By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 2, 2012 – The Defense Department has refined new methods to aid sexual assault victims whether reporting a crime or seeking assistance as they transition from service, the director of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office said here March 30.

“We have several new options for victims of sexual assault,” said Air Force Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog. “First, if you’ve been a victim of sexual assault in the military you now have the option of requesting an expedited transfer. We signed that into effect in December.”

“If you find it untenable or unbearable in the organization that you’re at … you can request to be transferred,” she added.

Hertog said a service member’s local commander has 72 hours to respond to the request for transfer, and if denied there is an option to take it to the first flag or general officer in the chain of command who also has 72 hours to respond.

“We also have a new document retention initiative,” she said. “We heard loud and clear from our veterans that present themselves at the [Department of Veterans Affairs] years later that there was no documentation that they had ever been sexually assaulted [during] their military service.”

The issue arose, Hertog said, because varying standards of retention had existed among all of the services but has since been resolved.

“We now have one standard of retention so those individuals that file unrestricted reports will have their documents retained for 50 years,” she said.

“And those that file restricted reports will have their documents retained for five years,” Hertog said. “And of course our victims of sexual assault who file restricted reports have that option to convert over to unrestricted reports at any time and then we will retain their documents for that 50-year period.”

The director also discussed other innovations such as expanding legal assistance to encourage victims to participate in the military justice system “in order to hold that perpetrator accountable.”

And as of January, DOD civilians and contractors deployed abroad, and military dependents over 18 years old are now eligible to access sexual assault response services, Hertog said.

Hertog noted other changes implemented include new training for investigators of sexual assault crimes within the services.

“Some of our new training initiatives concern our investigators such as our [Naval Criminal Investigative Service] agents, Air Force [Office of Special Investigations], and Army [Criminal Investigation Division],” she said. “We think we have found the gold standard course … to send many of the agents to, to build a sexual assault subject expertise cadre of our agents to get them very familiar with these cases.”

Hertog said training frequency will increase, more seats will be offered and the training has expanded to include Judge Advocate Generals “because these are some of the toughest cases to investigate as well as prosecute.”

Perhaps the most useful option has been established for about a year, Hertog noted.

“You have the option of contacting our DOD Safe helpline,” she said. “We stood up a 24/7 crisis hotline — it’s operated by RAINN, the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network — who have been trained by us so they’re very familiar with military terminology.”

“If you don’t want to go through your chain of command you can contact them and they will tell you where your nearest rape crisis center is in your community outside your installation gates,” Hertog said.

Hertog said the hotline has been “extremely successful” with about 30,000 unique visits to the site and about 2,500 referrals for counseling services.

She emphasized the Defense Department’s commitment to “eradicating” sexual assault in the military “from the Secretary [of Defense] on down.

“We have to eliminate this problem from our ranks,” Hertog added. “The American public gives us what’s most dear to them and that’s their sons and daughters. And they trust us that we’re going to take care of them [which] is a commander’s job.”

This month, CALCASA is celebrating two state-level policy wins with SB 534 and AB 898, both of which will have a positive impact on the work of our members. In addition to these state-level issues, we are working to support several federal policy issues such as the Public Health Block Grant, Sexual Assault Service Program funding and the reauthorization of VAWA. Continue reading to get the complete CALCASA Public Policy Update.

Bills that CALCASA has sponsored:

SB 534 (Corbett D) Victims of sexual assault

SB 534 — Corbett was chaptered on Sept. 29, 2011, bringing California into compliance with the Violence Against Women (VAWA) Services*Training*Officers*Prosecution (STOP) State Formula Grant Program. Effective Jan. 1, 2012, SB 534 clarifies that all victims are entitled to a forensic exam regardless of whether or not they choose to cooperate with the criminal justice system. SB 534 stipulates that the forensic exam, colloquially referred to as a “Jane Doe Exam,” must be offered at no cost to the survivor. The cost will be incurred by local law enforcement and local law enforcement can seek reimbursement from Cal EMA for the cost of the examinations where a victim does not participate in the criminal justice system. The bill does not provide language about who will store the evidence and for how long the evidence will be stored. The VAWA Implementation Committee and Forensic Exam Workgroup, of which CALCASA participates, are working to create clarifying guidelines and language that will address the logistics of how SB 534 will be implemented. Rape crisis centers, SART teams and local law enforcement will need training and guidelines for how SB 534 will work in their communities. Once the Committee and Workgroup publish their FAQ sheets and guidelines, CALCASA will provide all of the information that it has available to members through emails and trainings.

AB 898 (Alejo D) Crime victims: restitution: fine

AB 898 — Alejo was chaptered on Sept. 29, 2011. This bill makes the minimum restitution fine not less than $300, if the person is convicted of a felony; and not less than $150, if the person is convicted of a misdemeanor; and make other conforming changes. This bill marks the first time that restitution fines have been increased in nearly two decades and will generate money for the California Victim Compensation Program (CalVCP).

AB 322  (Portantino D) Forensic evidence: rape kits

AB 322 — Portantio was vetoed by the Governor. AB 322 would have required the Department of Justice to establish a ten-county pilot project to open and test all rape kits collected in those counties during the period of the pilot project. In his veto message, the Governor wrote that the ten counties did not want to participate and that he didn’t understand why the state should mandate participation and spend the money on a program that the counties didn’t want, in light of all of the programs that the counties do want that are being cut. The Governor believes that local officials are in the best position to determine whether to participate in such a program.

Additional federal level policy issues that may impact members:

Public Health Block Grant: The Preventative Health and Health Services Block Grant (PHHSBG) allows states, tribes and territories to address public health needs and challenges with innovative and community driven methods. Out of FY 2010’s $100 million budget for PHHSBG, approximately $7.5 million was used to support sexual assault services and prevention efforts. The $7.5 million is referred to as the “rape set aside.” The rape set aside funding directly responds to the goal of the Centers for Disease Control to reduce chronic disease and its impact. In addition to the immediate trauma caused by sexual abuse, the violence contributes to a number of chronic health problems, including depression, chronic pain, alcohol and substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, and often limits the ability of women to manage other chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. California receives $800,000 of the $7.5 million dollars. This portion of the $800,000 is essential to prevention programming such as technical assistance, capacity building, program development, and program implementation.

Currently, the House budget preserves funding for the PHHSBG and subsequently the $7 million set aside funding. The Senate has eliminated the PHHSBG funding and set aside mirroring the President’s FY 2012 budget, which proposes to eliminate PHHSBG and consolidate chronic disease block grant programs. The Senate Committee has included additional funding for this purpose in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, although the specific amount of funding remains unclear. The elimination of the rape set aside funding would be extremely detrimental to the prevention against sexual assault and would put a multitude of prevention programs in California in jeopardy of discontinuing services. CALCASA is closely following this issue and is advocating for the government to keep the rape set aside funds. CALCASA will connect with members when new information develops or if there are any action steps that can be taken on a local level.

