Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), the co-founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, released the following statement on the decision by Speaker Ryan to mandate anti-harassment training for all Congressional staffers and Members of Congress. Congresswoman Kuster shared her personal experiences with sexual assault on the House floor last year, including an experience while working as a staff member on Capitol Hill.

“As a young staffer I was assaulted by a guest of the Congress and had no training for how to respond, who to turn to, or what my rights were,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “This is a long overdue change. There is a national conversation taking place right now about sexual harassment and sexual violence that is starting to initiate a real shift in how our society views these issues. We need to address sexual harassment and assault in workplaces across the country and the halls of Congress are no exception. The decision to mandate anti-harassment training for staff as well as Members of Congress is an important step and I look forward to continuing to work across the aisle to promote policies that will foster safer environments in the workplace, on college campuses, in our military, and throughout our communities.”  

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