Advocacy for Sexual Violence Victims
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, sexual victimization of evacuees during the evacuation process has been of particular concern. Many of area’s services and programs, that would otherwise have been available to sexual assault victims, are now closed or devastated by the disaster. In a cooperative effort to offer relief to these victims, national organizations working to end sexual violence have joined forces, coordinating their support and assistance in Gulf Coast states affected by Hurricane Katrina, as well as to the neighboring states accepting large numbers of evacuees.
Advocates working in the devastated areas have requested assistance from the NSVRC in addressing issues related to: the need for courtesy reports for rapes that occurred in other jurisdictions; coordination among advocates, law enforcement and prosecution; and the development of a surveillance mechanism to track sexual assaults.
In response, the NSVRC has joined with individuals and organizations to develop coordinated assistance to these particular needs. The following allies have offered their support in the provision of information, technical assistance, and referrals to advocates, attorneys, law enforcement, medical personnel, prosecutors, sexual violence victims, state coalitions, etc.
- American Prosecutors Research Institute
- County of San Diego, Emergency Medical Services
- End Violence Against Women International
- Gulf States Regional Policing Institute
- International Association of Chiefs of Police
- Joanne Archambault, Sexual Assault Training and Investigations
- National Center for Women and Policing
National Crime Victim Law Institute & Center for Law and Public Policy on Sexual Violence - National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
- State/Territory Sexual Assault Coalitions
- Wendy Murphy, Esq. Victim Advocacy and Research Group
This coordinated effort to provide technical assistance is part of a larger joint initiative of national anti-sexual violence organizations, known as the Relief Fund for Sexual Assault Victims.
http://relieffundforsexualassaultvictims.org
- Responding to the Needs of Hurricane Katrina Victims Who Have Been Sexually Assaulted, a letter from Joanne Archambault, Executive Director of EVAW International, outlining guidelines for advocates and law enforcement officers responding to victims who have been sexually assaulted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
http://relieffundforsexualassaultvictims.org/resources/Letter.doc - The Need for Courtesy Reports, a document from EVAW International providing guidance for police officers conducting courtesy reports of sexual assaults occurring outside their jurisdiction.
http://relieffundforsexualassaultvictims.org/resources/Katrina policy.doc - Sexual Assault Statutes in the United States, a compilation of sexual assault statutes throughout the United States developed by the National Crime Victim Law Institute
http://relieffundforsexualassaultvictims.org/resources/
sexualassaultchart_NCVLI-D.doc
If you have any question or if you would like additional information about these efforts, please contact the National Sexual Violence Resource center at:
Toll Free: (877) 739-3895
TTY: (717) 909-0715
WWW.NSVRC.ORG
For a guide to hurricane and emergency preparations, click here for a printable document.