Jefferson City – State Sen. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, and Sen. Holly Rehder, R-Scott City, the two Senate members appointed to serve on a task force aimed at addressing sexual assault in Missouri, encourage survivors and others impacted by sexual assault to share their experiences by participating in an online survey. The Missouri Rights of Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force will accept public comments through Sept. 30 at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MORightsTaskForce.
The 13-member task force created as part Senate Bill 569, passed by the Legislature in 2020, will make recommendations regarding the handling and response to sexual assault and identify ways the state could improve services for victims. In addition to the survey, the task force will conduct four online public hearings to gather testimony from experts from a variety of fields.
“Senator Schupp and I hope every Missourian who has experienced sexual assault, either personally or within their circle of friends and family, will take time to complete this survey and listen to the hearings,” Sen. Rehder said. “The information provided will help the task force immensely as we work to better address the impact of sexual assault on the lives of Missourians and seek better ways to respond.”
“Survivors of sexual assault deserve justice, care and comfort. Unfortunately, too often the practices and policies in place in Missouri fall short of meeting these needs,” Sen. Schupp said. “The Rights of Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force is committed to improving Missouri’s response so survivors receive appropriate care and support.”
Each of the four individual listening sessions will deal with a specific topic related to the experiences of sexual assault victims. The hearings will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the following dates:
- 25, funding;
- 14, standard practices;
- 22, survivor privacy; and
- 28, evidence collection.
The hearings will be conducted through WebEx. For more information on how to listen, or for a complete listing of task force members, visit dps.mo.gov/dir/programs/cvsu/task-force.php. The task force is required to submit a report on its findings to the Governor and General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2021.