SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- A grassroots campaign group in the northwestern U.S. state of Alaska is ramping up fight against sexual violence after a local judge gave a controversial ruling that failed to punish a suspect accused of sexually attacking a woman, Alaska KTUU TV outlet reported Sunday.
The group, "No More Free Passes," is working to make it a political advocacy organization in Alaska to fight for women's rights after it rallied massive support from Alaska voters, who ousted Anchorage Superior Court Judge Michael Corey from his bench for the first time in the state's history.
Alaska voters decided last week to dismiss Judge Corey whose term will end in February after he handed out the controversial ruling sentencing 34-year-old Justin Scott Schneider to no jail time who choked and sexually assaulted a woman last August. Many saw the sentence too lenient for a sexual offender.
The No More Free Passes group launched massive protest campaigns to condemn the ruling and Corey's handling of the case.
"We are going to be focusing on legislative advocacy, making sure that sexual assault is one of the most pressing issues in Alaska," KTUU quoted co-founder of the group Elizabeth Williams as saying.
Williams said her goal is to strengthen sexual assault laws and increase sentencing for sexual assault cases.
On Tuesday, a 26-year-old victim known as "Jane Doe" filed a civil lawsuit against Schneider.
A report of Anchorage Daily News published last month said Alaska is facing an epidemic of sexual violence.
Alaska's rape rate is more than twice the national average and the child sexual assault rate is almost six times the national average, said the report.
