This is an URGENT message from www.StopFamilyViolence.org Please
circulate as quickly and broadly as possible!!
The Women's Resource Center (WRC) in Lawrence, Massachusetts is facing
a contempt of court sanction for refusing to turn over a rape victim's
confidential counseling records to the accused rapist's attorney.
Unless the court's sanction is overturned, beginning January 31, the
WRC will be forced to pay a fine of $500 per day until the records are
released - an expense the center cannot afford.
Wendy Murphy, visiting scholar at Harvard Law School and pro bono
attorney for the WRC is working on an appeal. "We're seeing a terrible
trend of privacy rights violations all across the country," Murphy
says. "The communication between a rape victim and rape crisis
counselor is supposed to be confidential in every state, but more and
more we're seeing defense attorneys and even judges who are whittling
away that right. For the sake of victims all across this country, I
hope with this appeal, the court will make it clear that no one should
ever allow such grotesque invasions of privacy of private people and
organizations that have done nothing wrong."
YOU CAN HELP!!
Please visit www.stopfamilyviolence.org to learn more about this case
and to add your name to our petition. It is crucial that the court
knows that people all across the country want to preserve a rape
victim's right to privacy. Please add your name to our list to let
the court know that you are one of them!
This situation is of critical national importance. Every rape crisis
and domestic violence program in the country depends upon the
confidentiality of their records as a cornerstone for providing
services to their clients. Without the assurance of confidentiality,
clients have no freedom to explore options, discuss fears and
concerns, or begin healing. With sanctions of $500 per day to protect
that right, crisis service agencies could be forced to close their
doors.
Help keep these life-saving crisis service agencies open and their
victim records closed! Visit http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org and
sign the petition TODAY!!
Thanks for your support.
Together we can.. http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org
Irene Weiser
Our strength is in our numbers -
PLEASE keep forwarding this message until our voice is heard!
circulate as quickly and broadly as possible!!
The Women's Resource Center (WRC) in Lawrence, Massachusetts is facing
a contempt of court sanction for refusing to turn over a rape victim's
confidential counseling records to the accused rapist's attorney.
Unless the court's sanction is overturned, beginning January 31, the
WRC will be forced to pay a fine of $500 per day until the records are
released - an expense the center cannot afford.
Wendy Murphy, visiting scholar at Harvard Law School and pro bono
attorney for the WRC is working on an appeal. "We're seeing a terrible
trend of privacy rights violations all across the country," Murphy
says. "The communication between a rape victim and rape crisis
counselor is supposed to be confidential in every state, but more and
more we're seeing defense attorneys and even judges who are whittling
away that right. For the sake of victims all across this country, I
hope with this appeal, the court will make it clear that no one should
ever allow such grotesque invasions of privacy of private people and
organizations that have done nothing wrong."
YOU CAN HELP!!
Please visit www.stopfamilyviolence.org to learn more about this case
and to add your name to our petition. It is crucial that the court
knows that people all across the country want to preserve a rape
victim's right to privacy. Please add your name to our list to let
the court know that you are one of them!
This situation is of critical national importance. Every rape crisis
and domestic violence program in the country depends upon the
confidentiality of their records as a cornerstone for providing
services to their clients. Without the assurance of confidentiality,
clients have no freedom to explore options, discuss fears and
concerns, or begin healing. With sanctions of $500 per day to protect
that right, crisis service agencies could be forced to close their
doors.
Help keep these life-saving crisis service agencies open and their
victim records closed! Visit http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org and
sign the petition TODAY!!
Thanks for your support.
Together we can.. http://www.stopfamilyviolence.org
Irene Weiser
Our strength is in our numbers -
PLEASE keep forwarding this message until our voice is heard!
