Episode 4: A Survivor's Story

Making Marsy's Law

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight that at the heart of the Marsys's Law for PA campaign are crime victims and their families, trying to make their way through a criminal justice system that cannot put them first - because those accused and convicted of crimes have stronger protections under the state constitution. And even though crime victims have solid rights under state law - to be notified if an assailant is released on bail, for instance, or to have the opportunity to speak about the crime’s impact on their lives before the court - they have no recourse if their rights are violated. Unfortunately this means sometimes victims get hurt by their contacts with the criminal justice system.

Today’s interview will be the first in a series of with the survivors of crimes in Pennsylvania. To shed a little light on what that experience can be like, we’re joined by Kate Rush. She is an advocate for crime victims in Pennsylvania, a speaker for the Resilient Voices Program under the state Office of Victim Advocate, and the chairperson for the York County Victims Rights Coalition, which sponsors an Annual Crime Victims' Rights March & Candlelight Vigil. And she has her own story to tell about how she ended up doing that.

Notes for this episode:

If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault or other violent crime you can visit the website of Pennsylvania's Office of Victim Advocate for a list of resources available including links to local victim services providers.

York County Victims Rights Coalition

Resilient Voices Speakers Program

Special Guest: Kate Rush.