MCASA Newsletter : Frontline

This spring at MCASA has been very busy as we worked to advocate for survivors during the 2024 Maryland Legislative Session. Thank you again to everyone who called, emailed, testified, and reached out to your elected officials this session. One of our major successes this session was the passage of the Consent Bill (HB496/SB758), which created a statutory definition of consent and repealed the requirement that the state prove “force or threat of force” in 2nd degree rape cases. MCASA was honored to help amplify the voices of survivors as they testified on the shortcomings of the current

I hope you had a peaceful New Year that brought you rest and renewed energy for our work in 2024. The 2024 Maryland Legislative Session began on January 10th and we hosted our annual Legislative Reception in Annapolis on January 18th. Thank you to everyone who sponsored, supported, and attended our reception to learn more about MCASA’s legislative advocacy. We are looking forward to another busy session, with returning and new initiatives on our priority list. MCASA supports legislation that promotes justice for survivors of sexual violence, accountability for offenders, and protection for the general public. MCASA responds to policy

This summer has been busy at MCASA as we work to offer comprehensive trainings on a variety of topics for Maryland service providers. We just completed another successful Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Training (SAVAT) series in June. Thank you to all of the service providers, advocates, and support staff who attended our training to continue to improve our response to support survivors in Maryland. We are also gearing up for the next school year, with plans for our upcoming Virtual Campus Training (VCT) series to begin in September. MCASA is also excited to invite you to join us in person

The 2023 Maryland Legislative Session has been incredibly busy with important legislation moving through both the House of Delegates and the Senate as we near the end of session on Monday, April 10th. Thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, testified, and advocated to your elected officials to support survivors in Maryland and improve our prevention and response to sexual violence. We encourage you to continue to make your voice heard as final votes are held in Annapolis. We will provide an in depth update in our 2023 Legislative Report in the coming weeks.  April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Looking back on the last year at MCASA, we are so thankful for everyone who has supported our work and for those who will continue to do so this year and beyond. 2023 is off to a busy start at MCASA! The new year brings the start to the 2023 Maryland Legislative Session, which began on January 11th. MCASA will continue to advocate for legislation that promotes justice for survivors of sexual violence, accountability for offenders, and protection for the general public. We hosted our annual Legislative Reception in Annapolis on January 19th and it was great to see so many supporters

MCASA is 40 years old! Last month at MCASA’s Call to Action we celebrated our 40th anniversary and reflected on our past, present, and future work for survivors of sexual violence in Maryland. Thank you to everyone who sponsored and recognized this important milestone. Your support is crucial to our work to advocate for survivors statewide, provide comprehensive legal services, and build community connections to offer prevention education.  If you weren’t able to join us, you can check out the recording from our Call to Action here and see messages from Senator Van Hollen, Senator Ben

Over the past three months, MCASA has been busy advocating for legislation to support survivors in the 2022 Maryland Legislative Session. We are so grateful for everyone who has already called, emailed, testified, and advocated to improve Maryland laws and policies to end sexual violence and support survivors. Thank you for your support. As we approach the conclusion of this year’s session on April 11th, MCASA is still advocating for funding for rape crisis centers, repeal of the law making marriage a defense to some types of rape and other sex crimes, and improvements to Maryland’s sexual

2021 proved to be another challenging year as we continue to navigate a global pandemic, funding cuts for service providers, and manage the overarching uncertainty these threats may bring. These challenges have also highlighted the importance of the work of Maryland’s Rape Crisis Centers and service providers to support survivors through these difficult times. As we reflect on the past year, we are incredibly grateful for the work of all our partners in the fight to end sexual violence. We turn this gratitude into renewed energy and strength for the work of the year to come, beginning with the 2022