agencies.
Background: Each year, an estimated 1,735 women living in the DC will be raped, according to
data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2006 American Community Survey and the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. The National Institute of Justice reports that 1 in 5 women will
be raped during their lifetime. Thus, more than 61,000 of the 300,000 women living in D.C. will
likely experience rape at some time during their lives.
On January 5, 2009 the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Forensic Compliance 2005
Reauthorization (42 USCA S. 3796gg-4.b.3.D.d.1) will go into effect. The Reauthorization states
that: 1) the refusal of a victim to submit to a polygraph examination shall not prevent the
investigation, charging, or prosecution of the offense; 2) a victim shall have the right to a
forensic medical examination regardless of whether the victim participates in the criminal justice
system or cooperates with law enforcement; and 3) a victim shall not be required to pay directly
or indirectly, the cost of a forensic medical examination. Click here to find out more about what this means!
In DC, under the new legislation, victims are guaranteed a free rape kit at the Washington Hospital Center, which is the only hospital with Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), and therefore the only hospital with rape kits on site. At any other hospital, a police officer must bring a kit, the victim will not interact with a SANE--which increases the chances that she will not receive proper care--and the victim may incur out-of-pocket costs.
In the past, when victims went in for a rape kit, they had to immediately press charges. Under the new legislation, victims in DC can have the evidence collected from their rape kits without answering questions or filing a formal complaint and the evidence will be stored for 90 days. At the end of this time, their kit will be destroyed and they will no longer be able to press charges.
Problem/Issue: Women in Washington DC who have been raped report they have been ignored
by law enforcement officials, turned away by area hospitals, and denied the forensic medical
exam (rape kit) that is required to confirm that a sexual assault took place and subsequently press
charges against the attacker. Due to systemic problems in the way sexual assault cases are
managed by D.C. law enforcement and hospitals, and a lack of media attention, it is impossible
to know just how many women have not received the support and resources they deserve.
Solution: While the VAWA 2005 Reauthorization is an improvement, YWTF believes there is a still much improvement to be made both with the legislation and the system in which sexual assault cases are handled. However, YWTF has found that most women are unaware of these new laws and we believe that the first step to changing the system is educating and mobilizing the community.
What you need to know to protect your rights!
Conczaca Tus Derechos!
Why DC needs Stand Up For DC Women!
Up to 84 percent of all sexual assaults go unreported and a common barrier for not reporting a sexual assault is fear. Rape causes acute emotional trauma, which inhibits the victim’s decision-making capacity. Eighty percent of all victims know their perpetrator and there is often a heightened sense of fear in reporting the crime when a victim knows her rapist. Collecting evidence is time sensitive and needs to be done within 96 hours. So by alleviating the stress of making the decision of whether or not to report, the new legislation not only ensures that the evidence is collected, it increases the chance that the sexual assault survivor receives the health care they deserve and need. When more women are educated on how VAWA protects the rights of sexual assault victims, there will be an increase in reporting. Furthermore, because perpetrators often commit multiple rapes, such convictions will make D.C. a safer place for all women and girls through increasing the number of successful convictions to deter perpetrators from committing rape in the first place.
While there are great organizations that help sexual assault survivors, no one seems to be educating the women of the community about the laws that protect them. While YWTF is primarily focusing on educating D.C. right now, we hope to eventually make this a national—and replicable--program for communities across the country.
On January 5th, 2009 YWTF launched the first phase of Stand Up For DC Women!
Phase One of Stand Up For DC Women! includes:
•The Distributing of thousands of bilingual wallet sized palm cards throughout the city, which contain information about how VAWA protects the rights of sexual assault victims, as well as information about how to protect your own rights in DC. If you are intersted in receiving these cards please email, shannonL@ywtf.org .
•Educating local lawyers, community organizations, and community members (both men and women) on the rights of sexual assault victims in D.C. through workshops and the distribution of printed materials.
The Goals of Stand Up For DC Women! include:
Educating the commnuity on the rights of sexual assault victims
Pushing to expand the SANE program
Pushing to improve the rights of Sexual Assault Victims
Pushing to improve police sensitivity training program
Upcoming Stand Up For DC Women! Events
Free Community Self Defense Class - TBD
Know Your Rights Party and Card Launch - January 5th, 2009
Stand Up! Meeting - Febuary 25th from 6:30-8:00pm
Community Breifing- April 2009
Important Links
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