First Response Action

First Response Action is seeking committee members!  Click here for more info and to apply. 

 

It's Law!·The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 passed the House by unanimous vote on Nov. 1 and the legislation was signed by President Obama on November 21st! Thank you to everyone who has supported this bill!

 

President Obama signs the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 into law on November 21, 2011

Left of President Obama: Peace Corps staff Paul Weinberger and Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Senator Johnny Isakson R-GA, First Response Action board member and Legislative Liaison Kate Finn, Peace Corps Director Williams, RPCV survivor Carol Clark who testified at the May 2011 Congressional hearing

Right of President Obama: David Puzey (Kate Puzey's brother), Mr. and Mrs. Puzey (Kate's parents), Rep. Ted Poe R-TX, RPCV and survivor Karestan Koenen, Ph.D. who testified at the May 2011 Congressional hearing

 

The Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act of 2011 Passes the Senate by Unanimous Consent!

 

New York Times article,"Peace Corps Volunteers Speak Out on Rape"

 

For real-time updates about the campaign, news from the field and for personal interest stories, visit the First Response Action blog at http://firstresponseaction.blogspot.com.  You can also join us on Facebook! 

 

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This site is dedicated to the important issue of improving Peace Corps' response to incidences of physical and sexual assault, rape, intimate partner violence, harassment, stalking and other crimes.  The campaign began in the fall of 2009 with one Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) and has grown to a 6-member Coalition with hundreds of supporters.

• GovernmentExecutive.com article announcing legislation introduced, June 2011
• ABC News article, "Kate Puzey Law Would Protect Whistleblowers, Victims of Sex Assault," on June 24, 2011
• Miami Herald article, "Georgia senator's bill would protect Peace Corps workers," on June 23, 2011
• Washington Post article, "Legislation Backed to Protect Peace Corps Volunteers," on June 22, 2011
• Denver's local CBS affiliate interviews Kate Finn, First Response Action board member, May 2011.
• Boston Globe editorial "Peace Corps must do more to protect volunteers abroad" on May 20, 2011
• WBUR, Boston NPR affiliate radio interview with Karestan Koenen on May 17, 2011
• The Houston Chronicle article "Rotten in the Corps.· Peace Corps has to stop blaming rape on victims" on May 15, 2011
• Boston Globe Op-Ed by Karestan Koenen, Ph.D., "Dealing with rape in the Peace Corps," on May 12, 2011
• Peace Corps Connect article "Peace Corps hearing will lead to legislation" on May 11, 2011
• Huffington Post article, "Peace Corps Volunteers Speak Out About Rape, Violence" on May 11, 2011
• Chicago Tribune article, "Rape victims say Peace Corps insensitive to their stories," on May 11, 2011
• Washington Post article, "Peace Corps chief expresses regret for sexual assaults on young volunteers", on May 11, 2011
• Jezebel.com article, "Peace Corps Accused of Blaming Rape Victims" on May 11, 2011
• New York Times article, Peace Corps Volunteers Speak Out on Rape, May 10, 2011
• ABC News article and video on May 9, 2011
• University of Michigan The Michigan Review article, April 2011
• National Sexual Violence Resource Centerposts the ABCnews.com story
• Congress to Investigate Peace Corps Treatment of Sex Assault Victims on ABCnews.com
• Jezebel.com article about response to sexual assault in Peace Corp, January 2011
• John Coyne Babbles in response to 20/20 show, January 2011
• Volunteers react to 20/20 show, January 2011
• Politicsdaily.com response to 20/20 show, January 2011
• Peace Corps apologizes to Kate Puzey's family, but not panelist survivors, January 2011
• ABC News about assaulted Volunteer, January 2011
• National Peace Corps Association interview with Casey Frazee, founder of First Response Action, September 2010
• Not Another Wave blog post by Casey, July 2010
• Safety at Risk for Peace Corps Volunteersarticle, Washington Times, June 2010
• Cincy Chic interview with Casey, May 2010
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center, re-print of a WorldView article by Casey
• National Peace Corps Association WorldView magazine article, December 2009
• Dayton Daily News report in 2003 about safety in the Peace Corps