The Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault recently published their 2022 Legislative Report, detailing the most impactful new laws for survivors of sexual violence from the 130th Legislature. A few highlights include:
• A complete rewrite of Maine’s protection from abuse statutes, the result of countless hours of work by our friends at Pine Tree Legal Assistance and the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, which will improve access to these protections for survivors.
• A prohibition against non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) as a term of employment, which will keep employers from preventing survivors from sharing and seeking redress for sexual harassment and assault that happened in workplace settings.
• The right for people subject to guardianship to engage advocates and legal supports, even if their guardian does not want to allow them access to these critical services.
• A wide range of initiatives to improve the prevention of and response to sexual violence at Maine’s colleges and universities.
MECASA is so grateful to the legislators who worked so hard to pass these bills, the advocates and allies who showed up to demand this impactful change, and the survivors who shared their stories. Read the full report here!
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