WFSB Channel 3

Jane Doe No More Focuses On Recovery

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A billboard along Interstate 91 has a message. It may not save you money, but it could be a valuable resource after a crime.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Katy Zachry reported the message on this billboard is brief, "I Am Jane Doe No More," but behind its words is a life-changing organization.

For more than a decade, Donna Palomba felt like a Jane Doe. She was raped by a home intruder and left to feel like a "nobody" by local police, she said.

"'Jane Doe No More' was born out of my personal experience as a sexual assault victim," Palomba said. "The crime scene was, unfortunately, compromised. There were no forensics taken."

As a victim, she was treated like a criminal.

"One month after the rape, I was told I was lying. I was read my rights, I was told I would do jail time if I didn't come forward and tell the truth," Palomba said.

The rapist was eventually caught, but Palomba couldn't get past the poor police treatment. So, she partnered with experts -- who she called "an unbelievable team of law enforcement, legal, medical professionals, victim service professionals" -- to form the nonprofit group Jane Doe No More.

On their Web site, the group offers tools and resources for victims, and the group is in the process of creating a model for police departments across the county to teach officers how to handle a sexual assault crime professionally and with compassion.

"I really, really want to help other victims so that they have the best possible chance for a full and healthy recovery," Palomba said.

The Web site offers a comprehensive resource guide for victims to learn about services.