Advocate for change with KCSARC

KCSARC works at the state, local and federal level to strengthen public policies and resources that support survivors of sexual assault. Together with our supporters, partners, and with courageous survivors who form our Speakers Bureau, we are proud of the strides we’ve made on a number of fronts:

• Alerted state legislators early to a gap in critical federal funding for victim services through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund. State lawmakers responded  with a one-time supplemental appropriation in the state budget. Meanwhile, KCSARC joined a chorus of advocates across the nation in calling on Congress to pass a VOCA fix, which is now signed into law.
• Preventing sexual abuse, now and in the future: We have ensured every K-12 student in the state of Washington can access comprehensive sexual health education and with it, foundational lessons that better help identify sexual abuse and prevent sexual violence from happening.
• Increased access and removed barriers to Sexual Assault Protection Orders: Survivors can now seek SAPO protections effective for up to a lifetime. And in 2021, Washington removed barriers to protection orders.
• Eliminated the Statue of Limitations to prosecute child sexual abuse, and increased the time for adult victims to come forward

But there’s still more to do to ensure every victim is able to speak their truth, and be heard.

Our growing partnership with sexual assault service providers statewide is working to:

• Improve the way survivors are treated by legal, medical and other systems, including connecting them to supportive services in their community
• Ensure resources to fund supportive services are available
• Create greater transparency about outcomes when survivors access the criminal justice system

At the local level, KCSARC has called for prioritization of sexual assault survivors amid a backlog of felony court cases, and in resource allocation for supportive services. We also advocate for improvements to safety issues present surrounding the King County Courthouse in downtown Seattle.