A Long Road!: Karen Moldovan's Board Editorial

The following blog post is from First Response Action board member Karen Moldovan, who served in the Kingdom of Tonga 2007-09, about her thoughts on the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act legislation passing the House and being sent to President Obama. Karen has supported this campaign as a field advocate through her work at the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She serves on Peace Corps' Volunteer Sexual Assault Review Panel which engages experts to address the issue of sexual assault training and response. Karen is an integral member of the board and her expertise, passion and dedication are outstanding.

It goes without saying that the passage of The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act is a momentous occasion. With this legislation, we will truly see a BETTER, STRONGER Peace Corps for all Volunteers. As some people may know, I became involved with this issue in 2007, during my Pre-Service Training as Volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga. Because I had worked in sexual violence response and prevention prior to joining the Peace Corps, I entered my service with a strong foundation in this work. I therefore realized the huge deficiencies in sexual assault prevention training, education, and formalized response protocol. Although I petitioned both in-country staff as well as Peace Corps Headquarters for improved practice around responding to sexual assault, change and a commitment for reform was virtually non-existent. I left Peace Corps truly feeling that the largest source of my frustration with my service was the inability to create change around this critical issue.

Post Peace-Corps service, I had the opportunity to help build First Response Action with other Returned Peace Corps Volunteers who cared deeply about this issue. Some of us joined as allies, some as survivors. Together, we were able to build a viable campaign for reform. The list of people to thank would be far too long for a blog post. However, I am deeply grateful for everyone who lent their voice to this cause and would like to acknowledge the members of the Colorado delegation, Senator Michael Bennet and Rep. Ed Pelmutter, who co-sponsored this legislation. This Act truly creates a survivor-centered approach to responding to victims of crime. The confidentiality provisions allow a survivor to regain power and control by allowing her or him to decide when and how agency officials know about this very personal crime. It allows survivors to access critical medical and support services while still maintaining confidentiality. The Act provides improved training for staff and volunteers and oversight for staff who do not follow protocol. It also establishes the global presence of Victim Advocates.

Over the past year, I've been honored to work with Peace Corps' newly-formed Volunteer Sexual Assault Review Panel. First Response Action believes it is critical for an outside panel of experts in the field of sexual assault response to have the ability to review and help revise Peace Corps training, education, and policies. I am excited about the work of the Review Panel and am thankful for the agency's leadership and renewed commitment toward addressing this issue. With the passage of the legislation, a Sexual Assault Advisory Council will now be codified into law!

It is an absolute honor that this legislation is named in memory of Kate Puzey. I've often felt that she's another board member of First Response Action. I hope that her spirit is at peace and we are so thankful for all that she did to make the world a better place for women and girls.

Karen

Legacy: Kate Finn's Board Editorial

The following blog post is from First Response Action board member Kate Finn, who served in Costa Rica, about her thoughts on the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act legislation passing the House and being sent to President Obama. Kate has supported this campaign as the Legislative Liaison collaborating with various legislative allies. She has also bravely told her own story as a survivor and has been instrumental to the forward movement of this campaign.

Wow. CSPAN has never been more interesting! Watching the Congressional votes post on Nov. 1 was an incredible reminder to me of the time and effort that it has taken to create awareness surrounding Volunteers who are victims and survivors of sexual violence during their time of service as Peace Corps Volunteers.

For me, serving on the Board of First Response Action has been a remarkable experience both personally and professionally. After I was raped during my time of service, I really did believe that it was just my country that messed up the response. I knew intuitively that I wasn't the only Volunteer that this had happened to, but I certainly felt alone. I learned about FRA and was immediately released from that sense of isolation. I am humbled to have joined a board that worked so hard to examine the individual experiences of survivors, like myself, and translate those experiences into meaningful policy change. This board has truly connected the experiences of men and women with this legislation, and I know that when enacted, this legislation will have a profound positive impact for Volunteers on the ground.

I think we would be remiss to not mention that we are not the first group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to bring up this issue. We know several people, often survivors of crime, that have told their stories since the 1980s to effect change. Carol Clark has been telling her story since the 1980s and I have learned a lot from her perseverance, humility and kindness. She has been pursuing improved services for Volunteers who experience sexual violence for years and we could not have achieved this success without her. We have put in a lot of work, but in many ways I feel that we were able to "tip the scale" only because of the work of so many courageous women before us.

It is impossible for me to not mention Kate Puzey. We know that in her life she was a fierce champion for women and girl's rights. I hope that her legacy lives on in this legislation as more women are able to find peace and well-being after surviving sexual violence.

