As most of you know, I'm a survivor of sexual assault. I was violently beaten and raped while out riding my bicycle. My crime went unsolved for 14 years. In 2004, the state of West Virginia placed their DNA evidence online with the national DNA database and there was an immediate match to my perpetrator. You can read more about my story here. This step enabled me to find more resolution and led me to much deeper healing on my path.
I'm asking for you to support me and other survivors of sexual assault by taking just a few moments of your time to ensure that more rapists are brought to justice.
Action Alert: Please call your U.S. Representative to ask him or her to support H.R. 1523, the Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Registry Act of 2011, or "SAFER Act."
Why?: There is a huge backlog of DNA evidence from unsolved rape cases that has never been sent to a crime lab for analysis. The SAFER Act will bring transparency to the DNA testing process, help us efficiently target resources to cities that have the biggest backlogs, and empower victims with up-to-the-minute information about the status of their case. It will help DNA eliminate the evidence backlog and take thousands of rapists off the streets.
How You Can Help: Please call your U.S. Representative to ask him or her to become a cosponsor of the SAFER Act. U.S. Representatives are in Washington, D.C. to represent you, and they want to know what bills matter to their constituents. I've pasted contact information below.
What Do I Say?: Here is an example of what to say to the staff member who answers the phone in your U.S. Representative's office:
- My name is ____ and I live in [your town, your state].
- I am calling to ask Representative [name] to cosponsor H.R. 1523, the SAFER Act. This no-cost bill will help reduce the backlog of DNA from rape cases, bring more efficiency and transparency to the criminal justice system, and empower victims of rape.
- This bill is sponsored by Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Ted Poe and has strong bipartisan support.
- Please support this important bill that will help prevent more sexual assaults by taking rapists off the streets.
- Thanks for listening and considering this request to cosponsor H.R. 1523. Thank you for all you to do help the people in our district.
Contact Information: To find the name and phone number of your U.S. Representative, visit www.house.gov. Type your zip code in the top right corner to determine your Representative, then follow the link to their homepage, where you can find their Washington, D.C. phone number. For local Ashevillians, you can call Heath Schuler's office at (828) 252-1651.
Please forward this information to others. I'm grateful for your time and support.
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