This compilation provides an overview of U. S. State victim rights laws as related to the presence of victim advocates during forensic examinations.  Laws fall into one of two categories (1) laws that specifically relate to victims of sexual assault and (2) laws that provide the right to advocate presence for all victims.
 

This document provides a compilation of U.S. rape and sexual assault statutes that was updated in 2009.

The nation's first Sexual Violence Benchbook designed specifically to guide lower court judges in the handling of sex abuse crimes. It is a resource for Magisterial District Judges that provides information to help them understand the procedural requirements and complexity of sex abuse crimes.

Minor Judicial Benchbook - Complete Book (22 Megs)

Broken down by section for easier downloading:
Intro and Section One: Understanding Sexual Violence  (10 Megs)
Section Two: The Process of a Sex Offense Case (12 Megs)
Section Three: Resources (.5 Megs)
 

This toolkit is designed to assist law enforcement agencies develop U-visa certification policies/protocols to enable immigrant victims of crime to access the U-visa.  The toolkit was created with input from law enforcement officers and contains legal info, sample policies, FAQs, and information useful helpful for advocacy efforts.

This Applied Research paper examines tort actions for sexual assault - law suits that seek financial compensation for wrongs that cause injury to the victim. The paper also discusses benefits and drawbacks of tort litigation for sexual assault survivors.
Civil Tort Actions Filed by Victims of Sexual Assault: Promise and Perils

This guide examines the use of polygraph tests and other truth-telling devices (sometimes called “lie-detector tests”) in sexual assault investigations. It is meant to support the Violence Against Women Act and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005) provision that truth-telling devices must not be used with sexual assault victims as a condition of charging or prosecution of an offense. This guide examines special issues relevant to using truth-telling devices with sexual assault victims. Legislative and judicial actions that have been taken as a result of this debate will also be discussed. Victim advocates, law enforcement officers, and policy makers may use this guide to develop policies, practices, and procedures and to improve collaborations regarding the use of truth-telling devices as the VAWA 2005 provision is adopted across the United States. 

Provides practical assistance to statewide sexual assault coalitions and rape crisis centers to help them maintain victim confidentiality. This e-publication addresses common challenges, provides core concepts, and offers practical tips for improving confidential services to victims of sexual violence.

Strenghtening Sexual Assault Victims' Right to Privacy

 

The report reveals that the backlog of untested rape kits in Los Angeles County is larger and more widespread than previously reported. Through dozens of interviews with police officers, public officials, criminalists, rape treatment providers, and rape victims, the report documents the devastating effects of the backlog on victims of sexual abuse.
Testing Justice: The Rape Kit Backlog in Los Angeles City and County

Immigrant Women and Sexual Violence highlights the common experiences of immigrant women who are victims of sexual violence, the legal protections and public benefits available, and practices and suggestions for increasing the effectiveness of services provided to immigrant women.
Immigrant Women and Sexual Violence

This resource kit captures over 10 years of work by IPEC and its partners and makes the Programme's experiences and knowledge available to those who design, implement and improve policy and programming to fight child trafficking. It is composed of five separate but interrelated books that cover a range of themes, including: understanding child trafficking, research and knowledge base, building legal and policy frameworks, mobilization and building partnerships, taking action against child trafficking, and the processes that may contribute to effective remedial action. Accompanying the texts are more than 150 resources comprising publications, 'how-to' manuals.
Combating trafficking in children for labour exploitation: A resource kit for policy-makers and practitioners

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