A Letter to Constituents of the 49th District regarding Sexual Assault

Dear Neighbor,

The election is in full swing and your mailbox is filling up with campaign literature from candidates up and down the ballot. As a candidate I appreciate the time you give to each mailer, whether it be the ten second walk from the mailbox to your recycling bin, or a few minutes over your morning coffee. I would like to take one more moment of your time to talk about an issue that deserves more attention.

Sexual assault is a personal issue for me. The emotional impact of sexual assault and abuse is never fully lifted.  The heart of this issue is not a political party or a particular candidate. At the heart of this issue are survivors, victims whose stories are never told, and for whom justice is never served. Strip away partisan politics and we are left with a system that does not support victims; a system that values power over people, and one that must change. 

We must do more to support victims; from comprehensive sex education that focuses on teaching consent, to changes in our rape kit testing capabilities. New technologies in rapid testing of rape kits could revolutionize the way sexual assault is prosecuted in this country. Currently, less than one percent of reported sexual assaults lead to felony convictions. This is unacceptable, and I will work to pass legislation to ensure that all emergency rooms in Illinois have rapid testing capabilities.

I support the expansion of the Illinois SANE (Sexual Abuse Nurse Examiner) program in hospitals across Illinois. This program provides victims with compassionate care through specially trained nurses that reduce re-traumatization, and who specialize in improved forensic evidence collection. Victim centered care is paramount, and as your state representative, I will fight for the necessary changes to be made in our healthcare system. 

After the ballots are cast and the election circus has left town, the victims of sexual assault remain, silently bearing the weight of what happened to them, moving through the world with unseen scars. To all survivors; I see you, I stand with you, and I will fight for you.

With compassion,

Maura Hirschauer 

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)