Washington, D.C. – Today, Reps. Annie Kuster (NH-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Dave Joyce (OH-14), Jackie Speier (CA-14), and John Katko (NY-24) led 33 colleagues in sending a letter to President Joe Biden urging his new administration to create a Special Advisor on Sexual Violence position within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). They argue that creating such a position to elevate and coordinate HHS’s work to address sexual violence would result in greater expertise at HHS, more substantive policy, and translate to improved health outcomes for survivors of sexual violence. 

“Staffing this role with an experienced advocate for sexual assault survivors reporting directly to the Secretary would be an unprecedented and important step for coordinating and strengthening how the federal government responds to sexual violence and supports survivors,” wrote the members. “It would make clear to the nation that we must act upon a painful reality: that sexual violence in America has become a public health crisis.”

They continued, “There is so much more we can do to ensure survivors can safely and affordably access not only physical care, but also the mental health care they need in order to begin to heal from the trauma of sexual violence. With 21% of women and 3% of men reporting being the victim of rape or attempted rape, in many cases while still a minor, enhanced governmental action is urgent.”

"We are grateful for the leadership of Reps. Kuster, Moore, Joyce, Speier, and Katko and all of the members, national organizations, and state coalitions who have joined us in elevating the great importance of sexual violence leadership and expertise at HHS,” said Monika Johnson Hostler, President of the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. “We look forward to working with incoming Secretary Becerra to bring this vision to fruition. Survivors deserve advocates at the highest levels of government." 

Among the divisions of HHS that cover sexual violence are: the Family and Youth Bureau, the Office on Trafficking, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Rape Prevention & Education Program (RPE). Depression, post-traumatic stress, joint conditions, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and heart disease are just some of the health conditions that become more likely when a person has experienced sexual violence.

Reps. Kuster, Joyce, Speier, and Katko are co-chairs of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence. Rep. Moore is a founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Working Group to End Domestic Violence. They were joined on today’s letter by: Mark Amodei (NV-02), Don Bacon (NE-02), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Judy Chu (CA-27), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Jason Crow (CO-06), Rodney Davis (IL-13), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-03), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Ron Kind (WI-03), James R. Langevin (RI-02), Barbare Lee (CA-13), Alan Lowenthal (CA-07), Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Katie Porter (CA-45), David E. Price (NC-04), Michael F.Q. San Nicolas (GU-AL), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Jennifer Wexton (VA-10).

The text of the letter is available here and below:

Dear President Biden,

As you take office, we urge you to create a position of Special Advisor on Sexual Violence at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Staffing this role with an experienced advocate for sexual assault survivors reporting directly to the Secretary would be an unprecedented and important step for coordinating and strengthening how the federal government responds to sexual violence and supports survivors. It would make clear to the nation that we must act upon a painful reality: that sexual violence in America has become a public health crisis.

In their December 17th letter to you, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV) and coalitions of advocates and stakeholders from across the country emphasized the value of creating such a position at HHS. The estimated lifetime cost of rape is $122,461 for each survivor, to say nothing of the lives scarred and sometimes destroyed. Conditions including depression, post-traumatic stress, joint conditions, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and heart disease are all more likely when a person has experienced sexual violence. Additionally, sexual violence can contribute to substance use and other health crises HHS has worked to address as part of its mission. Establishing a special advisor focused on these concerns would provide a critical launching pad for HHS to develop new and innovative strategies to combat sexual violence from a health perspective. 

There is so much more we can do to ensure survivors can safely and affordably access not only physical care, but also the mental health care they need in order to begin to heal from the trauma of sexual violence. With 21% of women and 3% of men reporting being the victim of rape or attempted rape, in many cases while still a minor, enhanced governmental action is urgent.

As the Family and Youth Bureau, the Office on Trafficking, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Rape Prevention & Education Program (RPE) and other components of HHS continue to tackle sexual violence, we firmly believe that establishing a special advisor role within the Office of the Secretary to elevate and coordinate HHS’s work in this space, both interdepartmentally and through liaising with other government agencies and Congress, will result in greater expertise at HHS, more substantive policy, and translate to improved health outcomes for survivors of sexual violence. 

We appreciate your attention to this matter as you prepare to begin a new administration, and we stand ready to work with you to develop this position and ensure it has the congressional support needed to be successful and effective.                                         

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