Being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize is a BFD—and the woman who drafted the Sexual Assault Survivor’s Bill of Rights just earned the distinction.

Amanda Nguyen, a rape survivor whose 2016 bill of rights established consistent rules and procedures for prosecuting sexual assault crimes, was nominated by California representatives Mimi Walters and Zoe Lofgren. Amanda is also the founder of Rise, a national civil rights nonprofit that focuses on helping make rights for rape survivors consistent across state and country lines.

A press release issued by Rise says that Walters and Lofgren nominated Amanda to celebrate her “unprecedented efforts in bringing equal protection under the law and basic human rights to all survivors of sexual assault, regardless of geography.”

Who Is Amanda Nguyen?

After being sexually assaulted in Massachusetts, Amanda learned that state law dictated that her rape kit (which contained genetic material that could help prosecute her assailant) could be destroyed after six months, even if the statute of limitations for bringing charges against her rapist was 15 years.

“Up until [the Sexual Assault Survivor's Bill of Rights] was passed, every six months, I had to try to save my rape kit from destruction,” Amanda previously told WomensHealthMag.com.

Her legislation unanimously passed in Congress, and then President Obama signed it into law on Oct. 7, 2016. Now, victims of federal sexual assault cases have the right to be notified 60 days before their rape kit will be destroyed and the right to access their medical information. They’ll also get a piece of paper that tells them what their rights are in the state where their rape occurred.

The same standards apply to sexual assaults prosecuted at the state level in any state that adopts the bill.

Only 14 states have voted to pass it so far, including New York, Maryland, and Utah. But Amanda and actor Terry Crews are testifying on Capitol Hill Monday to encourage more states to sign on.

Evan Rachel Wood testified in front of Congress in February on the same issue, sharing her own devastating experience with sexual assault.

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TOMORROW#Repost @nguyen_amanda

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I’m taking the stand with @terrycrews to make history in the United States Senate on Tuesday as we testify together on Rise’s survivor civil rights.… https://t.co/f6P5lzknRZ — terry crews (@terrycrews) June 25, 2018

Rise, Amanda's nonprofit, also just launched a campaign urging the United Nations to pass a resolution protecting the rights of all victims of sexual violence around the world.

Congrats, Amanda!



Korin Miller Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more.

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