From writing and publishing her own “#MeToo” story, to fighting in the halls of the Missouri Capitol, until her last breath, Holly will not stop fighting to help survivors of sexual assault and trafficking.
Senator Holly Thompson Rehder speaks to groups often about her own experiences, as well as the many other women in her family that are survivors of sexual abuse and trafficking. In her memoir, Cinder Girl, Holly also delves deep into forgiveness, and how once found, it is a true cleansing of the soul.
She believes that exposure and prosecution are the two things that can and will stop sexual abuse and trafficking. However, survivors must be supported in order to have exposure and prosecution. Below are a few examples of Holly’s work to protect the overwhelming number of us who have been abused.
- Writing and publishing her own #MeToo story.
- Passing legislation covering a Rape Shield/Sexual Assault Bill of Rights/Harassment and Stalking/Age of Consent for Prostitution charges. More details below:
Senate Bill 775 – (Became law on August 28, 2022) This legislation is a full package of nearly a year’s work by the Missouri Rights of Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force, that Senator Rehder was honored to have been a part of. This 13-member group included law enforcement officials, health care professionals, victims’ advocates, legislators and others who reviewed Missouri’s current laws regarding sexual assault and made recommendations for protecting the rights of survivors and making the criminal investigation and prosecution process less traumatic for victims.
When first filed, Holly’s legislation focused on improving Missouri’s rape shield law. Basically, banning defense attorneys from being allowed to pry into the sexual history of survivors in an effort to shift blame to the victim. Senator Thompson Rehder continuously referenced this bill as her “slut shaming bill” to make certain other senators and representatives understood how the current process/statutes treated victims of sexual assault.
As the bill moved through the legislative process, additional provisions from other bills were included to create a comprehensive package of reforms to Missouri’s sexual assault laws. The combined bill adds a revised “Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights,” which lays out the services and accommodations a victim can expect to receive following an attack. The bill also offers protections to prevent harassment or stalking of victims, no one under 18 years of age–age of consent in Missouri–can be charged with prostitution, as well as other important provisions.
“It’s never going to be easy for victims who come forward and prosecute their attackers. However, if we support survivors at every step, we can put a stop to future attacks: exposure and prosecution.” – Senator Holly Thompson Rehder
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, below are some helpful resources. Please know that you are not alone.
- Rainn – https://rainn.org/resources
- NSVRC –National Sexual Violence Resource Center– https://www.nsvrc.org/survivor
