Shaheen Statement on the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s Ruling on Rape Shield Law

(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement after the New Hampshire Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirming protections of private sexual history under the state’s rape shield law:

“Today’s ruling by the New Hampshire Supreme Court upholds our Rape Shield Law’s basic privacy protections that encourage survivors to report their assault and cooperate with prosecution. I am glad that the court agrees survivors of sexual assault have a basic right to privacy, including their past sexual history. Sexual assault remains one of the most underreported crimes across the country and we must do all we can to improve the way our justice system treats survivors. Today’s decisions reaffirms that our system should be on the side of the survivor. As a mother and grandmother, my heart goes out to the Marriott family, who has endured unimaginable pain in their path to justice for Lizzi.”