WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley released the following comment after the House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation establishing new rights for survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking offenses.
“Those who endure heinous sexual crimes should not have to fight an uphill battle for justice they deserve. I added the Survivors’ Bill of Rights to legislation that the Senate passed earlier this year to ensure evidence of such horrific crimes is both collected and preserved so that survivors have the best possible shot at justice. Yesterday’s action in the House moves these new rights one step closer to reality,” Grassley said.
Grassley added the legislative provisions to the Adam Walsh Reauthorization Act, which passed in the Senate in May. These provisions ensure that victims of federal crimes of sexual violence cannot be denied or charged for forensic exams, and that sexual assault evidence collection kits must be preserved without charge for the statutory limitations or at least 20 years. It also authorizes Justice Department grants to states that ensure that sexual violence survivors are notified of any applicable legal rights. It also calls for the creation of a federal working group to develop best practices relating to the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors as well as the preservation of forensic evidence in sexual violence cases. Finally, the Grassley amendment, which was developed with the input of victim advocates and other senators, would extend the statutory deadline by which many child survivors of human trafficking offenses can file civil lawsuits against their perpetrators.
The legislation was first championed by Amanda Nguyen, the founder and president of Rise, which advocates for rights for survivors of sexual assault.
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