Justice after trauma? Race, red tape keep sexual assault victims from compensation

(Press-News.org) Images of the researchers

 

Bureaucratic hurdles and racial disparities restrict access to victim compensation for adult survivors of sexual assault, deepen justice system inequities and compound trauma.

 

The absence of police verification of a crime is the primary reason for rejection, representing 34.4% of disapproved requests—which account for roughly 8 out of every 100 applicants, according to a new University of Michigan study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

 

"Our findings suggest that policies requiring police verification and cooperation, as well as extensive documentation, prevent survivors from accessing compensation," said sociologist Jeremy Levine, U-M associate professor of organizational studies. 

 

"What's unique for sexual assault survivors is that police often do not believe a crime actually occurred. Many are rejected because they cannot demonstrate that the incident occurred 'well enough' to meet the government's strict standards. These decisions rely almost entirely on police reports, and that is a significant issue." 

 

Levine and co-first author Sam Dickman, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood of Montana, examined approximately 42,000 claims from adult sexual assault survivors—who sought government assistance to cover expenses such as medical visits—across 18 states between 2015 and 2023. 

 

The majority of people seeking this help—over 93%—were women. While the applicants came from many different backgrounds (about 42% white, 21% Latina, 15% Black), the data shows they weren't all treated the same. 

 

"When we examined who bore the brunt of these denials, a stark pattern emerged: Black and Indigenous women's claims were significantly less likely to be approved than white women's claims, even after accounting for age, state and application year differences," said Levine, also a scholar at U-M's Institute for Social Research. 

 

Findings also showed that, among denied claims, more than a third were because the sexual assault survivor either missed filling out a part of the application or didn't provide enough documentation about their crime-related expenses, which amounts to, essentially, more documentation requirements.

 

"Paperwork burdens are especially harmful for Black and Indigenous women, who have well-documented reasons to distrust law enforcement and medical institutions," Levine said. "What presents as a neutral administrative process may in fact perpetuate racial inequalities in access to critical support."

 

Finally, about 8% of denials were because survivors failed to cooperate with police. These victims can decline to provide statements or participate in follow-up interviews, often due to fear of retaliation, trauma, distrust of the justice system, or concerns about privacy and personal safety.

 

Where you live matters

 

Beyond racial and administrative hurdles, a survivor's likelihood of receiving compensation depends on their zip code.

 

In New Hampshire, for instance, the system acts as a near-universal safety net with an approval rate of 94%. By contrast, survivors in Illinois face a much steeper climb, with fewer than 3 out of 10 applicants receiving assistance.

 

"A survivor's access to support shouldn't be dictated by race, bureaucracy or geography," Levine said. "Until we remove these administrative gatekeepers—starting with police verification—the system will continue to fail the people it was built to protect."

 

Researchers say addressing these disparities requires urgent policy reform and institutional changes to ensure all survivors receive aid, regardless of their background or whether they choose to report the crime to the police.

 

"The overall approval rate for women who are sexual assault survivors is 74.4%, meaning more than 1 in 4 have their claims denied," Levine said. "By the time a survivor submits an application for help with medical bills, they have already navigated numerous hidden barriers. We are only seeing the final stage of a process that has already excluded many people. Given the hurdles required just to reach this point, the rejection rate shouldn't simply be lower—it should be zero."

 

Study: Racial Disparities in Victim Compensation Program Claim Approvals for Adult Survivors of Sexual Assault: 18 US States (DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2025.308304)

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