Congress to Consider Bills Inspired by Murdered W&M Grad, Peace Corps Volunteer Kate Puzey

By Caitlin Fairchild, of GovernmentExecutive.com Monday, June 27, 2011

Federal lawmakers introduced bills in the House and Senate last week to increase congressional oversight of the Peace Corps and establish safety measures to protect overseas volunteers in dangerous situations.

The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Volunteer Protection Act is named for a College of William and Mary graduate who was murdered in March 2009 while serving in Benin, West Africa. Puzey's throat was slit after she revealed to her supervisors in an email that was supposed to remain confidential that she believed a colleague was sexually assaulting students at the school where they both worked. Puzy, a 2006 W&M graduate, was 24.

The employee she'd accused, Constant Bio, a Benin citizen, has been held since shortly after Puzey's murder while local authorities investigate. Bio has proclaimed his innocence and said he is being framed by America, according to news reports.

The bipartisan legislation follows a May 11 House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing during which witnesses highlighted problems within the Peace Corps they believe endanger volunteers.

Former volunteers have come forward in recent months to share their experiences with sexual assault while serving abroad. On average, 22 rapes and 267 assaults to Peace Corps volunteers are reported every year. Peace Corps data also suggest that twice as many assaults occur than are reported.

The proposed legislation features several measures, chiefly extending protection for whistleblower Peace Corps volunteers, such as Puzey.

Read more about this in a story by Caitlin Fairchild for Government Executive.com by clicking here.