Rachel de Leon

Oct 30, 2024 | motherjones.com | Rachel de Leon

In Polk County, Florida, where its sheriff has said his department will “go to the ends of the earth” to arrest child predators, one child victim was left wondering how she ended up on the other side of the law. Taylor Cadle was 12 years old when she disclosed to a trusted adult that her adoptive father had been sexually abusing her since she was 9. Law enforcement was quick to respond, and almost just as quick to suspect that Taylor had made up the allegations.

Oct 29, 2024 | pbs.org | Rachel de Leon

Oct 29, 2024 6:20 PM EDT Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Audio We’re told if you’re a victim of a crime, to go to the police and report it. But what happens when they don’t believe you? From the Center of Investigative Reporting, Rachel de Leon tells how far one child had to go to prove her innocence. A word of caution, this story involves details of child sexual abuse.

Jun 23, 2024 | courant.com | Rachel de Leon |Alison Cross

In May of 2017, Nicole Chase walked into the Canton Police Department to report that a man she knew had sexually assaulted her. Four months later, a judge signed an arrest warrant. The target was not the man — it was Chase. “It was just complete panic,” Chase said, describing the moments after the detective investigating her case called to inform her of the warrant. “My heart sank, my stomach sank. It was unbelievable to me,” Chase recalled. “They hadn’t told me for what (crime) yet.

Jun 18, 2024 | motherjones.com | Rachel de Leon

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Jun 18, 2024 | revealnews.org | Rachel de Leon

A landmark bill aimed at standardizing and improving the way police treat victims in the aftermath of a sexual assault has become law in Connecticut. The new law establishes a council that will create a model policy for police responding to sexual assault, and it received unanimous, bipartisan support. The law also requires that officers refer victims to a victim advocate, distribute information about services available, and help the victim and any children present obtain medical care.