Sexual Assault Service Program Funding: Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) is a program that was created through the 2005 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). SASP creates a federal funding stream dedicated explicitly to the provision of direct services for sexual violence victims. The Senate is currently debating on increasing SASP funding to $25 million (a $10 million increase over 2011 and a $5 million increase from the budget proposed by the House). Money allocated to SASP is funneled through Cal EMA and then distributed to rape crisis centers throughout California. An increase in national SASP funding translates into an increase in the funding available through Cal EMA for the direct services you provide at your agency. CALCASA partnered with the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence by asking member agencies to sign a joint letter, along with agencies from across the country. CALCASA is deeply appreciative of the more than 45 member agencies that quickly responded to the email regarding SASP and signed on to this letter.

VAWA reauthorization:  CALCASA is working closely with the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence to support VAWA reauthorization. The NAESV is focused on looking to garner bi-partisan support for the bill. Terri Poore of the National Alliance summarized this focus by stating, “Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the prime sponsor, has released a pre-introduction draft bill. We are now looking for Republican co-sponsors. As you know, VAWA has always enjoyed broad bipartisan support. Vice-President Joseph Biden (formerly a Senator from Delaware) and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) were the original co-sponsors. This iteration of VAWA streamlines programs, reduces funding authorizations, and increases accountability so it meets the new fiscal requirements of Congress and includes provisions that everyone should be able to support.” CALCASA will connect with members when new information develops or if there are any action steps that can be taken on a local level.

California inmate release plan begins

The state’s controversial plan to reduce its prison population by 6,500 inmates over the next year begins today, with victims and law enforcement groups once again warning it will increase crime.

“We are concerned for the public’s safety,” said Christine Ward, director of the Crime Victims Action Alliance in Sacramento.

State leaders lobby Congress for federal funds

California’s state leaders are in Washington today and Thursday for the first round of visits this year to press the federal government for billions of dollars to help the state’s beleaguered budget.

Stanislaus County victims center narrowly approved

The concept of a one-stop shop for abuse victims for all of Stanislaus County, which could open in a few months, nearly withered Tuesday in the heat of a philosophical argument between county supervisors.

None debated the need for a uniform response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child and elder abuse. But they disagreed on the rationale behind charging a fee that some say has nothing to do with such a service.

Panel: Rethink lifetime supervision for sex offenders

Lawmakers should revise state law to limit the number of sex offenders subject to lifetime supervision, focusing the state’s scarce resources on the highest-risk offenders, a state panel recommended Tuesday.

The move comes after a Des Moines Register probe in July showed Iowa’s experiment with lifetime monitoring of sex offenders would cost at the very minimum about $168 million over the next 20 years.

High court rejects challenge to Calif. prison plan

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected California’s challenge to a preliminary court order forcing the state to reduce its prison population, setting up the state’s appeal of a final order issued last week.

Rise in sex offender parolees living on the street

John Simerman reported earlier this week that “less than a year after state corrections officials tightened a $22 million spigot of free apartments and motel rooms for paroled sex offenders, the number of parolees who say they are homeless has nearly doubled, adding fuel for critics who say the tight living restrictions under Jessica’s Law threaten public safety more than bolster it.”

LAO: Much of federal aid in Schwarzenegger’s budget ‘very unlikely’

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “plan to cobble together a budget with rosy projections and billions in presumed — but “very unlikely” — federal aid means California could face even deeper spending cuts than anticipated, according to a review released Tuesday by the state’s nonpartisan budget analyst.”

Editorial When Will the Clock Strike for the Next Women’s Movement?

…Rape and domestic violence have gotten a good deal of media attention over the last year. Chris Brown infamously attacked his then girlfriend Rihanna, reality television contestant Ryan Jenkins assaulted and ultimately gruesomely murdered his new wife Jasmine Fiore before killing himself, and Roman Polanski reemerged with his 30 year old statutory rape case in tow.

Schwarzenegger declares budget emergency, proposes deep cuts

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled an $82.9 billion state spending plan today that calls for no tax hikes but envisions pay cuts for state workers, reductions in services to California’s neediest residents – and on the benevolence of the federal government.

3 in 25 juveniles in detention are sexually abused, study finds

About 3 out of every 25 youths in state and privately run juvenile correctional facilities have experienced at least one incident of sexual victimization, according to a federal study released Thursday.

Will Trauma Recovery Center Fall Victim to Budget Nightmare?

Victims of violent crime in the city are about to be victimized again — by city budget cuts. Department of Public Health Director Mitch Katz included the city’s Trauma Recovery Center in the list of programs to be axed in mid-year budget cuts.

First Transgender Appointee Named

Amanda Simpson, the first known openly transgender presidential appointee in the United States, started work today at the US Department of Commerce. She is a senior technical advisor in the Bureau of Industry and Security. Prior to her appointment, Simpson was employed as the Deputy Director in Advanced Technology Development at Raytheon Missile Systems in Arizona. She is a certified flight instructor and test pilot and has degrees in physics, engineering, and business administration.

Congressional Hearing Held on Rape Kit Backlog

The Senate Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing yesterday on the national rape kit backlog, the reauthorization of the Debbie Smith Act, and current legislation introduced in the Senate that is intended to incentivize the processing of rape kits.

Funding for Federal Violence Against Women Programs

Via BayNet.com

Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman, Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today announced a critical step forward in putting $418.5 million in funding for programs administered by the Department of Justice’s Violence Against Women Office in the federal checkbook.

Franken’s amendment survives

Earlier this year, Sen. Franken introduced an amendment (S.2588) to the FY2010 Defense Appropriations Bill that would restrict funding to defense contractors who commit employees to mandatory binding arbitration in the case of sexual assault. The legislation, endorsed by 61 women’s, labor and public interest groups, was inspired by the story of Jamie Leigh Jones.

DOD Task Force On Sexual Assault Submits Findings and Recommendations

The DoD Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services recently submitted its congressionally-mandated report to the secretary of defense.  The report finds DoD has made progress in improving the response to victims’ needs, but calls for DoD to do more to fully address the spectrum of sexual assault prevention and response.

Pérez chosen to lead state Assembly

Assemblyman John Pérez, “an openly gay Latino Democrat from Los Angeles, made history Thursday when he was unanimously chosen by the Assembly’s Democratic Caucus to succeed Karen Bass as the lower house’s leader.”

‘Sexting’ among teens can lead to problems

Cell phones have not just become a device used to call home. The latest craze nationwide – known as “sexting” – involves 1 in 5 teens ages 13-19 years old sending sexually explicit messages or photos of themselves, or others, to their peers, according to law enforcement officials.

Claremont votes tighter restrictions on registered sex offenders

CLAREMONT – The City Council has passed a sex-offender ordinance the imposes tighter residency restrictions for registered sex offenders. The ordinance goes further than the Sexual Predator Punishment and Control Act, referred to as Jessica’s Law, which protects children from sex offenders.

Sexual Assault on Campus Shrouded in Secrecy (First in a Series)

Three hours into deliberations by the University of Virginia’s Sexual Assault Board, UVA junior Kathryn Russell sat with her mother in a closet-like room in sprawling Peabody Hall. Down the corridor, two professors and two students were deciding her fate. Russell was replaying in her mind, endlessly, details of her allegations of rape when, she remembers, Shamim Sisson, the board chair, stepped into the room and delivered the order: You can’t talk about the verdict to anyone.

Pastor Offers Sex Offenders A ‘Miracle’: A New Start

More than 20 states, including Florida, limit where convicted sex offenders can live — keeping them away from schools, parks and other places where children congregate.

