Justice for All Victims of Sexual Assault

“In 2011 President Obama signed a bill named in honor of Kate Puzey, a 24-year-old Peace Corps volunteer who was murdered while serving in West Africa. The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Protection Act will, among other things, ensure that volunteers are protected against sexual assault while serving abroad. It will also require the Peace Corps to hire victims’ advocates and improve volunteer training to reduce the risk of sexual assault. By taking strong and decisive action to protect against sexual abuse in the Peace Corps, the Obama Administration signaled a commitment to protecting all people against sexual assault. In the same spirit, it should now extend that protection to immigration detainees by making clear that the Prison Rape Elimination Act applies to those in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.”