Ayotte-Backed Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights Act Signed Into Law

Press Release

Today during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, legislation backed by U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte, the bipartisan Survivors' Bill of Rights Act, was signed into law. Ayotte is a cosponsor of the Senate companion bill, which was introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). The law will empower survivors of sexual assault by requiring survivors to be given more information about evidence collection and their rights during the forensic examination process.

"Survivors of sexual violence deserve our complete support as they go through the forensic examination, investigation, and prosecution process, and I'm pleased that this important legislation was signed into law today to ensure we're fully informing survivors of their rights," said Senator Ayotte. "As New Hampshire's former Attorney General, I've seen firsthand the devastating impact of sexual violence and the grueling process survivors have to go through afterwards, which is why I'll continue to push for ways we can better support and care for these individuals."

Ayotte is a strong supporter of programs and federal funding to help prevent domestic and sexual violence and improve our response to better support and empower survivors. Last week, she welcomed grants from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women for New Hampshire's Department of Justice to support survivors of sexual and domestic violence and to strengthen partnerships between law enforcement, the justice system, and victim services organizations to enhance survivor safety and hold offenders accountable. These grant programs were authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which Ayotte helped reauthorize in 2013.

In addition to helping introduce the legislation that reauthorized VAWA, Ayotte has consistently supported the highest possible funding for programs to fight domestic and sexual violence. She has written to Senate appropriators yearly, urging them to fund at the highest possible levels VAWA programs and Family Violence Prevention and Services Act programs. Additionally, Ayotte has been a consistent advocate for Victims of Crime Act assistance programs and the Crime Victims Fund.

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