In Miami, dozens of homeless sex offenders live under a bridge because there are few, if any, options nearby. But 90 miles away, there’s a community dedicated to housing sex offenders.

Most States Have Not Adopted Sex Offender Rules

The Associated Press reported earlier this week that “more than three years after Congress ordered stepped-up monitoring of sex offenders, only one state has adopted the government’s strict new requirements, and some others are weighing whether to ignore the law and just pay a penalty.”

Richmond gang rape suspects plead not guilty

RICHMOND — Six people charged with gang raping a 16-year-old girl outside Richmond High School’s homecoming dance Oct. 24 pleaded not guilty in a packed courtroom Tuesday.

The suspects, including three juveniles charged as adults, remain jailed on high or no bail and are scheduled to return to court Jan. 21 to set a preliminary hearing date.

Statement by Vice President Biden on the 10th Anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

“Violence against women is found in every culture around the world. It is one of our most pervasive global problems, yet it is preventable.  When gang rape is a weapon of war, when women are beaten behind closed doors, or when young girls are trafficked in brothels and fields – we all suffer. This violence robs women and girls of their full potential, causes untold human suffering, and has great social and economic costs.  On this 10th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, I urge all Americans to join with the international community in calling for an end to these abuses.”

Over 70 percent of SD sex offenders violate law

More than 70 percent of the registered sex offenders in San Diego County are violating a state law by living too close to schools or parks.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports Sunday that 1,266 out of 1,731 offenders’ addresses made public by the state are in violation of Jessica’s Law. The data was analyzed by the nonprofit group the Watchdog Institute. Jessica’s Law, which critics say is poorly worded, was approved by voters in 2006. It bars sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park.

Jessica’s Law too vague to enforce? — Watch Dog Institute

More than 70 percent of registered sex offenders in San Diego County are violating a state law by living too close to schools and parks.  Jessica’s Law, which was approved by California voters in November 2006, toughened sanctions against sex offenders and bars them from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park. In San Diego County, 1,266 of 1,731 offenders whose addresses are made public by the state live in those restricted zones, according to an analysis by the Watchdog Institute, a nonprofit investigative journalism unit based at San Diego State University.

Hard to track sex offenders as they harness tech gadgets

The pursuit of Lee Shelton began the moment the sex offender was released from prison.

It ended months later with a U.S. Marshals Service helicopter hovering near a D.C. junior high school as Shelton kissed a 14-year-old boy. In between, authorities used two global positioning system devices to track him, learned he was online at the library and seized a secret laptop with a power source in the trunk of his car. He is back in jail.

Sex offenders more difficult to monitor

It ended months later with a US Marshals Service helicopter hovering near a District of Columbia junior high school as Shelton kissed a 14-year-old boy. In between, authorities used two Global Positioning System devices to help track him, learned he was online at the library and seized a secret laptop with a power source in the trunk of his car. His parole was revoked, and he is back in jail.

Shelton, who was originally convicted of molesting boys at the National Air and Space Museum and on the grounds of the Washington Monument, is one of thousands of sex offenders accused of similar crimes after their release from prison or while on probation. His parole violation illustrates the challenges of monitoring hundreds of thousands of offenders.

CDC Awards Vital Prevention Funding to National Sexual Violence Resource Center

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently awarded the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape $1.5 million dollars per year for three years to continue funding its National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC).

The CDC has funded the NSVRC since 2000 to serve as the nation’s principle center for communicating, organizing, creating, and sharing information and resources about all forms of sexual violence and its prevention.

Possible Change to California Witness Law

The Sherrice Iverson Child Victim Protection Act requires “that witnesses report a serious crime against anyone 14-years-old and younger.” But the law does not apply in the Richmond case because the victim is 16.

Budget Deficit Predicted for California

California needs $20.7 billion to balance the next budget, according to a forecast issued by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Kevin Yamamura reported said, “state leaders won’t be able to reap savings from some of the state’s largest spending categories.

City Changes Rape Kit Testing Policy

Laura Strickler reported earlier this week about a city that has changed it’s rape kit testing policy in response to a CBS News investigation. The investigation “found 20,000 untested kits nationwide.”

RSS in Plain English

CALCASA has an exciting tool that we want you to know about: RSS.

Wherever you see the icon with broadcast bars, you’ll know that there is an RSS feed waiting for you to subscribe to. That means you’ll be able to get the latest CALCASA headlines, read the newest posts and stay up to date all in one place.

Governor to submit plan to reduce prison crowding

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tonight will give federal judges a road map to reducing state prison overcrowding that involves waiving some state laws so sentencing regulations can be changed and new private prisons built.

The Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act

The Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act was introduced last week. U.S. Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.), and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) introduced the Justice for Survivors of Sexual Assault Act of 2009. The House companion bill will be introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.).

CBS News: Rape in America

Last night, on the CBS EVENING NEWS Armen Keteyian discussed the “results of a 5 month CBS News investigation into the astounding number of rapes in the United States that go unpunished or even investigated.”

Nearly 90,000 women reported they were raped in the “United States last year and it’s estimated another 75,000 rapes went unreported. However there were only about 22,000 rape arrests meaning there’s only a 25% arrest rate.”

Editorial: California parole officials should stop bureaucratic dance on

At a certain point, the bureaucratic response of public officials is simply not enough. Unless and until our government leaders own up to their mistakes and accept responsibility, they are destined to repeat them. Sometimes that’s just unacceptable.

Crime Victims Bill Goes to Senate

Legislation introduced by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) has cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee and is headed for the full Senate. The proposed legislation protects funds for programs that assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

House Passes Cruise Ship Safety Legislation

Last week, the House passed cruise safety legislation that would “oblige cruise ships that serve U.S. ports to publicly report shipboard crimes, employ U.S. doctors and install peepholes in cabin doors, among other requirements.”

Lawmaker resubmits bill requiring rape-kit reports

Earlier this week, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino reintroduced a bill that “would require police to document their progress in testing evidence from rapes, after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed similar legislation earlier this month.”

Grant documents deepen confusion over UC Davis sex assault statistics

Documents used to justify large grants from the federal government that support the violence prevention program at UC Davis raise additional questions about inconsistencies in the school’s reporting of crime statistics.

Five arrested in alleged gang rape; juveniles being charged as adults

Richmond, California (CNN) — Police investigating the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl have arrested five people, a police spokesman said Wednesday. Three juveniles and two adults are in custody in the rape on Saturday, said the Richmond police spokesman, Lt. Mark Gagan. The three juveniles will be charged as adults, he said.

Calif. lawmakers support Polanski extradition

LOS ANGELES – Fifteen California legislators have signed a letter supporting the extradition of Roman Polanski to Los Angeles to face his decades-old child sex conviction.

State Sen. Gloria Romero, a Los Angeles Democrat, recently wrote the letter to Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley saying the 76-year-old filmmaker should face his past and that “no one is above the law.”

Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Restore Funding to State’s Domestic Violence Shelters

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed SBX3 13 by Senator Elaine Alquist (D-San Jose) to restore $16.3 million of state funding to support California domestic violence shelters.

“I want to congratulate the many groups that put victims first and came together to find this creative solution that will keep domestic violence shelters throughout the state open,” said Governor Schwarzenegger.

