On the Hill

House Votes to Remove Arbitrary Timeline on the ERA and Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act

Today, the House of Representatives voted 222-204 to remove the arbitrary timeline on the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. “Today the United States House of Representatives voted that there is no time limit on equality,” said Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation. “Now it’s up to the Senate to agree and clear […]

Violence Against Women

“Anti-Feminist” Lawyer Allegedly Shoots Female Judge’s Family, Killing Her Son

Roy Den Hollander, a lawyer from George Washington University Law School, who described himself as an “anti-feminist” and someone who defends “men’s rights”, shot himself and is the primary suspect in the shooting of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas’ husband and son. The FBI has confirmed his death and the death of Salas’ son. When investigators […]

Violence Against Women

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Nuisance Ordinances

Local laws known as nuisance ordinances have been popping up in hundreds of towns and cities across the country, marketed as a way to deter criminal activity by fining landlords whose properties are frequented by the police. In reality, they punish victims of domestic violence by forcing them to choose between their personal safety and the risk of homelessness.

Violence Against Women

Violence Against Women Act Turns 20

Passed in 1994, VAWA was the first piece of federal legislation to specifically address domestic violence and sexual assault as crimes and to provide federal funding to improve local response to violence against women, including training and resources for law enforcement and judges.

Uncategorized

Advocating for an Inclusive VAWA

by Amanda Reed, Communications Intern at the National Organization for Women On Feb. 12, the Senate passed an inclusive version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that would include provisions for previously-unprotected groups. Last week, the House revealed its own version of VAWA: a watered-down, non-inclusive bill that cuts out these protections. Sound familiar? […]

Uncategorized

Prioritizing Campus Safety

There is a crisis at colleges and universities across the nation­. In just the first six weeks of 2013, a Huffington Post survey found 75 instances of sexual assaults reported on college campuses. This is outrageous, but we shouldn’t be surprised. A U.S. Department of Justice study found that around 28 percent of womenare targets […]

Uncategorized

Save #VAWA! Pass the Violence Against Women Act: A HERVotes Blog Carnival

by Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation and Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, MomsRising.org UPDATE (2/28/2013): VICTORY! The House of Representatives decided to stand with students, Native Americans, immigrants, and the LGBT community and passed the Senate inclusive #VAWA in a vote 286-138! ———— At last the House will vote on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) today. The […]

Uncategorized

HERvotes Blog Carnival: Tell Congress to Reauthorize VAWA

by Eleanor Smeal, Feminist Majority Foundation For the eleventh #HERvotes blog carnival, we’re joining together to urge the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Domestic violence results in over two million injuries every year.  Three women die every day in the United States as the result of domestic violence.  Since the passage of […]

Politics

When Did Stopping Violence Against Women Become Political?

Last Thursday, I attended the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting when they voted to send the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011 to the Senate floor for a vote.  Every Committee Democrat voted yes and every Republican voted no.  Most of the Republicans didn’t even show up to cast their no votes, but did so […]

Uncategorized

HERvotes Blog Carnival: Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act

by Emily Alfano, National Council of Jewish Women For the eighth #HERvotes blog carnival, our coalition of women’s groups is joining forces for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey found alarming rates of sexual violence, stalking, and domestic […]

Abortion

Joining Forces – Women Veterans Speak Out: The Trenches, Remembered

by Joan Grey, Business and Professional Women’s Foundation Mentoring Liaison We all have our stories.  Maybe these narratives, rather than DNA, are really what make us human.  On the topic of military sexual trauma, I turned to my West Point women classmates for their input.  Ours was the first co-ed class. Out of over 900 […]

Campus

HERvotes: How the Youth, Women and Minority Vote are at Stake in 2012

By Francesca Witcher This post is part of the #Hervotes Blog Carnival and was originally posted on the Feminist Campus Blog. The Feminist Majority Foundation and Ms. Magazine are partnering with other organizations that represent women and people of color in a Health and Economic Right or HERvotes initiative for the election in 2012. FMF’s […]