Kate

A Sense of Hope: Meg Long's Board Editorial

The following blog post is from First Response Action board member Meg Long, who served in Kenya, about her thoughts on the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act legislation passing the House and being sent to President Obama. Meg has supported this campaign with Volunteer outreach, material creation and survivor support. Meg adds a sense of fairness, peace and justice to the work which has been vital to progress of survivor and whistle blower support.

Even as I write this I am still processing the impact that The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act will have on current and future Peace Corps Volunteers. I first joined FRA because of a manual I wrote to educate members of my community in Kenya about domestic violence and sexual assault. When I began writing this manual I never imagined the end result would be playing a part in ensuring the safety of Volunteers for years to come.

I think of all the people I have met and spoken with since joining FRA over 2 years ago. The amount of collective energy, passion, determination, and dedication is almost too overwhelming to comprehend. But mostly what I think about is my village. I think about all the volunteers who are living in a country most of us could not point to on a map. I think of how isolating and lonely being a Volunteer can be and I think of how terrifying it would have been to been assaulted. Then I think of all the stories I have heard from Peace Corps Volunteers and what they endured even after their assault. For for first time since joining this campaign I am not overcome with anger and a sense of complete injustice when thinking of these stories. For the first time I feel a sense of hope that future Volunteers will not have these same stories. That their stories will include support, compassion, and empathy.

I am so proud of my fellow board members, of the volunteers who provided testimonies, and of all the Congressmen and their staffers who worked tirelessly on this Act. I feel honored that the legislation was worthy of Kate Puzey's name. I feel that a part of her will always have a protective arm around Peace Corps Volunteers.

Meg

Peace Corps Strengthens Relationship with First Response Action

When First Response Action members met with Peace Corps staff in D.C. on May 9th, they informed us that they have created a Peace Corps’ Volunteer Sexual Assault Panel, currently managed by the Senior Advisor to the newly-created Peace Corps Sexual Assault Working Group.

The purpose of the panel is to...

...obtain the advice of outside experts and returned Peace Corps Volunteers on the design and implementation of Peace Corps’ global sexual assault risk reduction and response strategies.

This panel sounds familiar to a group that First Response Action has been advocating for to oversee the issue of sexual violence in Peace Corps, although the scope of the group's purpose varies slightly.

First Response Action advocates for Peace Corps to have an advisory council that is overseen by Congress which would be comprised of Volunteers who were victimized during their service, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers with expertise in sexual assault services and other experts in the field. It is First Response Action's position that Sexual Assault Advisory Council members should not be paid Peace Corps staff, although the Council will certainly work in collaboration with staff. First Response Action recommends that the Sexual Assault Advisory Council convene quarterly or twice yearly. The Sexual Assault Advisory Council should utilize the experiences and skills of members by reviewing all protocol, policy, training and services related to sexual assault, stalking and intimate partner violence. The Council will also be able to make recommendations based on innovations in the field as well as how previous cases were handled.

We are pleased to announce that Peace Corps has invited a member of First Response Action to join the panel! First Response Action member and Program Manager at the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Karen Moldovan, has been appointed by the First Response Action board to serve as our representative. The panel has yet to convene, but First Response Action is thankful for the opportunity to continue working together with Peace Corps for policies and procedures that benefit and support victims of sexual and physical violence.

Karen met with members of the Sexual Assault Working Group, including Kellie Green the new Victim Advocate for Peace Corps, while attending the SANE-SART conference in May in Austin, TX to discuss the partnership. Other Peace Corps staff at the conference included medical services staff member Kim Skrtic and security staff member David Fleisig.

First Response Action is pleased to continue this positive working relationship with Peace Corps towards constructive change!

Incoming PCVs - We Need YOU!

Calling all incoming Peace Corps Volunteers!

First Response Action is looking for those who are going to be experiencing a Peace Corps Pre-Service Training (or PST in the alphabet soup of Peace Corps) anytime over the next several months as well as those who recently completed PST.

In March, I had a conference call with Peace Corps staff representing the medical services and security departments. They told me that they had some updated materials that would be released this summer and implemented at PSTs related to sexual assault/rape training and support. We are now officially in summer, so First Response Action would like to take a pulse-check of what is going on during sexual assault and rape trainings during PST across the globe. Hopefully, as we get farther into summer, we will see that these changes have been implemented.

Please check out or download the survey here. You can also email firstresponseaction@gmail.com to request a copy be mailed to you - either in the US or in your host-country-to-be; a self-addressed return envelope will be enclosed for your convenience.

If you are a currently-serving PCV and would like to complete the survey and return it, that would be incredibly helpful and appreciated! Please download the survey or request a copy. Instructions on how to return the survey are in the document. If you have questions, email firstresponseaction@gmail.com.

Peace.

