Pennsylvania is one of two states that doesn't allow for them to testify, but many say doing so could help jury members understand the behavior of the victims.
Thursday, September 09, 2010
BY ASHLEY MANNINGS
 
For The Patriot-News
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1284000906102700.xml&coll=1
 
 
Kate Rush Cook believes that if an expert in what a sexual assault victim goes through was allowed to testify at her trial, the man who was acquitted of raping her would not have been turned loose.
 
"I was victimized once by my rapist and then subsequently by the court system," said Cook, of York County.
 
Pennsylvania is one of only two states that does not allow expert testimony in sexual assault cases, which many claim could help jury members better understand the behavior of the victims. Minnesota is the other.
 
Rep. Cherelle Parker, D-Philadelphia, is sponsoring a bill that would allow a qualified expert to testify regarding symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and any recognized and accepted victim behavior in sexual assault cases.
 
Seventeen years ago, Cook was kidnapped, terrorized, robbed and raped. She reported the crime amid tears and hysteria, but it wasn't until her trial that she realized she was not prepared for what she would have to endure.
 
For example, she was asked questions such as where she bought her underwear and what color they were.
 
Sexual assault is the only crime in which the victim is continually scrutinized and questioned, said Jennifer Storm, executive director of the Victim/Witness Assistance Program.
 
During Cook's trial, it became clear that not only did she have to recall the painful memories that occurred that day, but she had to defend herself against myths and stereotypes the jurors had about rape victims.
 
"While my rapist was on trial, I was made to feel as if I had to prove my innocence," she said.
 

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