In the April 10 issue, the magazine featured an interview with Amanda Nguyen, a 24-year-old Harvard graduate campaigning to establish basic rights for rape survivors (“Survivor Turned Crusader”). On October 7, President Obama signed into law the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act, which was introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. The act makes forensic exams and the rape kits used to preserve evidence from them available without charge to rape survivors. It also requires among other guarantees that survivors be notified of their exam results and the kits be preserved for 20 years or the existing statute of limitations. The act applies only to federal rape cases but is being touted as a model for states to follow.
Send comments to magazine@globe.com.
Advertisement