News
Statement on Lt. Ouita Knowlton
As an organization comprised of people who have been impacted by sexual violence, PERL is very concerned by revelations that Lt. Ouita Knowlton, the award-winning supervisor of the MPD's DNA Unit, was relieved of duty April 3 and now faces a criminal investigation. We...
DNA Unit supervisor under criminal investigation
Award-winning supervisor of unit handling cold rape cases has been relieved of duty and is now under criminal investigation.
Why is the NFL Giving More Super Bowl Ad Time to Its Favorite Sham Domestic-Violence Group?
There are several local No More campaigns now, including those in California, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. But one campaign that caught my attention this year was in Memphis. It shows how the No More toolkit can be used to try and plaster over a bad situation with symbols and empty rhetoric.
PERL releases new palm cards with resources for victims
These palm cards contain practical resources for people who have been sexually assaulted and need help.
Statement on Memphis Says NO MORE’s one-year anniversary
While education and awareness is important, Memphis Says NO MORE — an awareness campaign produced by the Memphis Sexual Assault Kit Taskforce — is not a credible source of information about sexual assault or domestic violence.
Let’s take another look at how police investigate sex crimes
It’s outrageous that responding police officers can decide a person reporting a sex crime is lying — even before completing an investigation.
PERL in the news: Serial rapist strikes again
News of another serial rapist highlights need for improved police response.
PERL asks Memphis mayor to improve sex crimes response
After meeting with the Memphis mayor, PERL members publicized their concerns on the steps of City Hall
Three Ways Police Bury Rape Cases
Police often use three difficult-to-detect methods to remove rape complaints from official records.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we’re fact-checking the rape kit “backlog.”
People for the Enforcement of Rape Laws is a program of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center to monitor law enforcement responses to sexual violence. Our goal is to end the law enforcement and political practices that effectively decriminalize sexual violence. To this end, we connect victims with information about their rights and equip individuals with tools to advocate for themselves and others and advocate for fair criminal justice policies. We urge you to learn more about America’s hidden rape crisis, where it has been exposed, and why it matters. We invite you to take action and support our efforts to make sure law enforcement takes rape seriously.