Policy Analysis and Application

In the case of Rita, the central policy affecting her is the 90-day hold policy. It states that sexually assaulted victims can only report their issues to police before 90 days after finding the forensic evidence is over (“Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma: The Case of Rita” pp. 81–83). However, some victims may suffer trauma after the assault, affecting their disclosure as in Rita’s case. Rita took five months to feel courageous enough to disclose the sexual assault case to her family members and report to the police. However, as per the policy, she was already late because the nurse’s evidence had expired within three months.

 I would be concerned about making a change in the 90-day policy. I find the policy a bit discriminatory towards victims who face severe trauma after assaults like Rita. Everybody is entitled to justice, whether the after-effects are narrow or deep (Pepper, 2002).  The main concern is to cater to those victims’ justice who might take long (after 90 days) to recover from the trauma. Many such victims get the courage to talk about the issues after several counseling sessions that may take longer. I would consider adding the expiry period of forensic evidence from 90 days to seven months. This is because the aftermath of rape can be shattering, leaves the victim ashamed and scared to disclose, thereby taking some too long to accept (Melinda, n.d).

To evaluate the policy change’s success, I would join or form a non-profit organization specializing in advocating for justice for sexually assaulted victims. By this, I will enforce the policy and track how justice is administered and whether victims who have undergone trauma for long periods, more than 90 days, find justice. Through this, it will be easier to evaluate whether the policy change is being enforced.

References

Melinda. (n.d.). Recovering from rape and sexual trauma. Retrieved from https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/recovering-from-rape-and-sexual-trauma.htm

Pepper, D. (2002). Eco-socialism: From deep ecology to social justice. Routledge. “Working With Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Trauma: The Case of Rita” (pp. 81–83)