Bill > S1078

This bill establishes a bill of rights for survivors of sexual assault in Massachusetts. Key provisions include: 1. Defining key terms like "sexual assault survivor," "sexual assault counselor," and "victim's advocate." 2. Granting survivors the right to consult with a sexual assault counselor and have a support person present during medical examinations and law enforcement interviews. 3. Requiring medical providers to inform survivors of their rights, provide emergency contraception if desired, and allow survivors to shower after an examination. 4. Mandating prompt analysis of sexual assault forensic evidence and notification of results to survivors. 5. Prohibiting the use of sexual assault forensic evidence to prosecute survivors for certain crimes. 6. Requiring law enforcement and prosecutors to provide survivors with information about their rights and case status updates. 7. Creating a task force to study and make recommendations on implementing these survivor rights. The bill also expands the definitions of "confidential communication" and "victim's advocate" under existing law to align with the new survivor rights.

Justice

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/S1078