NHPR             ​                                                                                                                     July 20, 2020

Gov. Chris Sununu has signed a bill that aims to support sexual assault survivors at colleges and universities. 

John Gabrieli is the director of the Every Voice Coalition, a student and survivor-led organization that wrote the language in the bill. Sophia Miller is a Dartmouth student organizer who helped bring the Coalition’s work to New Hampshire.

They joined NHPR's All Things Considered Host Peter Biello to talk about the bill.
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Yahoo News -The Patch                                                                                                   July 20, 2020
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CONCORD, NH — New Hampshire's governor signed two bills into law addressing sexual assault, misconduct, and other related offenses as well as closing a loophole in state law which allowed persons of authority to abuse young people in their care. 

"The bills signed today represent the most sweeping collective improvements to laws regarding child abuse and domestic and sexual assault in recent history," Grady Sexton said. "This legislation could not be timelier. Expanding vital protections, services, and support, especially amidst this global pandemic, will improve the lives of survivors, who are under incredible pressure and danger due to the fallout of COVID-19."

​Concord Monitor                                                                                                                  July 20, 2020

Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill Monday to ban sexual contact between school employees and students, which closes the loophole in New Hampshire allowing behavior that was once perceived to be consensual.

House Bill 1240 expands the definition of sexual assault to include any sexual contact between school employees and students between the ages 13 and 18. It’s also a crime to engage in such behavior for 10 months after graduation.

Previously, sexual contact between a teacher or guidance counselor and a youth aged 16 to 17, while against a professional code of conduct, could be considered consensual and not a crime.

​“Many of Howie Leung’s behaviors should have led to immediate termination, but like many predators, Howie Leung worked hard to be well-liked and, as a result, the staff at the Concord School District kept giving him breaks and even special treatment,” said Amanda Grady Sexton, public affairs director for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. “Predators want to make sure that if a child accuses them of abuse, their co-workers and the community will quickly come to their defense and say, ‘There is no way he did this, he is such a nice guy.’ ”


According to the report, former superintendent Terri Forsten and Sica did not properly investigate sexual misconduct complaints or discipline Leung to ensure student safety. Both resigned this past fall after the school board reviewed an unredacted copy of the report and voted to terminate them.

Seacoast Online                                                                                                                July 17,2020

The public affairs director for the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence believes there should be an independent investigation into the assault allegations made against a Dover police officer by his wife.
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“I think there’s a really strong call, not only in this case but in cases we’ve seen throughout the state, to ensure there are autonomous and independent investigations in cases where there is any alleged misconduct by police,” Amanda Grady Sexton said Friday.