Congress Passes Peace Corps Act Reforms

Volunteers sign up to work with an overseas community for 27 months and can truly make a difference in the lives of others. This idea draws in many good-willed volunteers, but the experience is not always as beneficial to the volunteers.

The Peace Corps does not advertise the fact that at least 1,000 of its female volunteers were raped or sexually assaulted in foreign countries between 2000 and 2009. To add insult to injury, many of those who suffered attacks, were castigated by the Peace Corps, ultimately leading to Congressional hearings and calls for reform.


In May, Jessica Smochek, a gang-rape victim, told members of Congress that she was denied a proper medical examination following the 2004 attack. Instead, she was forced to hand over her cellphone so that she could not inform other volunteers about the situation. She was sent back to Washington, DC where she was instructed to write down exactly what she had done to warrant the attack. According to Smochek, her fellow volunteers in Bangladesh were informed of the rape and told that such attacks are often brought on by the female victim.

In a 2009 case, 24-year-old Catherine “Kate” Puzey was murdered in Benin after reporting that another Peace Corps employee had raped students at the school she was teaching at. Although she was found with her throat slit while serving the Peace Corps, her family has said that the agency offered no help in the aftermath of her death.

Last week, the House of Representatives addressed the issue, voting 406-0 in favor of legislation known as the Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act. The measure, which was passed by voice vote in the Senate in September, now awaits President Obama’s signature.

In addition to providing whistle-blower protections for volunteers, the measure requires the Peace Corps to provide volunteers with sexual assault risk-reduction training, as well as implementing an efficient crime response system. Additionally, the Peace Corps would be required to track sexual assault reports against volunteers and organize a support office for victims.

In May, Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams admitted that the agency “has not always been sufficiently responsive, compassionate, or sensitive to victims of crimes and their families.” Williams offered his support for bill S. 1280, saying that it “codifies many of the reforms that the agency has put in place over the past two years to ensure that Peace Corps volunteers serving worldwide receive the support and protection they deserve.”