CDCR Asks Crime Victims to Register for New Automated Database to Keep them Better Informed about their Offenders

SACRAMENTO – In its effort to keep crime victims informed, the Office of Victim and Survivor Rights with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is asking crime victims to register for a new automated system that will soon provide real-time information about the custody status of their offenders. The new system was made possible by a federal grant.

Rape Victim’s Choice: Risk AIDS or Health Insurance?

By Danielle Ivory

Christina Turner feared that she might have been sexually assaulted after two men slipped her a knockout drug. She thought she was taking proper precautions when her doctor prescribed a month’s worth of anti-AIDS medicine.

Only later did she learn that she had made herself all but uninsurable.

Court rejects governor’s plan to solve prison overcrowding

Schwarzenegger’s plan to solve California’s prison overcrowding crisis, giving the state three weeks to devise an alternative or risk an order that seizes control of how more than 40,000 inmates are released from the prison system over the next two years.

After 20 years, Minnesota still wonders, Where’s Jacob?

On Oct. 22, 1989, Jacob Wetterling vanished – kidnapped in rural St. Joseph, Minn. Twenty years later, his disappearance endures as one of the state’s greatest criminal mysteries. But his family has never given up hope that, one day, he will come home.

U.S. formally asks for Polanski extradition

(CNN) — The United States has formally asked Switzerland to extradite film director Roman Polanski, Swiss authorities said Friday.

The Academy Award-winning director was arrested in Switzerland last month on a U.S. arrest warrant stemming from a 1977 sex case involving a 13-year-old girl. He is fighting extradition.

Opinion

Vetoing Justice for Rape Victims

by Sarah Tofte

Over the weekend, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California vetoed legislation that would have made California the first state in the nation to collect comprehensive data on the physical evidence collected from rape victims that is sitting in police storage facilities.

The bill, AB 1017, which sailed through both houses of the state legislature, had been hailed by advocates as model legislation and an important first step in reckoning with the huge backlog in the United States. But Governor Schwarzenegger, citing the time and money it would take law enforcement agencies to collect the data, decided to oppose a law that would help bring justice to rape victims.

End of Session Legislative Wrap-Up

October 11th marked the last day for Governor Schwarzenegger to sign or veto legislation that had made its way to his desk. After a long session fraught with protracted battles over the budget deficit, water and other divisive issues, many associations and institutions are counting themselves among the lucky few to have survived the process.

Essential Elements of Specialized Probation Initiatives

Last week, the Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center announced the release of Improving Responses to People with Mental Illnesses: The Essential Elements of Specialized Probation Initiatives.

Working with the Media: Creating New Contexts

I got a phone call from an angry woman this morning saying that I should be beaten. This is unusual for Saturday mornings and I didn’t quite understand her anger until I read the San Francisco Chronicle story with this punchline:

So when Coombs asks, “How many cases are enough to justify” the database, I have a simple answer.
One.

I have to admit, I was sad to see this (mis)quote at the end of the story. I felt like I was set up. I do hundreds of interviews and I’ve never contacted a writer about being misquoted or having a controversial quote included in a story. In fact, I’ve had much more controversial lines written about me but the difference here is that in most cases a writer will make it clear (intentionally or not) when they are looking for a fall-guy. Continue reading by clicking here.

OpEd: Chicago Police Stonewall on Rape Investigations

Julie was a graduate student at the University of Chicago when, in 2007, she was raped by a man she had been introduced to that night as a friend’s new boyfriend. They were at a bar, and he was “acting weird toward me. He kept touching me and I kept pushing him away.” The man’s behavior attracted the attention of the club’s manager and bouncer, who kicked him out.

CSG Justice Center Launches National Reentry Resource Center

From The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center

Earlier this week, The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center announced its launch of the National Reentry Resource Center—an unprecedented initiative to advance the safe and successful return of individuals from prisons and jails to their communities. Among those served by the resource center will be states, tribes, territories, local governments, service providers, nonprofit organizations and adult and juvenile corrections institutions.

House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition
By CARL HULSE

The House voted Thursday to expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to those committed because of a victim’s sexual orientation, a step that would extend new protection to lesbian, gay and transgender people.

…The new measure would broaden the definition to include those committed because of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. It was approved by the House right before a weekend when gay rights will be a focus in Washington, with a march to the Capitol and a speech by President Obama to the Human Rights Campaign.

Franken Amendment Passes

Yesterday, the amendment offered by U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to stop funding defense contractors who deny assault victims their day in court passed the United States Senate by a vote of 68 – 30.

Last Thursday, Sen. Franken introduced an amendment (S.2588) to the FY2010 Defense Appropriations Bill that would restrict funding to defense contractors who commit employees to mandatory binding arbitration in the case of sexual assault. The legislation, endorsed by 61 women’s, labor and public interest groups, was inspired by the story of Jamie Leigh Jones, who watched the vote from the Senate gallery today.

Obama nominates N.H. judge to Justice post

from the Office on Violence Against Women

Last week, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Judge Susan B. Carbon to be the next Director of the Office on Violence Against Women.

Susan Carbon, first appointed to the bench in 1991, has been a Supervisory Judge of the New Hampshire Judicial Branch Family Division since 1996.  Judge Carbon has made many contributions to our collective work, including serving as faculty for the National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence.

USA Today: DNA cited as reports of rape tumble

By Donna Leinwand

Reported rapes have fallen to the lowest level in 20 years at a time when DNA evidence helps lock up more rapists, and victims are more willing to work with police and prosecutors, victims advocates and crime experts say.

The FBI estimates 89,000 women reported being raped in 2008 — 29 women for every 100,000 people. That’s down from a high of 109,062 reported rapes in 1992 — 43 women for every 100,000 people. Data for 2009 are not yet available.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) and across the country, advocates are joining health care providers, business leaders, policy makers, faith-based groups, college students and others at events and activities designed to educate the public about domestic and sexual violence.

NYTs: California Struggles with Paroled Sex Offenders

Solomon Moore, a journalist with the New York Times, wrote an article about monitoring paroled sex offenders in California. The piece also discussed the number of sex offenders on parole, the amount of resources spent monitoring sex offenders and legislation that will reduce caseloads for parole agents.

Homeless Ga. sex offenders seek new place to live
By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer

Georgia probation officers tried to line up temporary housing on Tuesday for nine homeless sex offenders who were kicked out of a makeshift tent city behind a suburban Atlanta office park where state officials had directed them to live.

Legislature sends CALCASA bills to the governor’s desk

The Legislature passed many of CALCASA’s priority support bills before the end-of-session deadline.

The following is a summary of CALCASA supported bills that have been chaptered. California Statutes are the Chaptered Bills. A bill is “chaptered” by the Secretary of State after it has passed through both houses of the Legislature and has been signed by the Governor.

Mental Health Courts: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice

from the Council of State Governments Justice Center

The Council of State Governments Justice Center released a new report called, Mental Health Courts: A Guide to Research-Informed Policy and Practice. This guide summarizes the research on mental health court design, function and efficacy.

Understanding National Rape Statistics

Understanding National Rape Statistics, by Dean Kilpatrick and Jenna McCauley (September 2009), is now available at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC).