Confirmation Received from Director Williams

It is with great pleasure that I announce that I received a letter back from Aaron Williams, current director of Peace Corps, on March 17, 2010!

(Please note: While my intent is to keep this blog focused on the facts, PCV stories and generally written from the third person, I am going to write this post from my own first person account as I feel it is necessary and important for this particular post.)

I am so thankful that Director Williams appears to be taking my situation - and similar situations - seriously. This is a serious matter and I look forward to working with Peace Corps to address the issues of rape and sexual assault against PCVs. Director Williams is also an RPCV and I was hoping he would be open to RPCVs coming to him with suggestions for positive change. I am elated that he responded so positively!

I feel that it is very important here to reiterate that I am a proponent of Peace Corps. Up until I was assaulted, I smiled broadly every day knowing I made the right move to do HIV/AIDS outreach work in a country with the highest AIDS rates in the world even though my family and friends said I was crazy. I felt that I was up to the challenge of the "toughest job you'll ever love." (Which is a Peace Corps' slogan.)

My mission with First Response Action is to enhance what Peace Corps already does in terms of sexual assault and rape protocols. Had my situation been handled differently and had I received the necessary care more quickly, I could very well have managed through a difficult situation and continued my service. I am hoping that with policy creation (and/or enhancement) that we can put protocols in place that will assist other PCV survivors so they can get the care and support they need and possibly continue service.

Many RPCVs will tell you that the retention rates in Peace Corps could be better - a lot better. I was told for Africa to expect that 50% of my group would dissipate by the elusive year one mark. For my training group, that's just about right. At last count, about 40-45% of my group has left our country of service - and 3 of us left due to assault. If PCV survivors were managed better across the board, then there is the possibility that they would be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared to continue service. Ultimately, retention of volunteers saves Peace Corps time, effort, materials, monetary resources not to mention that retention is also helpful to maintain good relations with the host country.

On an average annual basis between 2004-2008, roughly 4% of the Peace Corps Volunteer population is raped, sexually assaulted, kidnapped, stalked or otherwise violated. These statistics come from Peace Corps materials - the annual Safety of the Volunteer Reports posted on their website. I have not heard from every single one of the combined 20% of violated PCVs over that five year period (which amounts to nearly 1,500 volunteers, by the way) but I have spoken with several women who experienced trauma as a PCV and who were not taken care of. I am striving to help those people.

As those of us who work with organizations who work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault will tell you, rape and sexual assault are grossly underreported. Those 1,500 are a sliver of what is really happening.

Sexual assaults are notoriously underreported. Fewer than half (48%) of all rapes and sexual assaults are reported to the police in the U.S. (Department of Justice, 2001)

Within the Peace Corps community, that's no different.

These crimes are intimate violations and can be shaming or embarassing to admit. Many people keep their stories to themselves. Personally, I have actively chosen to bypass the shaming stage so I can move straight forward towards positive change. I do this so that other men and women can avoid situations like mine. That doesn't mean that I don't feel, at times, that there is some scarlet lettering on my chest, but I push through because I need to. Too many of us have been violated and sent out of our countries of service. No more.

If you are a survivor who is reading this right now - please know that you did nothing wrong. NO ONE deserves to be violated.

While there are many stories of survivors who were handled improperly, I also heard stories of survivors who were treated well, med-evac'd as needed, and were able to continue their service. I am striving to level that playing field. Why isn't everyone attended to in the same manner? I am striving to create and implement protocols that will ensure that EACH and EVERY survivor is treated in the same respectful manner. I am hoping to enhance what Peace Corps already has in place.

In upcoming blogs, we, the First Response Action Coalition, are planning to have guest bloggers discuss the ramifications of sexual assault and rape, proper protocols, the importance of not blaming the victim, etc. I also plan to post some additional survivor stories. Please keep in mind as you read this blog that while it started because of my assault, I am not alone as an RPCV victim of sexual assault.

Annually, an average of 4% of PCVs experience a violent crime, sexual abuse, stalking, kidnapping, a death threat or even death. Some people are not emotionally or mentally prepared to go public with such a personal story. I respect that immensely. As someone who has been violated, I understand that everyone approaches these issues in their own personal way. Peace Corps has these statistics and can contact each of them to see how they felt their situation was handled.

While prevention is optimal, for those survivors of sexual assault, rape and other violent crime, I am striving to work with Peace Corps to bring about protocol to better support those volunteers.

I hope that my response from Director Williams, with his request for the Office of Volunteer Support and the Office of Safety and Security to follow-up with me, will be the beginning of a collaboration to enhance the current Peace Corps model. Though my story didn't end well, I continue to support Peace Corps as an organization and I am proud to call myself a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer for the United States of America.

Peace. And Sala Sentle.

Casey