Dear Delegate:
Many of you know our story well. We are the parents of Morgan Harrington. Morgan, a student at Virginia Tech, went to a rock concert in Charlottesville in 2009 and never came home. Her remains were found 100 days later.
We’ve made it our life’s work in honor of Morgan to support victims of sexual assaults and to make sure that all students are safe on our college campuses – even if they’re just visiting.
That’s why we’re asking for your support of HB 1343, a bipartisan bill by Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn and Chief Co-Patron Dave Albo.
Once a victim reports a sexual assault to campus and/or local law enforcement, HB 1343 calls for the local Commonwealth’s Attorney to be notified within 48 hours of the reported incident.
We agree with Del. Filler-Corn who said: “By passing this bill, we can show victims that we will not tolerate sexual assault on campus. We can show them they can have faith in our justice system.”
Chairman Albo has said that this “bill ensures that allegations of sexual assaults on college campuses will receive the same level of attention by police and prosecutors that off campus sexual assaults receive. This bill strengthens our justice system and encourages collaboration between victims, college staff, police and prosecutors.”
The reality is that too often sexual assaults aren’t reported to the police.
A December report by the U.S. Justice Department found that 80% of students do not report rape and sexual assaults to the police.
That same report also found that fewer than one in five female student victims received assistance from a victim services agency.
This is where HB 1343 can make a difference.
HB 1343 works to restore victims’ faith in the justice system and to show that they will be heard and supported. The bill expedites investigation of the case once reported to campus law enforcement, while ensuring the proper course of action, due process and any necessary legal filings are completed.
It also lets each Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness program get involved early on in the investigation, which helps provide counseling and can help educate a victim about her or his options going forward with a criminal prosecution.
Supporters of the bill include:
Michael R. Doucette, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Lynchburg
Mary Gavin, City of Falls Church Chief of Police
Stacey Kincaid, Fairfax County Sheriff
Denise Lunsford, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Albemarle County
Trina Murphy, Aunt of Alexis Murphy, Help Save the Next Girl supporters
Ray Morrogh, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Fairfax County
Virginia Sheriffs Association, representing 95 sheriffs
Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance
We know this bill isn’t a silver bullet when it comes to the complex problem of solving campus sexual assaults. But it is a good first step and that’s what is needed.
Passing this bill can help us make sure that all students are safe on our college campuses.
We urge you to join us and support passage of HB 1343.
Gil and Dan Harrington
Parents of Morgan Harrington
Founders of Help Save the Next Girl