Lifting Ban on Counseling for Prisoner Rape Survivors

from Just Detention International

Rape is devastating – no matter where the assault occurs. It is also a crime – regardless of whether the victim is detained or lives in the community. Survivors of such crimes need and deserve support services, such as crisis counseling. Unfortunately, in the U.S. today, countless prisoners who are sexually assaulted while incarcerated are excluded from these life-saving services. Why?

California Struggles With Paroled Sex Offenders

By SOLOMON MOORE

Darrell Littleton, a California parole agent, checks on “his guys,” parolees in the Escondido area.

One got drunk and exposed himself to a jogger in a public park. Another was a fire captain until he molested his 13-year-old stepdaughter, went to prison and lost his wife, his job and his home. Now the man sleeps behind a drive-through restaurant.

The Best Question from the Last Two Weeks

The tragedy of the Jaycee Dugard case has (rightly) resulted in quite a bit of media attention and interest.  At this early stage, reliable facts are just starting to emerge – despite the volume of coverage and conversation.  The paucity of new information, however, hasn’t stopped more than a few media outlets from asking a whole host of questions that I suspect no one knows the answer to, such as

Why would someone do this?

I don’t think that the media poses these questions out of malice, or ill intent. I think that journalists are trying to respond to the intense public interest (and outrage) that a crime like this one could happen in one of our California communities. I also think that some of the relentlessness of the coverage is also the product of the 24-hour news cycle that demands new information on a constant basis.

Continue reading the article here.

California to Submit Population Management Plan that Prioritizes Public Safety and Relieves overcrowding

Last week, The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced it will “file a comprehensive plan with the federal three judge panel that reforms the prison system over several years and eventually could exceed the panel’s order to bring the operational capacity to 137.5 percent of combined design capacity of the state’s 33 prisons.”

California’s domestic violence shelters prepare for funding fight

By Sean Maher

California’s domestic violence shelters, hit with a huge budget loss when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger cut all their state funding in July, pledged Tuesday to continue pressing for that money to be restored after a bill that would have done just that failed in the state Senate.

Six of the state’s 94 domestic violence shelters have closed since Schwarzenegger used a line-item veto July 28 to cut the $16.3 million California provided across the system, said Camille Hayes, a spokeswoman for The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence.

Opinion

What we can learn from the Dugard case

Sarah Tofte

…During the 18 years Jaycee was missing, in the aftermath of a series of horrendous crimes against children, California legislators and their counterparts across the nation addressed the problem of sexual violence primarily by establishing and expanding registration and community notification requirements for convicted sex offenders.

Courts, policymakers and the public operated on the assumption that sex-offender laws worked and were worth the money, even if they meant diverting resources from prevention efforts. Lawmakers have poured a tremendous amount of resources into these programs with strong public support.

by Michael Rushford

California has had no shortage of notorious criminals over the years. Often their crimes have exposed weaknesses in state and local law enforcement policy.

The Onion Field murder, which involved the 1963 kidnapping of two Los Angeles police officers and the killing of one, led to changes in police procedures during traffic stops. The slaughter of seven people in 1969 by followers of Charles Manson helped marshal public support for the death penalty and inspired reforms in legal procedures.

NAESV Policy Day

Last week, CALCASA staff members participated in a policy day hosted by the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV).

CALCASA staff went to Capitol Hill and met with many California delegates and staff including…

Modesto Bee: “Chowchilla distinctive for sex assaults”

By Jonah Owen Lamb

One of the nation’s largest prisons for women, the Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla, is among the worst prisons in America for sexual assaults. The portrayal came from a survey of 10 percent of the country’s prisons.

The survey found that more than 10 percent of the Chow- chilla prison’s 2,867 inmates reported some sort of sexual victimization. No other California prison surveyed matched those numbers, according to the survey.

High court won’t extend California prison deadline

from the Associated Press

The Supreme Court on Friday turned down California’s request to delay a federal court order related to state prison overcrowding.

The justices refused to extend a deadline beyond Sept. 18 for telling a special three-judge panel how California will reduce its inmate population by 40,000, roughly a quarter, over two years.

The judges called for the reduction so the state can improve medical and mental health care for inmates in its 33 adult prisons. The federal courts have found the care so poor that it violates inmates’ constitutional rights.

Judge sets $30 million bail for Phillip Garrido

By Sam Stanton and Denny Walsh

Phillip Garrido was ordered held on $30 million bail today by an El Dorado County judge who said Garrido posed too great a flight risk and was a danger to the community.

The ruling came at a bail hearing for Garrido and his wife, Nancy Garrido, who are accused in the 1991 abduction of 11-year-old Jaycee Lee Dugard. Nancy Garrido was ordered held without bail.

Week of August 31st

California State Assembly Votes to let Sex Offender Management Board Continue

SB 588, one of CALCASA’s sponsored bills passed the California State Assembly today. The final vote was 65-0.

This bill eliminates the sunset date on California’s Sex Offender Management Board, which would otherwise disappear beginning December 31st this year. The passage of this bill will ensure that this vital board of experts addressing sex offender policy on a statewide basis will be able to do so on an ongoing basis.

The final word on this bill lies with Governor Schwarzenegger, when he chooses to sign or veto the bill. The bill has already received strong support from the administration, so this is a very good sign.

The California Report: “Governing Sex Offenders”

Suzanne Brown-McBride is the Executive Director of CALCASA as well as the chair of California’s Sex Offender Management Board. Brown-McBride was recently interviewed for a story about Jaycee Lee Dugard and discussed state policies governing sex offenders.

Listen to the interview here:

WSJ: “Sex-Registry Flaws Stand Out”

In a recent article, the Wall Street Journal discussed the California Sex Offender Management Board and the Jaycee Dugard case.

The article also discussed the number of sex offenders on parole in California, the state’s sex-offender registry, risk classification, and the amount of resources spent monitoring sex offenders.

Friday Legislative Update: Week of August 31st

Below is a summary of what happened this week with bills that CALCASA is tracking through the state legislature. The list includes bills that CALCASA is sponsoring, supporting and watching. We included links to each bill, so that you can read the text. All bills over $150,000 are sent to suspense and reconsidered later in the legislative session

Another view: What we did wrong, and right

By Suzanne Brown-McBride

Over the past 18 years, Jaycee Dugard suffered through an unimaginable ordeal, the details of which are just starting to become clear. While specific missteps or missed opportunities to intervene earlier and more effectively might be identified over time, one significant public safety problem is already clear:

Phillip Garrido was able to offend, largely unnoticed, due to a fractured approach to sex offender management. This approach didn’t include active communication and collaboration among law enforcement and public safety agencies, clinical offender management resources and community members.

Week of August 24th

Exclusion policy on early prison release ruled invalid

Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that “a Federal Bureau of Prisons policy excluding murderers, rapists and others with violent crimes on their record from an early-release program is invalid because authorities have failed to explain why those inmates are ineligible.”

Police Investigate the Jaycee Lee Dugard Caste

Police investigating the kidnap of Jaycee Lee Dugard have started digging in the grounds of a house next to the property where she was kept hidden for 18 years.

Women’s services take hit after state cuts

SANTA CRUZ — The Walnut Avenue Women’s Center will be closed on Wednesdays to deal with recent state budget cuts, and leaders say the closure could not come at a worse time.

East Palo Alto outraged at sexual predator’s release

News that a twice-convicted rapist is moving to East Palo Alto has furious residents planning protests against an out-of-town landlord and a Santa Clara County judge.

