We are dedicated to ensuring that we have a survivors’ lens on community-wide protocols, agency policies, materials and resources created for victims. Survivors help to inform trainings for professionals; testify for bills and identify services needed in our community.

During the 2022 Nebraska Legislative Session, survivor leaders were critical in the passing of two new laws—LB 1246 to provide survivors of sexual assault and sex trafficking with anonymity, and LB 741 to establish the first-ever domestic abuse death review team in Nebraska.  

• Learn more about LB 1246, introduced by Senator Patty Pansing Brooks (English or Spanish).
• Learn more about LB 741, introduced by Senator Tom Brandt, via our fact sheets (English or Spanish).

And in 2023, survivor voice and advocacy leadership led to the passage of four new laws:

• LB 11 provides clarification in domestic abuse protection orders to include household pets, introduced by Senator Carol Blood. (English or Spanish)
• LB 183 allows low-income petitioners in name changing proceedings to avoid paying fees, introduced by Senator John Cavanaugh.
• LB  315 protects survivors of domestic and sexual violence from debt collectors, introduced by Senator John Fredrickson. (English or Spanish)
• LB 757 extends the eligibility timeline for victims seeking to apply to the Crime Victim’s Reparations (CVR) program, introduced by Senator Wendy DeBoer. (English or Spanish)

We believe it’s crucial to partner with our allies in the journalism industry to shift the conversation around domestic violence, sexual assault and sex trafficking. Journalists have the ability to shape public perception when they report on these issues. Changing the Narrative of Violence Against Women: A Media Resource was developed to assist in that work. Telling the stories of survivors more completely allows the public to better understand the complexities and realities of violence against women and anyone facing gender-based violence, how to recognize it and, hopefully, how to prevent it in the future.

We invite you to change the narrative and create a community where everyone is free from violence.

When survivors of sexual assault feel safe and supported throughout their interaction with medical and legal processes, they are more likely to report their assaults, and Nebraska is more likely to hold perpetrators accountable, achieve safety for our communities and justice for survivors. LB 43, passed by the Nebraska Legislature during the 2020 session, creates a safe and supportive environment for all survivors to come forward to seek care and justice following their sexual assault. The bill of rights was amended with the passage of LB 870 in 2024 that allows victims control over their own evidence.

View a Sexual Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights online. (English / Spanish)

The Legislature has made great strides in modernizing our laws to recognize trafficking survivors as victims, but our state must make services available to protect and support these victims. LB 518 will build a system of services to support trafficking survivors—both youth and adults. These provisions of LB 518 were not advanced in the 2020 session. Read more about Supporting Survivors of Trafficking.

Amended onto this bill is LB 745 which will assist law enforcement and survivors of trafficking and violent crimes in their pursuit of justice by clarifying the process for T & U visas. Victims of trafficking, sexual assault and other violent crimes who report the crimes to law enforcement may be eligible for a T or U visa. Our communities are safer when victims feel supported in coming forward to report crimes against them. LB 745, passed in 2020, will streamline this process for local agencies and promote victim confidence in coming forward to report crimes.

Domestic violence survivors should not be evicted because of the violence they have endured, nor should they be forced to stay and live with their abuser because of a lease. LB 320, passed into law in 2021, expands eviction protections for domestic violence survivors and allows for termination of rental agreements through housing protections. This law recognizes the connection between domestic violence and economic security. Learn more about these new rental protections for tenants and how they work (English / Spanish).

Additionally, during the 2023 Nebraska Legislative Session, LB 183 was passed and allows low-income petitioners in name change proceedings to avoid paying fees. By removing this barrier, survivors of gender-based violence will have increased access to name-changing services through the courts.

The Women’s Fund collaborates with a number of agencies to continuously assess and enhance how our community responds to domestic and sexual violence. By building relationships and gathering and analyzing local data, we bring research and best practices based solutions to some of the largest issues in our community. In doing this, we provide leadership to two local teams and their many projects.

The Douglas County’s Domestic Violence Community Response Team (CRT) and the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) are committed to improving victim safety and holding offenders accountable. These teams constantly strive to improve how each agency responds to these crimes. They do this by sharing information, identifying issues, providing training and changing practices to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable.

Agencies involved focus on a broad range of issues in criminal justice and civil systems, the child welfare system, advocacy, healthcare and other ‘systems’ that impact domestic and sexual violence victims and have contact with offenders.

To learn more about sexual assault resources and reporting options, go to SexualAssaultHelp.org.