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Sexual assault is fundamentally an act of violence. Statistics
indicate one out of six women will be raped in a lifetime. Yet,
the agencies charged with compiling the figures agree that rape
statistics are unreliable, because many victims will not ever report
the crime. According to F.B.I. calculations, between four in five
victims fail to report the crime of rape. Other more extensive studies
indicate that as many as one in 10 rapes is reported.
The attorneys assigned to the Sexual Assault units are specially
trained and formed into a vertical prosecution unit. Law enforcement,
medical personnel and victim advocate groups form the SART
(Sexual Assault Response Team). The mission of the SART project
is to begin the healing process for all child, adolescent and adult
survivors of sexual assault and abuse at the first contact with
the legal system by responding with a coordinated team effort involving
law enforcement and supportive social service agencies.
Many of the cases handled by the sexual assault attorneys carry
potential life sentences mandated by the "one strike"
laws that apply to aggravated cases.
Victims of sexual assault are guaranteed anonymity throughout the
court process and a victim's address is prevented by state law from
disclosure. (California Penal Code sections 293 and 293.5.) The
Sexual Assault attorneys also obtain search warrants for defendants'
blood to test for HIV in appropriate cases. (California Penal Code
section 1524.2.) The local health department will inform the victim
of the result in a medically confidential manner and provide professional
counseling. (California Penal Code section 1524.1(f)(g)(h).)
After conviction, all felony sex offenders are required to give
DNA samples for inclusion in the State of California's database.
(Penal Code section 295 et seq.)
The attorneys assigned to this unit also do the civil commitment
petitions, hearings and trials to extend confinement for sexually
violent predators and mentally disordered sex offender proceedings.
IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF RAPE . . .
Get help quickly. Call the police, sheriff, a rape crisis center,
doctor, friend or relative.
Do not wash, douche, change clothes or clean up in any way until
after talking to the police and going to the hospital. (You could
destroy valuable evidence.)
Remember you are the victim. You have nothing to feel guilty or
ashamed about.
Contacts:
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