Friday Legislative Update

Click here to review a summary of what happened last week with bills that CALCASA is tracking through the state legislature.

The list includes bills that CALCASA is sponsoring, supporting and watching. We included links to each bill, so that you can read the text. All bills over $150,000 are sent to suspense and reconsidered later in the legislative session.

Week of August 24th

Below is a summary of what happened this week with bills that CALCASA is tracking through the state legislature. The list includes bills that CALCASA is sponsoring, supporting and watching. We included links to each bill, so that you can read the text. All bills over $150,000 are sent to suspense and reconsidered later in the legislative session.

Assembly Appropriations

SB 588 (Committee on Public Safety) Sex Offender Management Board.

• CALCASA Position: Sponsor
• Status: Do Pass
• Current Location: A-APPR. SUSPENSE FILE

Senate Appropriations

AB 307 (Cook) Sex offenders: working with minors.

• CALCASA Position: Watch
• Status: Senate Rule 28.8
• Current Location: S-Second Reading

AB 1017 (Portantino) Sexual assault crimes.

• CALCASA Position: Support
• Status: Do Pass
• Current Location: S-APPR. SUSPENSE FILE

Week of August 17th

Maj. General Wade and Senator Alquist Receive Leadership Awards

This year’s CALCASA Leadership Conference included several awards, the most prestigious of which were given to the Adjutant General of the California National Guard and a State Senator. CALCASA’s Leadership Awards are given to individuals who have shown leadership in the area of preventing and responding to sexual assault in our community.

Fox40: “GPS Not Total Solution to Prison Overcrowding”

Suzanne Brown-McBride is the Executive Director of CALCASA as well as the chair of California’s Sex Offender Management Board. Brown-McBride was recently interviewed for a story about GPS monitoring devices as a strategy to reduce prison overcrowding. She said:

NYTs Magazine: Why Women’s Rights are the Cause of Our Time

The New York Times Magazine devoted it’s recent issue to women’s rights.

…women in poor countries suffer are of paramount importance, in an economic and geopolitical sense the opportunity they represent is even greater. “Women hold up half the sky,” in the words of a Chinese saying, yet that’s mostly an aspiration: in a large slice of the world, girls are uneducated and women marginalized, and it’s not an accident that those same countries are disproportionately mired in poverty and riven by fundamentalism and chaos.

There’s a growing recognition among everyone from the World Bank to the U.S. military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff to aid organizations like CARE that focusing on women and girls is the most effective way to fight global poverty and extremism. That’s why foreign aid is increasingly directed to women. The world is awakening to a powerful truth: Women and girls aren’t the problem; they’re the solution.

As Calif. prison spending rises, so do concerns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California devotes 10 percent of its operating budget to locking up criminals in state prisons, one of the highest rates in the nation and an amount that is becoming a drag on the state’s ability to deliver other services.

Friday Legislative Update

Click here to review a summary of what happened this week with bills that CALCASA is tracking through the state legislature. The list includes bills that CALCASA is sponsoring, supporting and watching. We included links to each bill, so that you can read the text. All bills over $150,000 are sent to suspense and reconsidered later in the legislative session.

The full membership of the Legislature has returned to the Capitol, with both Assembly and Senate floor sessions slated for the early afternoon.

CALCASA will continue to keep you posted on what happens with bills that we are tracking through the state legislature. One way to stay connected is by subscribing to our blog and reading our Friday Legislative Wrap-Up.

By clicking here, you can review our bill tracking list.

Week of August 10th

CALCASA Media Advocacy Guide

CALCASA is pleased to release our Media Advocacy Guide! Our goal is to share how we use media advocacy. For some of you, this will be a nice introduction to working with the media. For others, you may find that this is a simple text for sharing the activities you’re already doing in your agency with new staff, leadership or allies.

The guide includes some lessons we’ve learned and some nice tips for working with the media. We hope you’ll find it useful and we also want to hear what you think. Some members have already provided valuable feedback while we were writing the guide and we thank you for the support!

Click here to download the guide.

Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation Giving Law Enforcement Additional Resources to Monitor and Prosecute Sex Offenders

by Valerie Gotten

Last week, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the signing of two bills that will give law enforcement officials additional resources to more effectively monitor and prosecute registered sex offenders and sexually violent predators.

“We must do everything in our power to provide law enforcement with the resources necessary to protect the public,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “Public safety is a top priority and with these bills, we will be able to better monitor and prosecute sex offenders and sexually violent predators to the fullest extent of the law – making our streets safer from these dangerous predators.”

Rape: It’s a war crime

Despite changes in international law and declarations by tribunals and the U.N., rampant sexual violence goes unpunished around the globe.

CALCASA ED Joins Council of State Governments Justice Center

A group of state and local leaders from across the nation?including respected state lawmakers and gubernatorial appointees who direct large state agencies, state supreme court chief justices and other court officials, and law enforcement executives and prosecutors met in Burlington, Vt., this week to discuss critical criminal justice policies.

Huffington Post: “Despite Promises, Some Rape Victims Stuck Paying Exam Bills”

Earlier this week, the Huffington Post, posted a story about rape victims who have been required to pay for evidence collection.

Editorial: Faces behind the numbers

Earlier this week, the Ventura Country Star posted an editorial about the recent domestic violence program funding cuts.

CA Prisons Must Cut Inmate Population

Earlier today, “a panel of federal judges ordered the California prison system on Tuesday to reduce its inmate population of 150,000 by 40,000 — roughly 27 percent — within two years. The judges said that reducing prison crowding in California was the only way to change what they called an unconstitutional prison health care system that causes one unnecessary death a week.”

Week of Jan 14th

Powerless in Prison: Sexual Abuse Against Incarcerated Women
By Nicole Summer, RH Reality Check.

“I am 7 months pregnant [and] I got pregnant here during a sexual assault. I have been sexually assaulted here numerous times! The jailers here are the ones doing it!” — excerpt from a letter from an inmate in a jail in Alabama to Stop Prisoner Rape.

Surviving a sexual assault and then navigating the health care system to receive adequate counseling and reproductive medical attention is daunting enough for those who walk freely on the outside. For women in prison, these hurdles can seem insurmountable. Unfortunately, sexual assault, particularly guard-on-prisoner sexual assault, is a fact of life for many incarcerated women, and the ensuing implications for their reproductive health are many.

Director Cindy Dryer addressed DOJ Campus Institute, Hosted by CALCASA.

Director Cindy Dryer, the newly appointed Director of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women addressed the Department’s 2008 Campus Institute, hosted by CALCASA, on Thursday.

Director Dryer welcomed the new Department of Justice (DOJ) Campus grantees as well as noted the inaugural meeting the Campus Flagship Program, which identified exemplary university systems in Iowa, Oklahoma, Porto Rico and notably the University of California system in California.

Director Dryer reiterated the importance of the Grants to Reduce Violent Crimes Against Women on Campus program in the DOJ’s offerings. She also expressed her desire to continue to raise visibility around violence against women issues and spoke about her background as a prosecutor in the sex crimes unit in Texas. Director Dryer indicated that her work as a prosecutor informed and inspired her deep commitment to violence against women issues.

CALCASA was pleased that Director Dryer could attend the Campus Institute and meet the outstanding group of grantees that are involved in the program. CALCASA looks forward to working with Director Dryer.

