This past week, Governor Pat Quinn established a new law to support sexual assault victims and prevent violence against women from occurring. As of January 2013, rape crisis centers throughout Illinois will receive funds from a tax placed on strip clubs, due to Pat Quinn’s signing of House Bill 1645. A few months ago, I received an email from my supervisor asking for my help to pass this law. Not realizing the potential gratitude of this bill, I did as my supervisor told, and honestly did not think much of it after. Now that this bill has passed, I realize how it much power it holds for survivors, rape crisis centers and all women of Illinois.
Lt. Governor Simon was quoted saying, “This new revenue stream will help offset cuts that threatened critical services. When a sexual assault victim goes to a police station or a survivor calls a hotline, we need trained staff ready to respond. This bill helps to keep lights on and doors open, jobs filled and responders trained” (ENews Park Forest). This statement hits close to home because I just completed an internship at a Rape Crisis Center just last week, and I understand the how necessary it is to have passionate, supportive counselors on staff and the financial means to train volunteers to assist with supporting survivors on the hotline, in hospitals and in police stations.
On one of my last days as an intern, my supervisor expressed how she wishes there were more hours in the day or more counselors in the office because every day our agency has more clients placed on the waiting list for counseling. Perhaps this bill is just what rape crisis centers need to change the lives of even more survivors than anyone ever thought possible. Perhaps this bill could be the light at the end of the tunnel.
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