Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Justice Dept. Guidance on Gender Bias and Policing

WASHINGTON – Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement in response to the Department of Justice’s release of new guidance for combatting gender bias in law enforcement response to sexual and domestic violence:

“Today’s announcement is an important step forward in ensuring justice for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. We applaud Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Department of Justice for working to ensure that state and local law enforcement have the resources and training they need to handle cases of sexual assault and domestic abuse fairly and effectively.

The scourge of domestic and sexual violence is widespread. One in four women will experience physical violence by an intimate partner, but all too often the perpetrators of these crimes go unpunished. False stereotypes and assumptions about victims – including LGBT individuals – can lead to officers inappropriately dismissing cases of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Eliminating gender bias in police response to allegations of abuse is critical to ensuring that victims of sexual and domestic violence feel safe calling upon the police and that their cases will be handled seriously and effectively.”

Nancy Zirkin is executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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