‘Why does violence look so normal?’
By Jennifer Torres
Record Staff Writer

STOCKTON – When the Women’s Center representative asked who among them knew somebody – a sister, a mother, a friend, a classmate, anybody – who had been a victim of violence, each of the roughly 20 boys in the Weber Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology classroom raised his hand.

“That’s just life, though” one of the high schoolers said.

The Women’s Center of San Joaquin County visited the Weber Institute on Wednesday to present the My Strength campaign, which seeks to help young men prevent sexual violence in their communities. It is a project of the California Department of Health Services and the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

The Women Center hopes to launch a local chapter in the effort, starting at Stockton Unified’s Weber Institute. If enough students are interested, the center will facilitate weekly meetings for an all-male youth group to discuss masculinity, gender equality, violence prevention and other topics.

Suzanne Brown-McBride on The News Hour with Jim Lehrer

The News Hour with Jim Lehrer recently aired a segment on sex offender laws. The segment emphasized that, “Twenty-two states have laws that restrict where convicted sex offenders may live and, in some cases, how they interact with the community after they are released from prison. Jeffrey Kaye reports on the laws and the constitutional questions they’ve raised.”

Click here to view the television segment.

State paying more to study predators
By John Simerman, STAFF WRITER

Eager to keep violent sex predators behind bars, state lawmakers and voters in 2006 vastly expanded the pool of inmates who can be forced into mental hospitals when their prison terms end.

The early result: The state spent about $25 million more last year to screen and evaluate thousands of newly eligible inmates, none of whom it appears were committed to a state institution. Part of the reason is a backlog of cases. Local prosecutors say they are filing more court petitions for commitment, but delays mean it often takes more than a year to reach trial.

But a bigger factor, say those who evaluate sex criminals, is that so few of the newly eligible convicts meet the definition of a sexually violent predator (SVP).

MySpace pressured to protect US children

AP - The social networking site MySpace has agreed to take steps to protect youngsters from online sexual predators and bullies, including searching for ways to better verify users’ ages.

It follows mounting pressure from law enforcement and parents.

The popular online hangout will create a task force of industry professionals to improve the safety of users, and other social-networking sites will be invited to participate.

“We must keep telling children that they’re not just typing into a computer. They’re sharing themselves with the world,” North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said.

MySpace, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, has more than 200 million registered users worldwide, and Facebook claims more than 61 million active users.

Marine’s family questions handling of case

For months after a pregnant 20-year-old Marine accused a colleague of rape, her family says, she continued to work alongside her attacker and endured harassment at Camp Lejeune.

In the weeks after she disappeared, they believe, the sheriff’s department was slow to act.

As authorities recovered Maria Lauterbach’s remains Saturday from a fire pit where they suspect Marine Cpl. Cesar Armando Laurean burned and buried her body, her family asked why authorities didn’t treat her case with greater urgency.

Week of October 29th

ATSA 26th Annual Research and Treatment Conference

Last week, Suzanne Brown-McBride, CALCASA’s Executive Director, addressed the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) 26th Annual Research and Treatment Conference. Brown-McBride received a standing ovation from the more than 1700 conference attendees at her plenary presentation: “Six Impossible Things Before Breakfeast: Making the Reasonable Possible in a Culture of Fear.”

Brown-McBride pointed out that “few issues are more passionately misunderstood than the nature of sexual violence. Coupled with an unprecedented level of public fear about sexual crimes, erroneous and distorted images of victims and offenders have become engrained in media depictions, culture discourse and at every level of policymaking.

Advocates, practitioners and activists are being challenged to develop a new language of moment that is informed by evidence, inspired by survivorship and can envision effective and accessible models of sexual assault intervention and prevention.

The success of our work will depend on emerging models of collaboration and advocacy that are effective in engaging the public, re-claiming the language of community safety and creating the conditions for rational policymaking.”

International Violence Against Women Act

The Feminist Daily News and Amnesty International reported earlier this week:

Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN), the chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced yesterday the International Violence Against Women Act. The bill was written with the input and expert advice of over 100 NGOs focusing on gender-based violence, human rights, health care, international development and aid, including the Women’s Edge Coalition, the Feminist Majority, Amnesty International, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership, and Human Rights Watch.

The bill includes three major provisions to fight violence against women. First, it would create a central Office for Women’s Global Initiatives to coordinate US policies, programs, and resources that deal with women’s issues. Second, it requires a 5-year comprehensive strategy to fight violence against women in targeted countries and provides $172 million a year to support programs that fight violence against women. Last, the bill mandates training, reporting mechanisms and a system for dealing with women and girls afflicted by violence during humanitarian, conflict and post-conflict operations.

Senator Biden was the chief sponsor of the domestic Violence Against Women Act, which was passed in 1994 and was reauthorized in 2000 and 2006. This landmark legislation has provided billions of dollars for domestic violence shelters and training of law enforcement and judicial officers to improve response to domestic violence.

Court: Rape victims out of state can be detained to testify

“Sexual assault victims who live outside of California can be taken into custody and brought to the state to make sure they appear in court to testify if they are necessary witnesses, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday. A three-judge panel of the state’s Fourth District Court of Appeal in San Diego made that decision in a 25-page ruling that overturned the rape convictions of a San Marcos man who was sentenced to 105 years to life in prison for those crimes.

The appeals court reversed Henry Ivan Cogswell’s convictions because the victim in the case, who lived in another state at the time, refused to come to the Vista Superior Court to testify at his trial. Her testimony from a preliminary hearing in the case was presented to the jury instead, but the appeals court ruled that was a mistake.

A section of California law prohibits judges from jailing sexual assault victims for contempt of court if they refuse to testify. Nothing in that law, however, excuses sexual assault victims “from the obligation to appear when lawfully summoned,” Associate Justices Patricia Benke, Judith Haller and Cynthia Aaron decided.”

California lawmakers target sexual misconduct by teachers

The Associated Press reported last week that “California lawmakers say they will explore changes in how the state disciplines teachers accused of sexual misconduct and push for greater public disclosure of such cases.”

The efforts follow an Associated Press investigation last month that found 2,570 educators nationwide whose teaching credentials were revoked, denied, surrendered or sanctioned from 2001-2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct. Experts who track sexual abuse say those cases are representative of a much deeper problem.

The AP’s investigation is prompting lawmakers and governors across the country to examine and strengthen teacher credentialing and confidentiality laws.

In California, the AP confirmed 313 sexual misconduct cases after reviewing more than 2,000 instances in which teachers were punished. The number would have been much larger, but many of the sexual misconduct cases are hidden from public view because they are classified by the state only as “general misconduct.”

Sexual Assault Aired on Big Brother Africa

“The sight of a drunk young woman being assaulted by a Big Brother housemate in what may be the most public rape ever has turned the stomachs of millions of television viewers. The incident, broadcast live by a pay-TV conglomerate across Africa, has prompted denunciations from the continent’s great and good. Viewers have flooded newspapers and internet message boards with emails expressing undiluted outrage.

Many of the emails contain photo clips from the programme that appear to show Richard Bezuidenhout (left), a 24-year-old film student from Tanzania, assaulting Ofunneka Molokwu, a 29-year-old medical assistant from Nigeria. M-Net, which airs the show have intervened. “There is no indication that she was unconscious at the time,” said Joseph Hundah, an executive at M-Net.

