Julie Weil

About Julie Weil

Julie Weil is a sexual assault survivor and global activist who has used her voice to turn trauma into lasting change. Abducted along with her children from a preschool parking lot in Miami, Julie barely survived multiple rapes and brutal torture out in the Florida Everglades at the hands of a stranger. With courage and the excellent work of her sexual assault nurse, law enforcement agents, the DNA lab, and the State Attorney’s office, Julie successfully endured a four-year journey through the criminal justice system. Arrested after DNA was obtained from her perpetrator following his commission of another crime, her abductor/rapist’s long run from the law finally came to an end. He received a historic seven life sentences for the crimes against her and her children.

Since the sentencing, Julie has devoted her life to being a champion for change in the way survivors of sexual assault are treated in the system. After creating the Not Just Me Foundation in 2010, Julie has been instrumental in achieving lasting improvements at all levels of government. Locally, she inspired the creation of Butterfly House, Palm Beach County’s only forensic exam center, which Julie supports through her charity. She has helped pass three pieces of key legislation in the state of Florida pertaining to the rape kit backlog, including counting inventory, mandating timely testing, and requiring a tracking system. At the federal level, Julie spent over two years walking the halls of Congress and educating offices on the importance of clearing the national rape kit backlog through legislation. Her efforts helped to pass the SAFER Act in February 2013, which is now a part of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). She continues to advocate for survivors on Capitol Hill and at the FBI.

Julie worked with the IACP (International Association of Police Chiefs) on a two-year project to bring the first rape crisis center to Egypt and was honored to be there when it opened in Cairo in November 2016. She also assisted the IACP with training law enforcement professionals in Guadalajara, Mexico, has spoken about the importance of forensic technology to agencies in Canada, and presented at the 2026 United Nations Conference on Women. Julie has served 9 years on the Board of Directors for the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence and has conducted countless trainings for SANE nurses, lab analysts, and law enforcement personnel. Julie has recently written a book, Not Just Me: A Survivor’s Fight for Healing, Justice and DNA Reform.