News
Despite ‘bureaucratic indifference’ in testing rape kit, prosecutor says fair trial still possible
Suspects raise due process defense against charges based on long-neglected rape evidence.
In the news: Obama’s budget request comes amid sexual assault investigation backlog
PERL works from the assumption that rape should be illegal -- in theory and in practice. We also believe that rape is rape -- on campus or off. We oppose the expansion of Title IX to grant schools judicial powers over sexual assault cases, a process that the White...
Alaska teacher reports sexual assault, harassment in lawsuit
A lawsuit has been filed against the Yupiit School District, four Akiachak school supervisors and an Alaska State Trooper official for allegedly showing “deliberate indifference” when a former school teacher was sexually assaulted and continuously harassed during her...
Token victim in Memphis Says NO MORE says campaign is a publicity stunt
Memphis Says No More's token victim, Whitney Wood, said "no more" to the campaign after learning it was a publicity stunt for the city. After three years, Whitney's ex-husband was finally prosecuted for aggravated assault. She believes the prosecutors decided to file...
In the news: PERL member sues NYPD SVU officers for sexual assault
The woman's lawsuit alleges that when she tried to report her rape, two NYPD Special Victims Unit officers forced her to drink with them and then one sexually assaulted her. PERL's executive director Meaghan Ybos commended the victim's legal action. “The plaintiff was...
In the news: PERL weighs in on campus sexual assault survey
PERL's executive director Meaghan Ybos appeared in The Blaze to discuss the findings of a new campus sexual assault survey conducted by the Association of American Universities. The survey found that 10 percent of female college students experienced sexual assault...
What We Talk About When We Talk About Untested Rape Kits
The chronic under-investigation of rape is a serious enough problem without bogus etiologies, federal funding flops, and commercialized advocacy that exploits victims. The backlog myth Reports of thousands of untested rape kits in police storage -- too often called a...
Our Executive Director dissects the No More campaign in Memphis
PERL's founder and executive director Meaghan Ybos appeared on WKNO's Behind the Headlines to discuss anti-violence campaign Memphis Says No More. The campaign consists of PSAs and posters that feature Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong, District Attorney Amy...
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.