However, viewers of the incident, which took place on Saturday afternoon after an extended drinking bout which ended in copious vomiting and apparent blackout for Molokwu, remain adamant about what they saw: Bezuidenhout lay down next to the comatose young woman and penetrated her vagina with his fingers. He carried on despite the pleas of another female housemate for him stop. Under the law in South Africa – where, on average, a woman is sexually assaulted every 40 seconds – such an act constitutes rape.”

Repair flawed sex-offender proposition

The Daily Democrat ran an opinion piece last week on the requirements of Proposition 83.

Our Opinion: Requirements of the law are far too broad to be effective.

In November, voters overwhelmingly passed Proposition 83, a measure banning paroled sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or a park where children “regularly gather.” The measure requires offenders to wear GPS ankle bracelets for life. Without a doubt, the 70 percent of the electorate that voted for Proposition 83 wanted to crack down on sex crimes and keep dangerous predators away from children.

However, the law is far too broad, severely limiting the liberty of former offenders. The 2,000-foot limit makes it almost impossible for paroled offenders to find a place to live in an urban area. In too many instances, the law forces people out of stable environments and into apartments and houses in areas far from their jobs.

Click here to continue reading.

Sex offenders declare themselves homeless in Calif., frustrating attempts to track them

Don Thompson, an Associated Press writer, reported last week that “hundreds of California sex offenders who face tough new restrictions on where they can live are declaring themselves homeless — truthfully or not — and that’s making it difficult for the state to track them.

Jessica’s Law, approved by 70 percent of California voters a year ago, bars registered sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school or park where children gather. That leaves few places where offenders can live legally.

Some who have had trouble finding a place to live are avoiding re-arrest by reporting — falsely, in some cases — that they are homeless. Experts say it is hard to monitor sex offenders when they lie about their address or are living day-to-day in cheap hotels, homeless shelters or on the street. It also means they may not be getting the treatment they need.”

“We could potentially be making the world more dangerous rather than less dangerous,” said therapist Gerry Blasingame, past chairman of the California Coalition on Sexual Offending.

Similar laws in Iowa and Florida have driven offenders underground or onto the streets.

Click here to continue reading.

Week of October 1st

Sexual harassment cases

Anita Hill responded to Clarence Thomas’s claims in his recently release memoir in which he recounts his contentious confirmation hearings, in a New York Times opinion piece.

Hill said, “I stand by my testimony…I will not stand by silently and allow him, in his anger, to reinvent me.” Click here to continue reading the opinion piece.

Former Knicks executive Anucha Browne Sanders, was awarded $11.6 million in sexual-harassment suit earlier this week.

She was awarded “punitive damages in her claim against Knicks coach Isiah Thomas for harassing her, and against Madison Square Garden, L.P. and the chairman of Cablevision, the parent company of the Knicks and MSG, for allowing a hostile work environment and firing her when she complained.”

The Feminist Daily News reported earlier this week that the “Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on Tuesday accused the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) of violating civil-rights law through a pattern of discrimination, harassment and retaliation against black and woman employees.” Its findings came after investigating discrimination complaints from two anonymous women firefighters. The LAFD must now implement drastic reforms or face a possible federal lawsuit.”

Campus Gets $1M to Lead UC Response to Violence Against Women

The University of California, Davis, was awared “nearly $1 million federal grant to help the UC’s 10 campuses improve their response to violence against women.”

UC Davis will lead the effort “to develop a systemwide strategic plan to enhance prevention programs and victim support services. The project will encourage adoption of comprehensive campus guidelines for responding to incidents and referring victims to campus and community resources. In addition, it will help to bring nationally recognized best practices and policies on violence against women to the campuses and to implement others developed at UC.”

Jennifer Beeman, the director of the violence prevention program at UC Davis said:

“We are looking forward to building upon and sharing the expertise we have gained through our long and productive collaboration with the federal Office on Violence Against Women. We want to work with other campuses to create a model intervention within the state of California.”

The project will collaborate with two major organizations. The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) “will bridge the project with rape crisis centers in communities surrounding campuses. The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training will help develop and deliver specialized training for law enforcement agencies on campuses.”

Sandy Ortman, director of special programs for CALCASA, commented on the experience of UC Davis and that the UC system has been encouraging women to report sexual assault incidents:

“UC Davis has the experience, the commitment to the issues — and a chancellor who understands the issues.

“Increased reporting of incidents against women can actually be a good thing. What it means is that you provide helpful, caring and appropriate services so women come forward. It speaks to the level of service being provided.”

VAWA Appropriations Update!

On Thursday, October 4th, the Senate passed the FY 2008 Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill and included an amendment that provides $10 million more to VAWA programs! The amendment provides:

· $5 million to partially restore the cut the Senate CJS Committee had previously proposed to Grants to Encourage Arrest and Enforcement of Protection Orders;
· $4 million for Engaging Men and Youth in Prevention Efforts; and
· $1 million for a National Resource Center on Workplace Responses to Assist Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence.

This year the Senate bill includes $418 million for VAWA programs within the Department of Justice. The House passed a $459 million funding bill. In addition, the Senate and House CJS appropriations bill contain $10 million for the Sexual Assault Services Act (SASP).

Both the House and the Senate will “conference” the two different appropriations bills together and work out their differences, pass the new version in both the House and Senate and then send the bill to the President for his signature. However, earlier this week President Bush vetoed the State Children’s Health Insurance Plan (SCHIP) and has threatened to veto any spending bill that provides more money than he had requested for a specific agency in his FY 2008 budget plan.

You haven’t missed your chance to make your voice heard. PLEASE take a few moments to contact your Senators and Representatives. Urge them to override a Presidential Veto! Tell your legislator about the financial need for rape crisis centers in your State to provide both prevention programs and direct services for victims.

Activists demand that Japan make reparations to sex slaves

Connie Kang, a Los Angeles Times Staff Writer reported, that activists are preparing for “a historic world conference in Los Angeles on the sexual enslavement of women and girls by the Japanese military.”

On Wednesday, former sex slaves and human rights activists from around the world “demanded that Japan issue an official apology and make reparations to the victims of Japan’s wartime crimes.”

TRADE

A recently released documentary, TRADE, highlights “the dark world of human trafficking, a crime that exists in our own backyards…. In the film, a 13-year-old girl from Mexico City is kidnapped by sex traffickers, smuggled across the Rio Grande border and held prisoner in a “stash house” in New Jersey on a street that looks just like thousands of other streets in suburban USA. The girl represents one of an estimated 18,000 — 20,000 people who are brought to the United States and used for forced labor or sex, according to State Department figures.”

Designer Indicted in Sex Assault Case

The Associated Press
Reported that “celebrity fashion designer Anand Jon Alexander was indicted on 59 counts of sexual assault in a move prosecutors said Thursday would keep his accusers from having to testify at a preliminary hearing.” Alexander is suspected of meeting women on the Internet then assaulting them when they visited with him about modeling opportunities.

Prosecutors previously charged Alexander with more than 40 felony and misdemeanor counts involving 18 victims that included rape, sexual battery and committing a lewd act on a child. He pleaded not guilty to the earlier charges.