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Press Release

The White House appointed Ms. Lynn Rosenthal as the first-ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. This is a newly created position at the White House, dedicated specifically to advising the President and Vice President on domestic violence and sexual assault issues. In this role, Ms. Rosenthal will serve as an advisor to the President and Vice President on domestic violence and sexual assault issues; be a liaison to the domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy community; coordinate with the Department of Justice's Office of Violence Against Women on implementation of Violence Against Women Act programs; coordinate with the Department of Health and Human Services on implementation of Family Violence Prevention Act services (including the National Domestic Violence Hotline); coordinate with the State Department and USAID on global domestic violence initiatives; and drive the development new initiatives and policy aimed at combating domestic violence and sexual assault with advocacy groups and members of Congress.

Read the full White House announcement

“The report by the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission is an important next step in our efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual abuse in correction and detention facilities in the United States.

The Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 was enacted to analyze the incidence and effects of prison rape and to provide information, resources, recommendations, and funding to protect individuals from prison rape. The Commission was charged by that Act with studying federal, state and local government policies and practices related to the prevention, detection, response and monitoring of sexual abuse in correction and detention facilities in the United States. They were also charged with recommending national standards for enhancing the detection, prevention, reduction and punishment of sexual assault in America’s jails, prisons, lockups, juvenile facilities, community corrections and other detention facilities.

Their work is now done. The recommended standards address the many requirements set forth in the statute, including classification and assignment of prisoners, investigation and resolution of rape complaints, preservation of physical and testimonial evidence, care for rape victims, educational and medical testing measures for reducing the incidence of HIV transmission due to prison rape, training of correctional staff, ensuring the confidentiality of prison rape complaints, and more.

The Attorney General will now analyze this report and develop national standards for the detection, prevention, reduction, and punishment of prison rape. Sexual assault is unacceptable in correctional institutions, and the Department of Justice is committed to moving aggressively to respond to the problem by developing standards that draw on the recommendations in this report.”

Department of Justice Spokesman Mathew Miller

National Prison Rape Elimination Commission

National Prison Rape Elimination Commission Report