National
Action Program
Against Sexual Assault
c/o K. Edward
Renner, PhD
Evaluation Research
14241 110th Terrace
North
Largo, FL 3774
(727) 595-3857
www.napasa.org
erenner@napasa.org
June 28, 2002
Press Release
The formation of the National Action Program Against Sexual Assault (napasa) was announced on June 28, 2002 at a symposium sponsored by the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (http://www.spssi.org/ at its 2002 biennial convention held in Toronto June 28-30.
A research team studying the criminal justice process concluded that women who are sexually assaulted and children who are sexually abused experience:
- Unequal protection of the law, which is unconstitutional and
- Unjust legal procedures which are unfair,
- Resulting in discrimination, which is illegal.
The group, led by Dr. Edward Renner, have established a web site at http://www.napasa.org/ to provide the media, local human rights groups and sexual assault services complete access to the basic research results, and to provide local community groups with materials for a three-part social action program:
- Applied materials for documenting the social-political issues at local level to raise public awareness and for stimulating local media coverage
- Methods for challenging the legal process, and
- The means for supporting victims
Professor Renner in his presentation stated: "The combined effects of the unequal protection of the law and procedural unfairness, discriminates against women and children, and is an erosion of social justice administered by the ultimate agent of justice - the courts themselves." The procedures for change "...can be initiated by local community groups..." with the support of the social-action materials provided by napasa.