Archive - July 31, 2013

In November 2011, Congress enacted the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act to ensure that volunteers serving abroad can access the care, support, and resources they need to prevent, respond to, or recover from a sexual assault.  Since the passage of the law, First Response Action has closely monitored Peace Corps’ implementation efforts to make sure it is creating a volunteer-centered program as envisioned by the law.  Relying on information provided by the Peace Corps and reports issued by federal agencies, First Response Action presents its first “report card” assessing the agency’s work thus far. First Response Action applauds Peace Corps’ progress in a few key areas.  Indeed, most of the agency’s progress implementing the Act has occurred during Carrie Hessler-Radelet’s tenure as Acting Director since October 2012.  First Response Action also appreciates the agency’s cooperation in providing updates on its implementation efforts.  The reality remains, however, that the . . .

FRA Releases First Report Card Assessing Peace Corps’  Implementation of Kate Puzey Act Report Highlights Gaps, Calls on Peace Corps To Promptly and Fully Implement the Law, and Expresses Concerns With Peace Corps’ Outdated Sexual Assault Definitions and Lack of Robust Whistleblower Program July 31, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Casey Frazee (513-518-4936); Karestan Koenen (646-765-8992); Madhu Chugh (202-663-6529) WASHINGTON – First Response Action (FRA) released its first report card today assessing the Peace Corps’ progress in implementing the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act, the law passed by Congress in November 2011 to ensure that volunteers serving abroad have access to the care, support, and resources they need to recover from a sexual assault.  Assigning an overall grade of “C,” FRA found major gaps in Peace Corps’ compliance with the law.  According to Peace Corps’ own 2012 Annual Volunteer Survey Results, crimes of sexual assault committed against volunteers . . .