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Legislation that would improve Peace Corps volunteers’ safety is gaining support in Congress in the wake of criticism that the agency’s staff has been negligent in handling rape and sexual assault cases.

On September 21, the House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved two bills. The legislation sets up a process for confidentially reporting incidences of sexual assault or staff misconduct, creates country-specific safety training for new volunteers, and establishes an office of victim support.

In the last decade, over 1000 female volunteers have been victims of rape or sexual assault. According to Peace Corps’ Annual Reports of Volunteer Safety, this figure includes 221 rapes or attempted rapes, 147 major sexual attacks, and 719 other sexual assaults.

Congress takes note

During the past year the issue has been in the spotlight as volunteer advocates in both Congress and assault survivor support groups speak out.

In May, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held hearings to review the Peace Corps’ treatment of volunteers who have been victims of crime. Several returned volunteers who were raped while abroad shared their stories, expressing their dissatisfaction with the agency’s training of its overseas staff and with the level of support afforded to volunteers who became victims of assault.

Lois Puzey testified on behalf of her daughter, Kate Puzey, a Peace Corps volunteer who was murdered in 2009 while serving in Benin.

In June the “Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011” was introduced by Rep. Ted Poe, a Texas Republican and co-founder of the Congressional Victims Rights Caucus.

In addition to developing more comprehensive safety training, the bill also creates a formal Sexual Assault Advisory Council, made up of former volunteers and experts, to review policy implementation and report its findings annually to Congress.

Another related House bill aims to formalize the relationship between the Peace Corps and the Department of State’s Regional Security Officers who often are better equipped to work with foreign law enforcement officials in responding to crime.

The Senate has incorporated the two bills into one and it is expected that the House will do the same. Both versions are on the calendar for a vote.
Stakeholders support reforms

The Peace Corps “supports the goals of the legislation,” said an agency spokesperson. The agency has been working with lawmakers and will continue to do so.

Other interested parties have left their mark on the legislation as well.

First Response Action, a group that advocates for survivors’ rights, has been involved from the start. The group’s “Seven Point Plan” lays the foundation for many of the protections and risk mitigation efforts included in the bill.

“We’re very enthused about what’s included in the legislation,” said Casey Frazee, the group’s founder. “There are a lot of practical points that protect victims so that they have the services they need, they have the protections they need, and the whistleblowers have the protections they need,” she said.

Attention in the media and in Congress has resulted in more assault survivors coming out of the woodwork.

“A lot of people have been closeted about this for a long time but they keep seeing that there’s this momentum around making change with this issue and then they start to reach out,” said Frazee.

And for her, the issue has a special significance. In 2009, she was assaulted while volunteering for the Peace Corps South Africa. The lack of a clear support network and the mixed messages she received from the Peace Corps about the services available for volunteers led her to form First Response Action.

Agency acknowledges room for improvement

Earlier this month, Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams issued a statement apologizing to volunteers who were “let down” by the agency. “We recognize that the Peace Corps’ response to volunteers victimized by crime has not always met the needs of volunteers or reflected the compassionate culture of our community.”

In the past two years, under Williams’ direction, the agency has worked to improve its safety and support standards. These changes include developing standard operating procedures for overseas Safety and Security Coordinators and developing new training materials for volunteers.

Though the legislation is non-controversial and has gained co-sponsors along the way, there is still some ambiguity from those who are unfamiliar with the issue.

“Because this is such a delicate issue, there are some Representatives who assume that people who support this legislation are anti-Peace Corps,” said Frazee. “This is not the truth…We are very pro-Peace Corps.”

Eden Stiffman is the former editor-in-chief of The Michigan Review. She is a contributor to The College Fix.

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