Rape survivor no longer wants Franken to sponsor her bill

A 22-year-old rape survivor no longer wants Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to sponsor her bill to train law enforcement on how to interview survivors of sexual assault.

Abby Honold, who was raped at the University of Minnesota in 2014, had been working with Franken to sponsor legislation that would fund special training for officers interviewing trauma victims.

{mosads}

But after radio host Leeann Tweeden accused Franken of kissing and groping her without her consent in 2006, Honold is now searching for another lawmaker to sponsor the bill, The Washington Post reported.

“It’s really difficult when someone who has been a champion for you turns out to be the exact opposite for someone else,” Honold told the Post.

She and Franken began working on the bill after her attack, and the senator was planning on introducing the legislation this month. Her rapist had been an intern for the senator.

Honold said she learned of Tweeden’s allegations during a meeting, and called Franken’s office afterward.

She told the Post that his office had agreed that she should find someone else to sponsor the legislation “in light of everything else going on.”

“He was one of the few people who listened to me and actually let me talk,” Honold said. “It felt really validating to be heard and to see something come of my experience that was positive for other people.”

Tweeden came forward with her allegations on Thursday, saying Franken had kissed her during a rehearsal for a USO tour sketch in 2006 and groped her while she was sleeping. She posted a photo of Franken groping her.

Franken apologized in two separate statements and called for an ethics investigation into his own behavior.