National anti­violence organizations demand justice for Anna Nepomuceno As organizations dedicated to ending sexual and domestic violence, we believe that all survivors deserve support towards safety and healing. We are deeply concerned by the Napa County District Attorney’s prosecution of Anna Nepomuceno for actions she took to protect her children from sexual abuse. In a matter of days, Nichole and M could lose their mother to prison for 13 years. We urge Napa County District Attorney Quate to do the right thing and drop the charges against Anna Nepomuceno. Anna Nepomuceno is a Filipina immigrant and mother of two. ​
In 2013, her oldest daughter, Nichole disclosed to Anna that she was being molested by her father. Upon the horrifying realization that her husband was sexually abusing both girls—ages 17 and 5 at the time—Anna swiftly took action to keep her children safe. Child Protective Services began an investigation, and the family court granted permanent restraining orders for both children. Anna gained sole legal and physical custody and filed for divorce. In 2014, Anna went to the Philippines with her daughter M to visit her sick father. Upon her departure, she was reported for kidnapping. While she was away, the Napa County District Attorney charged her with child abduction, and the family court terminated the restraining orders and all her custodial rights. Anna returned to the U.S. alone to resolve the family law dispute, but at San Francisco International Airport, was arrested and jailed. She was released on bond after 61 days, but NCDA added a special enhancement to the kidnapping charge, increasing a possible sentence of 3 years to 13 years. As anti­violence organizations, we urge the Napa District Attorney to prioritize the well­being and safety of Anna’s daughters, Nichole and M. In the United States, 1 in 5 girls are sexually abused, and 56% of ​
Filipinas report experiences of sexual violence​
. The impacts of child sexual abuse in our society and in this case should not be ignored. We do not believe that putting their mother on trial is in the children’s best interest, nor do we believe that forcing contact between M and her father is safe. In addition, Anna's trial puts extreme stress on her children, especially Nichole who had to testify and relive her trauma and abuse in the courtroom. Criminalizing this mother is needlessly punitive towards both her and her children, and does not increase safety for Nichole or M. We are extremely troubled at how aggressively the District Attorney’s Office is working to prosecute Anna, with measures like the addition of a sentence enhancement. We call on Napa County District Attorney Quate to drop the charges against Anna Nepomuceno so that she and her daughters can peacefully rebuild their lives free from sexual violence. Those of us who work with survivors of sexual and domestic violence will be watching closely. Signed (partial list): Asian Women’s Shelter, San Francisco, CA ACT for Women and Girls, Visalia, CA Apna Ghar, Inc. (Our Home), Chicago, IL Community United Against Violence (CUAV), San Francisco, CA End Domesetic Abuse WI, Madison, WI Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Springfield, IL KAN­WIN, Chicago, IL Korean American Coalition to End Domestic Abuse (KACEDA), Oakland, CA Korean American Family Services, Los Angeles, CA Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Columbus OH San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium, San Francisco, CA San Francisco Women Against Rape, Vallejo, CA St. Vincent de Paul, Riley Center, San Francisco, CA Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, Richmond, VA