From The Assistant District Attorney Who Prosecuted Alexa's Attacker - Edmond J. Zabin

The criminal justice system can seem overwhelming to a victim of a sexual assault. Yet, no matter how thoroughly investigated, a rape case cannot be prosecuted without the cooperation of the victim. The ability of a sexual assault victim to accurately recall the traumatic events of the crime is vital to the successful prosecution of a case. To that end, family involvement and support is critical to helping a victim of violent crime throughout the difficult trial process.

We were fortunate that Alexa's family had the ability to stay involved in the process. Alexa was a tremendous witness, strong and poised on the witness stand. Her testimony was central to our successful prosecution. The support of Alexa's family in large part enabled her to endure an extremely difficult ordeal, and thus was invaluable to our efforts to seek justice in a particularly serious case.

Unfortunately, travel and lodging expenses often can be an insurmountable burden for victims' families who want to support loved ones and stay involved in the judicial process. To the extent that this foundation enables families of sexual assault victims to stay involved in the court process, and to provide ongoing support to their loved ones, law enforcement will be that much more successful in the prosecution of these important cases.

Edmond J. Zabin
Assistant District Attorney
Suffolk County District Attorney's Office
Boston, Massachusetts

Only one out of 16 rapists will ever spend a day in jail.
--Calculation from RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network).