September 10, 2020

Thousands of people are sexually victimized in Cook County every year. If they decide to seek justice by being involved in criminal proceedings, it will require them to stay engaged in lengthy, legally complex, and often traumatizing processes with countless opportunities for their rights to be violated. These conditions make it important to hire an attorney yet few will have access to one. Legal representation is costly and simply out of reach for most victims. This is especially true for those who’ve survived the sex trade. Thankfully, CAASE can help.

For the past 10 years, our work to end sexual harm in Chicago has included providing free and comprehensive legal services for survivors in both civil and criminal cases. In fact, we’re the only organization in Illinois with specific expertise representing the rights of survivors within the context of the criminal justice system. Getting help from someone with these specific skills is often our clients’ primary need. That’s why we’re excited to have won a grant to expand these services.

CAASE was chosen as one of six sites to implement the Victims’ Rights Enforcement Project–also known as Rights In Systems Enforced Project (“RISE Project”)*. It aims to raise awareness of victims’ rights and increase victim access to no-cost legal services to help them assert and enforce their rights in the criminal justice system. This award will substantially increase CAASE’s capacity for direct services by creating a new division within our existing legal program called Victims’ Rights Representation (“VRR”). With this funding, we’re able to hire four new attorneys, a paralegal, and a case manager over the next three years. Additionally, it allows us to invest in our holistic approach to changing systems—a method we’ve practiced since our founding. 

Cultivating broader change will require new collaborations between VRR, our Community Engagement department, and our Public Policy and Advocacy department. All three will take on the work of increasing awareness of victims’ rights in under-resourced Chicago communities which suffer disproportionate levels of sexual harm. Our Public Policy and Advocacy team will spearhead efforts with prosecutors, criminal justice professionals, and key community stakeholders to ensure they understand victims’ rights. They will also coordinate with VRR staff to ensure that their initiatives effectively improve laws, policies, and practices that impact victims of sexual harm. Simultaneously, CAASE’s Community Engagement department will collaborate with VRR staff to identify ongoing community needs, form a Survivor Leader Council to evaluate VRR initiatives, and make sure CAASE’s work is responsive to the needs of survivors and vulnerable communities.

Through its participation in the RISE Project, CAASE aims to transform the treatment of survivors of sexual harm within the criminal justice system in Cook County, ensuring that their rights are respected throughout the process. We are excited about this opportunity and encourage you to follow along with us as we grow and develop this work.

*Victims’ Rights Enforcement Project–also known as Rights In Systems Enforced Project is a nation-wide initiative of the National Crime Victims’ Law Institute through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), (award number 2018-V3-GX-K01).

This piece was authored by Hayley Forrestal. Learn more about our staff here.