Stop Rape Victims From Being Re-victimized

In Massachusetts, there is no laws that require meetings between rape victims and district attorney's office employees to be recorded; and many do not allow a victim to have a support person with them during meetings.

It is up to the individual district attorneys offices to decide whether these meeting should be recorded. The district attorney office can also decide whether or not the rape victim can have a support person with them during these meetings.

It is widely known that many rape victims are re-victimized by individuals in the justice system. By keeping these meetings unrecorded, victims can be verbally abused by these people with no recource.

I am starting this petition because I was humiliated, laughed at and yelled at during a meeting with assistant district attorneys and the district attorneys advocate. I was not allowed to have a support person in the room with me.  I inquired whether the meeting was recorded and was told it was not. I then called Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley's office to ask what the laws are regarding these meetings being recorded and was told that it is up to the individual DA's offices to decide whether to record meetings.

I don't want anymore victims to be re-traumatized like I was during my meeting. Please sign my petition requiring meetings between victims and district/assistant district attorneys to be recorded. As long as these meetings are private, these people can continue to re-victimize victims.