On Friday, October 7th, President Barack Obama signed the Sexual Survivors’ Bill of Rights into law (also known as H.R. 5578), signifying an important shift in how sexual assault survivors will be treated.
The bill grants the right to have rape kits free of charge until the statute of limitations expires, the right to be notified 60 days before a survivor’s rape kit is destroyed, and to no longer charge or prevent a survivor from getting a rape kit examination, even if they have not yet filed a police report. Survivors will also be notified of these rights when they report their assault.
Rape kits are essential to sexual assault survivors. According to rainn.org, when a victim chooses to have a sexual assault forensic exam in order to have proof of evidence, the rape kit is where the evidence against the attacker is stored. With the new bill, survivors’ kits will be offered and protected in a way that gives each survivor the same rights and safety measures.
Amanda Nguyen, a 24-year-old sexual assault survivor, was the driving force behind this movement. According to thestute.com, Nguyen “had to hound the police every six months not to destroy her rape kit.” So, with the backing of other survivors and a campaign on rise.com, Nguyen was able to bring attention to the issues surrounding rape kits and put her idea into action.
Nguyen and her bill are important because sexual assault survivors now have fundamental rights. With these rights comes a greater sense of security for survivors in the critical period where they need it the most. By setting up a procedure for survivors and protocol for officials, survivors will be able to become more unified in knowing that they are getting the standard care they need, rather than worrying that it will be taken away without warning.
There is still a long way to go in defeating the stigmas surrounding sexual assault, but the Sexual Survivors’ Bill of Rights is one large step closer in legitimizing victims by making standard care a right rather than an option, or in some cases, an impossibility. With people like Nguyen impacting the way we address sexual assault victims, there is hope that someday, across the world, all survivors will have access to the rights and care they require.