Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs

released September 9, 2021
by the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA)

TAASA unequivocally stands with survivors of sexual assault. We believe survivors of sexual assault deserve dignity, privacy, and bodily autonomy.

It's important for all Texans to confront the realities of rape. Unfortunately, we live in a society where the prevalence of rape is high and survivors are often blamed for their victimization. In Texas, 1 in 5 men and 2 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime. Despite these alarming figures, we are rarely able to hold rapists accountable; more than 90% of sexual assaults are never reported to the police.

The VOCA Fix became law on July 22, 2021

Deposits into the federal Crime Victims Fund have dropped dramatically in the last several years, leading to a substantial cut to VOCA victim assistance grants to states (which then get distributed to local programs). Survivor advocacy organizations across the country are facing budget cuts, staff layoffs, and even program closures while demand for services is growing. Congress had the opportunity to fix this by ensuring federal financial penalties from deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements are treated the same way as penalties resulting from criminal convictions — that they go to serve and compensate survivors of crime.

On Thursday, July 22, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 became law. Sustained support and messaging from advocates and survivors around the country led to the VOCA Fix being secured with 100 yes votes in the Senate and 384 yes votes in the House of Representatives.