SASTF
The Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force (SASTF) in the Office of the Governor was statutorily created during the 86th legislative session (HB1590) with the intent to establish a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, collaborative, and coordinated response to sexual violence experienced by adults and children in Texas.
The Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force (SASTF) in the Office of the Governor was statutorily created during the 86th legislative session (HB1590) with the intent to establish a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, collaborative, and coordinated response to sexual violence experienced by adults and children in Texas.
HB 1590 was written and introduced by Representative Donna Howard in the 86th Legislative Session. TAASA and CACTX worked together to produce the final HB 1590 version which became law in Texas on September 1, 2017.
The significance of HB 1590 on the anti-sexual violence movement in Texas was massive. It signified the centering of advocacy and survivors in shaping current and future sexual assault work in Texas. Advocates and survivors have long been on the outside looking in as legislation and decisions about sexual violence in Texas were made. HB 1590 includes survivors and sexual assault advocates in the process.
TAASA has a seat on the Task Force, as well as it’s steering team, along with Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, and the Office of the Governor.
Vision
Texas leads the nation through a survivor-centered, trauma-informed approach to sexual violence, where adult and child survivors are heard, believed, and supported, where offenders are held accountable, and where all system partners work collaboratively to transform Texas' response to sexual violence.
Mission
Establish a survivor-centered, trauma-informed, collaborative, and coordinated response to sexual violence experienced by adults and children in Texas through:
Creating and advancing actionable policy recommendations, protocols, and best practices that address the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of sexual assault and other sex offenses, services, and resources for survivors, and funding for services;
Improving the content, effectiveness, and accessibility of training and resources for professionals responding to sexual assault and other sex offenses, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges;
Providing accurate information regarding resources for survivors in a centralized, accessible, understandable format;
Building transparency and accountability by making data related to sexual assault prevention, investigation, and prosecution publicly available in a centralized, accessible, understandable format; and
Promoting culture change that counters prevalent myths about sexual assault and reflects the reality of sexual assault dynamics and effects on adults and children.
The Task Force has accomplished the goal of coordinating current resources on a statewide level, reviewing efficacy through Task Force workgroups, producing materials and recommendations by experts from across the state working in varied disciplines who interface with sexual assault survivors.
The Task Force has established a peer support work group to discuss the complex issues that arise when working on sexual assault cases and serving sexual assault survivors.
A variety of materials and reports have been created under the auspices of SASTF.
The steering committee worked closely with researchers as they conducted survivor-centered studies regarding sexual violence in Texas.
Biennial reports to the Texas Legislature encapsulate the work of the Task Force over the prior 2-year period.
