Increase Justice for Sexual Assault Survivors and Ensure Accountability of the Perpetrator

 

To increase the conviction rate of sexual assault cases by training the law enforcement officials to be trauma-informed

to support survivors, advancing investigation practices, and ensuring a consistent and tougher sentencing for offenders.

 

According to the Gender Policy Report by the University of Minnesota, sexual assault against women is still persistent

today. It is common for young women, often before turning 25 years of age, to experience their first sexual violence.

Moreover, society and Justice officials have adopted an anti-rape outlook, normalizing sexual assaults and shaming

survivors from speaking up about or reporting. According to the Minnesota Student Survey, 15 percent of high school

girls reported experiencing sexual assault, and often downplay it due to cultural stigma. Families, friends, and

authorities frequently blame the women rather than their attackers and require the victims to prove their resistance or

visible injuries. As a result, survivors fear reporting, are worried about not being believed, and that their assaults

don’t fit the “real rape” definition. Victims end up with Post-traumatic stress disorder and crippling psychological and

physical health.

 

Sexual Assault: any non-consensual sexual act, contact, or behavior, including but not limited to rape and attempted

rape, or unwanted physical and sexual touching.

Survivor

Perpetrator: A person using unlawful force or threat to commit sexual assault.

Law Enforcement Officials: Police officers, prosecutors, detectives, judges, and any other government worker involved in

the investigation, prosecution, or sentencing of sexual assault cases.

Trauma-informed: training that recognizes the physical, psychological, and emotional impact of trauma and avoids

retraumatization of victims during the legal proceedings, instead prompting safety and recovery.

Rape kit: a collection of forensic evidence obtained from a victim after a reported sexual assault.

Conviction: The Court officially decided that an individual has committed a crime based on the evidence presented.

Advanced investigative practices: Within 10 days of a reported sexual assault, law enforcement must initiate an

investigation. This means medical evidence and physical evidence must be submitted for testing within 10 days. Forensic

evidence, digital, and other evidence must be tested within 30 days of the report. There should be active case

management and transparency from officials, including detectives and prosecutors.

Consistent prosecution: Prosecutors should pursue charges where credible evidence is provided in all sexual assault

cases and eliminate bias.

Minimum Sentencing: If a person is found guilty of sexual assault, specifically in rape cases, the minimum sentence

faced is four years of imprisonment. No eligibility for parole or early release before the minimum sentence served. For

those who re-offend on sexual assault charges, the minimum sentence is six years.

 

Funding should come from Federal, state, and organization grant programs.

Funding Sources:

a) National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant program (SAKI), administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

b) US Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (VOW); an office that carries out grants and

programs to reduce sexual assaults, domestic violence, etc.

c) Violence Against Women Act; federal law. Provides funding and protections for survivors

d) Local advocacy organizations and associations support sexual assault prevention and guide survivors with resources.

e) Additional funds can be collected through federal grants for sexual assault prevention and state investigations

grants.

Funds are distributed to state and local law enforcement agencies to support investigations and proceedings. Annual

reports must be submitted by agencies to show how funds are being used and the outcomes.

A base amount of $19 million shall be raised annually from the funding sources to implement this Act.

 

 

Enforcement:

This act should be enforced by the Department of Justice, overseeing all of it, with local Attorney Generals and the

following two agencies having direct responsibility - Office of Police Conduct Review in Minneapolis or the Police

Civilian Internal Affairs Review Commission in St. Paul.

Penalties:

Law enforcement who intentionally are neglectful, tamper with evidence, retaliate against the survivors, and don't

follow the deadlines for evidence submissions will immediately be terminated, and may face possible criminal charges if

applicable. If agencies are not using funds appropriately or there is suspicion, they are to be investigated by the

Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women, and the state.

Misuses of allocated funds:

a) A warning will be written for the first violation.

b) The individual responsible for overseeing the funds or grant should be removed from their position.

c) The agency will then need to repay the misused amount in full or in half, depending on the situation, within 100

days.

d) The agency will be placed under continuous state monitoring until it can demonstrate the ability to appropriately

manage and use the allocated funds.

 

This Act shall take effect on January 25, 2026, and this applies to all the funds allocated or used on or after that

date.