Sexual Assault

Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu recently signed the nation’s first student-written campus sexual assault legislation into law. Passing the NH House with bipartisan support, proponents of the bill are not only calling it a victory for New Hampshire, but a victory for college students all over the country. Survivor and advocate groups are hoping…

An advocate for sex abuse victims who became the subject of a celebrated Netflix documentary died by suicide on August 4, 2020. Daisy Coleman starred in the 2016 Netflix film “Audrie & Daisy,” which followed her and her family as they dealt with the aftermath of her assault, and the hostile reaction of her town…

One of the most important steps a survivor of sexual assault or rape can take is undergoing the forensic exam, so that evidence of the attack can be preserved. That evidence becomes part of the “rape kit,” a collection of DNA samples and documentation that outlines what happened during the attack. Medical professionals handle the…

The passage of the Educational Amendments Act in 1972 also ushered in Title IX, which helped change the way sexual misconduct and harassment are handled in American higher education. Title IX prohibits sex and gender discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently announced some new rules to this…

The Coronavirus pandemic has hurt people around the world in more ways than one. From job loss to sickness to death, people across the country are dealing with adversity at every turn. There are groups of people who are having a particularly difficult time getting the help they need: sex trafficking victims, sexual abuse victims,…

Deciding on a course of action in the wake of a traumatic event like sexual assault is typically uncharted territory for victims, and can leave them feeling overwhelmed. In cases where non-disclosure agreements are involved, the path forward can seem even more daunting, adding confusion and fear to an already crushing emotional struggle. For survivors…

You may be witnessing a tragedy with horrific and lasting consequences for the victim. Traffic accidents of a different variety go unnoticed by so many who are looking right at them but don’t even realize it. Over the 10 year period between 2007 and 2017, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received nearly 35,000 reports of…

Harvey Weinstein has become a household name over the past couple of years, and not for anything positive. The #MeToo movement is the result of the legendary movie producer’s reprehensible behavior. It has also led to numerous allegations of sexual assault, rape, and sexual harassment on a bi-coastal level. It all began unraveling for Weinstein…

Harvey Weinstein, the former movie mogul, has been charged with multiple felonies on two different coasts. In New York, he has been charged with four counts of predatory sexual assault, one count of criminal sexual act in the first degree, one count of first-degree rape, and one count of third-degree rape. In California, he is…

You’re speeding down the road after a night out with your friends. You’re in a good mood so the music and accelerator just got away from you. Then you see the blue lights in your rearview mirror. You’re being pulled over and you don’t have to guess why. Unfortunately, you got more than a speeding…

In a computer-age world, dating has become a bit tricky. Meeting someone through friends or employment can work sometimes. Finding love in a bar or other awkward social setting where you’re thrown into a sea of strangers can be challenging. Then there’s the world of online dating. Today there are so many dating sites to…

Type the term “rape kit backlog” into a Google search and be prepared to be overwhelmed. Victims of sexual assault have been told for years that allowing for the collection of DNA evidence is their best chance at catching their attacker. Already traumatized victims undergo a special rape exam where they are literally picked over…

It’s a sad truth that human trafficking used to be a term that conjured up thoughts of poor people in faraway countries working in fields or mines. We live in the United States where we don’t have the same widespread level of poverty or social issues as other countries, don’t we? That’s true to an…

That sound you hear is dominoes falling from a high altitude. It began slowly and picked up the pace with the #MeToo campaign giving victims the confidence to finally come forward and publicly point their fingers at their abusers. The last couple of years haven’t been good for anyone in a high profile position in…

Do you think your child may be the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of someone you have trusted, such as a partner, family member, priest, neighbor, or even a teacher? While it is not always easy to get children to speak about things that are going on, especially if they are afraid of…

When you send your child to school, you expect them to learn in a comfortable, safe environment with teachers and support staff members who care about the success of each child. While this is true for the most part, some teachers or school staff members may use their power to gain control over others, including…

A company in Brooklyn has recently released a DIY rape kit, with the goal of enabling survivors to take and submit their own DNA samples. The MeToo Kits are supposedly designed to prevent victims from feeling like they are being victimized all over again. They are also a terrible idea. Rape is both physically and…

Bill Cosby, once a respected comedian, television actor, and public speaker, has since been sentenced to 3-10 years in prison for committing sexual offenses. In an era of Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer, or #MeToo and #WhyIDidntReport, it is easy to forget that Cosby’s crimes once dominated the headlines. Over and over again, we heard…

“Consent” is the agreement between two people to engage in whatever sexual behaviors they want. Theoretically and ethically, this is a simple thing. But the reality is that there are gray areas in the laws, and those shades of gray can make it incredibly difficult for victims of sexual assault to get the justice they…

The essence of a punitive damage claims is to punish someone who’s wrongs are unconscionable, so they don’t harm anyone else. The payment of punitive damages is paid to the injured plaintiff. A punitive damage claim in any type of case requires more than a showing of carelessness or negligence. In California, the defendant must…

NBC News reported on July 3, 2019 that a New Jersey judge’s decision that a 16-year-old boy who was accused of the rape of an intoxicated girl was overturned by a higher state court. The accused, according to prosecutors, also filmed the sexual assault/rape and sent it to his friends. The government sought to have…

A sexual assault forensic exam, commonly known as a rape kit, is an examination to collect any evidence left behind after a sexual assault. When a survivor chooses to report an assault to authorities, this exam can be extremely helpful in prosecuting the assailant, as well as allowing the victim to receive necessary medical care.…

Sexual assault is a crime that many people don’t like to think about, but should be in the back of your mind. Many refuse to think that it will happen to them until it does. The Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that one in every six women will be the victim of…

Researchers have come up with response protocols for sexual assault response teams that operate on campuses across the country. These sexual assault response teams are faced with multiple barriers when responding to reports of sexual assault that prevent their work from being effective to the same level as response teams operated by cities and counties.…

In an effort to promote understanding during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, officials at Fort Bragg launched a sexual assault escape room. The purpose of the room is to educate soldiers on sexual assault in the military, the prevention program in place, and the resources available to members of the military who have been assaulted. The…