Leah Griffin is a school librarian who works on sexual assault policy reform at the state and federal levels. In 2015, she was appointed to the Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Task Force in the Washington legislature with the aim of solving the myriad of problems survivors encounter navigating the justice system in Washington State. As a representative of survivors, she has significantly contributed to the passage of HB1068, to test new rape kits, HB1109 to increase trauma informed interviewing techniques for police, HB2530 to track rape kits through the system, SB1539 to prevent child sexual assault, SB5649 to increase the statute of limitations for rape, and HB1109 to fund and test all untested rape kits in Washington, HB2318 to store unreported kits, and ammend the legal definition of rape kits, and SB6158 to create model sexual assault protocols for hospitals. She also helped write and lobby for the Survivors’ Access to Supportive Care Act with Senator Murray and Representative Jayapal to increase access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners in hospitals. She sits on the board of the Sexual Violence Law Center. Leah is also active in the Democratic Party. She is a Precinct Committee Officer, Executive Board Member, and Committeeperson to the King County Democrats. For her commitment to making change, Leah was honored with a Golden Tennis Shoe Award by Senator Patty Murray, who also invited Leah to join her at the 2018 State of the Union Address. She was also awarded a Campaign Heroine Award for her work in support of the Approve R-90 campaign to retain sexual health education.
Sessions
Sexual Assault and Violence Prevention and Treatment: Changing Systems for Survivors