A Unique Military Program Helps Sexual Assault Survivors. But Not All of Them.

Ohio has invested heavily in new technology and processes to improve and streamline the testing of rape kits. As Washington grapples with limited resources and lab inefficiencies, it looks to Ohio as an example of productivity and efficiency. After passing a bill requiring the processing of all rape kits, crime labs in Washington are facing a backlog that, without changing their ways, could take up to six years to complete.

In Virginia, a bill was passed to test around 2,902 rape kits that had never been tested. Then, the state passes another law that rules police agencies have to notify all victims that their kits have been tested. Advocates and law enforcement agents fear informing all victims will be triggering and traumatic, and prefer to inform only those whose kits result in a match. The Virginia Beach police meets with legislators in attempt to change the law, but fails. Ultimately they try to decide the best way of informing hundreds of survivors of sexual assault.

Following the Colombian civil war, the country enacted The Victims’ Law, which centered on providing reparations to those affected by violence and war. But since its creation, the law has only provided reparations to less than 11% of those who have applied, and for women survivors, it’s even less. Women, who are disproportionately affected by war because of the use of sexual assault, are coming together under the National Tablle for Victim’s Participation, are demanding more.

In North Carolina, rape cases often sit in the system for an average of close to three years. The system that’s intended to provide justice, protection, and due process for plaintiffs and defendants, has been deeply affected by a lack of funding, delays in evidence testing, and an overwhelmed court system. Moving forward, key actors in the system are hoping for increased funding and capacity to make the process more survivor-focused and expedited for everyone involved.

Across Ohio, legislators, organizations, and activists have improved prevention and response measures to sexual assault. The state has seen the opening of 14 new rape crisis centers, statewide legislation, increased support for survivors and their families, and the establishment of on-campus programs. Each initiative offers different services, but all seek to shift the culture and provide a more well-rounded approach to sexual assault for Ohio residents.

In many countries, sex work is illegal which means that those working in the industry have very few rights when it comes to sexual abuse. Amsterdam is one of the few places where this line of work is legal, however, and because of this, workers not only have rights, but are able to also advocate for better practices.

In Montana, officials are taking legislative steps to address the disproportionate number of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Among the bills being introduced is “Hanna’s Act,” which would give the Department of Justice the power to assist with missing persons cases. Also included is expanded access, both to national crime databases and to social services, provided by the Office of Indian Services to more than 50 tribal communities.

New York City passed the first law in the nation guaranteeing legal representation to any low-income resident facing eviction. Pilot programs in California show that the right to counsel levels the playing field between tenants and landlords in the courtroom and can reduce the number of cases that result in homelessness, a huge cost savings for both tenants and governments.

The Basic Rights Counsel Initiative provides free legal representation, emergency shelter, and psychological support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria's Cross River state. In a country where prosecutions can be hampered by ineffective or under-resourced institutions, the organization has filed 822 court cases and secured 30 arrests and convictions.

A new college athletic policy called the “Tracy Rule” is gaining traction as more colleges are held accountable for the behavior of their student athletes. The Tracy Rule, which has been adopted by 12 NCAA schools so far, requires the self-reporting of pending and closed criminal investigations – including sexual assault. While broad in scope, it’s intended to put more pressure on colleges who have often let Title IX offenses go unnoticed or ignored.