We are determined… to work and fight until justice runs down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.
-Martin Luther King Jr.
As survivors of violent crimes—including kidnapping, rape, aggravated assault, and domestic violence—Tennie R. Eppenger and Dr. Monica Blake-Beasley are no strangers to the uncertainty clouding the legal process of seeking justice.
In Tennie's case, the defendant—a serial offender who kidnapped, robbed, and then repeatedly sodomized and raped her at gunpoint—was allowed to finally accept a fourth plea deal at the last minute after two years of prolonged court proceedings. This decision gave her little time to compose a proper victim impact statement and no opportunity to submit a written document to the court before sentencing. Additionally, as a result of the swift decision, Tennie had to show up to court for the sentencing hearing without any support, facing her attacker for the final time alone.
Similarly, in Monica's case, after 18 months of case preparation and the day before trial was set to start, the District Attorney dropped the rape charge and offered the defendant a felony plea for aggravated assault—resulting in only three years of probation. This unexpected decision robbed Monica the opportunity to share her victim impact statement and ultimately served as the catalyst to finding her voice and fighting back.
Through their personal traumatic experiences and attempts at seeking justice, Tennie and Monica desired to advocate for, empower, and equip other survivors of sexual violence with the tools to bloom despite their stories of trauma. Hence, Sisterhood of Survival, Inc. and its essential R.E.P.A.I.R. Model was born. But to effect lasting change, Tennie and Monica knew they would have to close the gaps in the legal process... and with her law enforcement background, Monica recognized that these proposed changes would impact more than just survivors of sexual violence.
Historically, the court process does not prioritize the impact of crime on victims, as criminal trials are not guaranteed, leaving most survivors of crimes without a voice. Sisterhood of Survival, Inc. aspires to challenge the status quo by ensuring that ALL victims of crime have an opportunity to regain their power by sharing their stories when it matters most—pre-sentencing, regardless of whether the case goes to trial. Introducing the No Voiceless Survivor Act (NVSA)…
Seeking justice beyond just us!
NO VOICELESS SURVIVOR ACT
NO VOICELESS SURVIVOR ACT
NVSA is a unity bill to prioritize and amplify the voices of survivors of ALL crime—regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or political affiliation.
What is status quo?
Victim Rights Clarification Act of 1997
Establishes that victims of crime are able to attend all trials and shall not be construed as posing a danger of unfair prejudice, creating confusion, or misleading a jury.
Allows victims the right to present a victim impact statement to the court after conviction.
Grants victims and their families the ability to testify to the effect of the offense.
Identifying the gaps:
The Necessity for Change
Criminal trials are rare. The United States Bureau of Justice reports 94-97 percent of all state and federal court cases are resolved through plea bargains and do NOT go to trial.
The FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program revealed violent crime occurs every 23 seconds, a sexual assault every 68 seconds, aggravated assault every 38.5 seconds, and property crimes every 4.6 seconds.
What we are proposing:
No Voiceless Survivor Act
Ensures that survivors of crime will have an opportunity for their voice to be heard via written or verbal impact statement, prior to sentencing, regardless if the case goes to trial.
Prioritizes the direct impact of crime committed against a victim and highlights the second-hand impact of the victims’ families.
Who can help and how?
Lawmaker’s Call to Action
Bill sponsorship and introduction.
Prioritize solutions for constituent victims and give survivors a voice.
Proactively advocate for survivors to be heard, seen, and validated in ALL court resolutions.
Defend and vote for No Voiceless Survivor Act!
Sisterhood of Survival, Inc.’s Chairman, Dr. Monica Blake-Beasley, and President, Tennie R. Eppenger, presenting the vision for NO VOICELESS SURVIVOR ACT at the NOBEL Women Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., October 2022.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied to a single garment of destiny. Whatever effects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
-Martin Luther King, Jr.