US House Passes VAWA 2013
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) released the following statement regarding the House of Representatives passage (286-138) of S. 47, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013:
“NCADV is overjoyed by the outcome of today’s House of Representatives decisive vote to pass an inclusive Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. After 500 days since VAWA expired, today victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and teen dating violence stand victorious–especially those who are LGBT, immigrant and Native.
The passage of the bipartisan S. 47 VAWA bill will finally protect all victims of intimate partner violence and hold all perpetrators accountable. We applaud the 286 Representatives for their courageous conviction to provide justice for all and stand with 78 Senators and more than 1,300 advocacy organizations who annually serve 1.3 million victims of domestic and sexual violence.
We look forward to seeing this bill sent to President Barack Obama for enactment.”
Source: NCADV
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
VAWA Reauthorization Battle in the US Senate
The Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA) has saved countless lives. Since this bipartisan legislation first passed in 1994, it’s been reauthorized twice without much difficulty. And it has been tremendously successful in helping to combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The US House of Representative failed to reauthorize the Act. VAWA is in jeopardy of not being reauthorized by the US Senate. It appears that the Republicans are willing to throw away the entire law now that it helps protect lesbians, gay men, undocumented immigrants, and Native Americans.
The Senate’s voting on the Act any moment now, and people concerned about the health and well-being of ALL victims need to put pressure on the GOP to pass VAWA. Before the vote, stand with me for all victims of domestic violence — no matter who they are: Add your name in support of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
Since this law passed, it has helped reduce the annual rate of domestic violence by an astounding 53 percent. The rate of women killed by an intimate partner has dropped 34 percent. Its programs, including violence prevention programs, shelters and rape crisis centers, and funding for the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes have made a world of difference in giving victims of violence a safe place to turn. It has without a doubt saved thousands of lives. At this juncture, the Senate Republicans are ready to roll back all the progress that has been made.
This year’s Act would make sure that LGBT Americans receive equal treatment for services, it would make it easier for undocumented immigrants to come forward as victims and provide temporary visas in certain cases, and let Native Americans on reservations go to tribal courts for abuse cases. With these additional protections, the GOP has promised to fight it every step of the way. If Congress votes against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, all of these programs could grind to a halt, and the hundreds of thousands of women who rely on them will once again be left on their own.
Before the Senate votes this week, add your name in support of protecting all victims of domestic and sexual violence, no matter who they are:
http://my.democrats.org/Reauthorize-the-Violence-Against-Women-Act.
Source(s): NCADV. Democratic Party Action Alert
Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
Nichelle Mitchem Shares Information on Health Disparities & Social Justice Conference 2011: A Focus on Women’s Health
Conference Overview
On Friday January 28th, 2011, a health disparities conference will be held at DePaul University’s DePaul Center in Chicago, IL. The Health Disparities and Social Justice Conference hosted by DePaul University’s Master of Public Health (MPH) Program will provide an opportunity to increase skills in identifying and addressing a wide variety of health disparities in diverse communities.
The conference will also provide a valuable context for dialogue among a range of health and community experts who share DePaul’s mission to address social injustices and community health practices in marginalized groups. A special focus on women’s health will be central to this year’s conference. This conference is provided free-of-charge to those interested in public health.
Presentations will take the form of skills-building workshops. Sessions will be focused on some aspect of the intersection of health disparities and women’s health among diverse populations, such as: immigrants, communities of color, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, low-income families, seniors/elders, and/or youth. In addition to the workshops and keynote speaker, a community lunch-hour session will include opportunities for networking and discussion.
Health disparities will be framed as social justice issues. The learning
exchanges that take place at the conference will provide attendees with an
improved ability to enrich the lives of those at highest risk for poor
health outcomes, including members of various groups who experience social
oppression and marginalization. Photo credit: Microsoft Clip Art
