Peace Corps Unveils Plan To Combat Sexual Violence, Protect Volunteers

NEW JERSEY — Fifteen years ago, Kate Puzey – a volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps – was murdered while serving in Benin, just after reporting concerns that a seasonal contractor was sexually abusing students. Her tragic death raised serious worries about the agency’s handling of volunteers’ safety, security and the confidentiality of their complaints.

A lot has changed since then, the Peace Corps says.

On Tuesday, the iconic international volunteer agency released a five-year plan on preventing sexual assault against volunteers and the people in the communities they serve. View it online here.

There are currently 82 volunteers who report New Jersey as their home state, a Peace Corps spokesperson told Patch in October. Read More: NJ Has Several Dozen Active Peace Corps Volunteers; New Program May Add More

“Sexual violence directly threatens the Peace Corps’ mission of world peace and friendship,” director Carol Spahn said.

“This new strategy adds a public health lens to more than a decade’s worth of sexual assault risk mitigation and response work,” Spahn said. “Today, we further dedicate ourselves to long-term, whole-of-agency action to end sexual violence.”

The wheels have been in motion for more than a decade, the Peace Corps notes.

Puzey’s death in 2009 led to the passage of the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act of 2011. The law requires the Peace Corps to take several precautions that may help prevent future tragedies before they happen – including better training and the rollout of a “comprehensive sexual assault policy.”

In 2013, the Peace Corps launched its Sexual Assault Risk Reduction and Response (SARRR) program in accordance with the new law. Guided by “current research, best practices in the field and the feedback of agency stakeholders,” the Peace Corps published a roadmap toward expanding the scope of the SARRR program to include sexual assault prevention in 2022.

Since then, the agency has completed every component of the roadmap, spokespeople say. Some recent milestones include:

• Expanded the SAPR office to include a Senior Prevention Specialist who helps identify, implement, and evaluate promising practices and evidence-based research
• Enhanced feedback mechanisms to collect volunteer and returned volunteer feedback and incorporate input into improvement strategies
• Contracted a tele-sexual assault nurse examiner provider to guide agency medical officers as they conduct forensic exams and complete documentation
• Revamped and bolstered training requirements for Peace Corps staff at all levels
• Released a performance review and report outlining progress from Fiscal Years 2021-2023

The plan released Tuesday will build on the agency’s long-term work to combat sexual violence, spokespeople said. It is rooted in three basic principles:

Fostering a Culture of Sexual Assault Prevention – “The Peace Corps will further institutionalize prevention into its operations and utilize its unique approach to development to support host countries in fostering community attitudes and norms around sexual violence to create safer environments for community members and volunteers alike.

Reducing Real and Perceived Barriers to Reporting Sexual Assault for Volunteers – “The Peace Corps will strengthen its sexual assault response procedures and services and further integrate trauma-informed and victim/survivor-centered care to support volunteers who experience sexual assault”

Improving Organizational Accountability – “The Peace Corps will increase the transparency and accountability of its Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program and increase feedback mechanisms for the Peace Corps network.”

“Serving abroad is not without risk,” the Peace Corps notes in its latest plan. “Crime occurs in every country, including the United States.”

• See Related: NJ Is 'Safest' State In Nation For Violent Crime, Study Says

This week’s announcement – made in conjunction with Human Rights Day and the final day of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign – is more evidence of the Peace Corps’ renewed dedication to “breaking the silence surrounding sexual violence,” the agency said.

“Through a holistic, integrated public health approach to sexual violence prevention, the Peace Corps will not only better lead with its values and serve its bold mission of promoting world peace and friendship, but also contribute to the global work of preventing sexual violence perpetration and victimization,” the latest report concludes.

Despite the advances of the past decade, Puzey’s legacy as a “radiant, astute and gifted” volunteer – and her brutal murder – lingers as a reminder of the tragic cost of violence in all forms.

“As her loving, vibrant spirit allowed Kate a special gift for connecting deeply with people from all walks of life, her untimely loss has left a profound void for her family and many friends around the world,” the Fallen Peace Corps Volunteers Memorial Project writes.

Returned volunteers who have been impacted by sexual violence or any crime while serving in the Peace Corps can contact the Office of Victim Advocacy, which is available 24 hours a day and can provide confidential services and referrals by emailing victimadvocate@peacecorps.gov or calling/texting (202) 409-2704.

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