Author: Feminist Newswire

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Bangladeshi Teenage Girl Burned to Death After Reporting Sexual Harassment

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Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a 19-year-old girl who reported her headmaster for sexual harassment, died on April 10 after being set on fire at school. Nusrat’s death has resulted in protests and outrage on social media. Since her death, police have arrested 15 people, including seven individuals who were allegedly involved in the murder.

“None of the culprits will be spared from legal action,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who met with Nusrat’s family in Dhaka.

Nusrat was studying at a madrassa, or Islamic school when her headmaster called her to his office and began to inappropriately touch her repeatedly. Nusrat ran out of his office and immediately reported the incident to the police with the help of her family. While she was giving a statement to the police, an officer in charge began filming her statement on his phone. The police disregarded her report as “no big deal” and leaked the video of her report to local media.

Police arrested the headmaster and a group of people began protesting in the streets to demand his release. Two male students arranged the protest where local politicians were allegedly in attendance. Nusrat continued to face abuse and threats from the local community while she continued to attend school. On April 6, Nusrat went to school for her final exams when another female student took her to the roof of the school. On the rooftop, Nusrat was surrounded by four to five people, wearing burqas and pressured her to withdraw her report. When she refused to withdraw her case, the assailants continued to douse her with kerosene and set her on fire, attempting to make the incident look like a suicide. Doctors were unable to treat her burns that covered 80 percent of her body.

However, before her death, Nusrat recorded a statement on her brother’s phone, identifying some of the attackers and stating, “The teacher touched me, I will fight this crime till my last breath.”

In 2009, the Bangladesh Supreme Court ordered all educational institutions to establish sexual harassment cells where students would be able to report incidences. Few schools have implemented the order and activists are now calling for the order to be executed and enshrined in law to protect students.

Nusrat’s case is only one of a widespread issue in Bangladesh. Victims of sexual harassment usually face judgement, harassment, and violent attacks for coming forward and reporting an incident. Two out of every three women in Bangladesh experience gender-based violence. In a study conducted by the World Health Organization, about 31 percent of women in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, and about 43 percent of women in Matlab, a rural area, said they did not report physical violence because they felt ashamed or feared they would not be believed.

“Here, we have a case that is tragic on so many different levels, in terms of the system’s failure, in terms of a girl who is brave enough to stand up against gender-based violence,” said Mia Seppo, the UN resident coordinator in Bangladesh. “And what happened is that her brave decision to do so led to more violence, leading to her death.”

 

Media Resources: The Guardian 4/18/19; BBC News 4/18/19; Vice News 4/21/15

Afghan Women and Government Delegation Aim to Participate in US-Taliban Peace Talks

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The President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, confirmed that a delegation representing the Afghan government and people will be going to Doha to meet with the Taliban representatives on April 20th. The 250 member delegation includes 52 women. The Taliban has yet to respond to this development.

President Ghani has stressed that the “representation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the people of Afghanistan is important because no one can represent the nation outside the framework of the state. The absolute right is that we all represent the entire government and nation.”

Up until now both the Afghan government and Afghan women were not included in the ongoing talks at the request of the Taliban. Afghan women have been demanding inclusion in the peace negations and protesting their exclusion since the talks began in 2018. Afghan women fear losing their hard-won rights, having seen the Taliban continue to commit brutal acts of violence and enforce draconian edicts in the parts of the country they still control.

While the Taliban have continued their negotiations, they have also continued their terrorist attacks. In regions the Taliban controls, they have been destroying girls’ schools. Sunday night, a girls’ school in the western province of Farah with at least 2,000 students enrolled was destroyed. The Taliban have not claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Farah provincial council believes the Taliban were behind it.

President Ghani has emphasized the need for Afghanistan to be a united country for peace to be achieved, saying “everyday we witness bloodsheds, suicide, explosions, and bombardments which have harmed our people mentally and psychologically.”

 

Take action to support Afghan women here.

 

Media Resources: Tolo News 4/17/19; Tolo News 4/16/19; Feminist Newswire 1/29/19

Congress to Reintroduce Women’s Health Protection Act

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On Tuesday, the Act for Women Campaign alongside Planned Parenthood, National Network of Abortion Funds, and Center of Reproductive Rights, held a briefing on two bills that aim to protect the constitutional and reproductive rights of women nationwide. The Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) protects abortion services against medically unnecessary restrictions, and the Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance (EACH Woman) Act will abolish restrictions on federal coverage for abortion services and promote affordability.

WHPA will be reintroduced in the Senate by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and in the House by Representatives Judy Chu (D-CA, Lois Frankel (D-FL), and Marcia Fudge (D-OH). Although the bill closely resembles the version introduced in the 115th Congress, this version emphasizes that abortion providers are free to implement services without medically unnecessary restrictions, limitations, or bans that hinders abortion access. The bill ensures that the protections of WHPA would remain, even if Roe v. Wade were overturned.

Last month, EACH was introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL). The bill, originally introduced in 2015, would prohibit federal, state and local governments from passing laws that restrict private health insurance companies from offering abortion care, and restore abortion insurance coverage to the 28 million women who receive health insurance through the federal government and are currently denied coverage for an abortion procedure through the 1976 Hyde Amendment.

Together, the two bills have the opportunity to change abortion access across the country, where anyone can get their rightful health coverage, regardless of their zip code. Attacks on abortion access by conservative politicians have imposed extreme and harmful conditions to women seeking reproductive healthcare. Their lack, or extremely limited, access to care jeopardizes their health.

Due to the recent influx of attacks on reproductive rights like the recent Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act which aims to make abortion punishable by a death penalty, HB314 which would ban all abortions as soon as a woman is “known to be pregnant”  in Alabama, or the “heartbeat bills” in states like Mississippi and Kentucky, the importance of WHPA and EACH remains prominent.

Amy Irvin, the executive director of the New Orleans Abortion Fund, stated “The importance of the WHPA bill is not to be understated, it is desperately needed in states like Louisiana and other Southern states… the Midwest is also being decimated by pro-choice bills.”

WHPA was first introduced in 2013, and reintroduced in 2015 and 2017. The new version is set would “prohibit specific restrictions that have become increasingly common across the states but are presumptively unconstitutional” and “creates a test for future restrictions that courts would have to apply.” During the 115th Congress, the bill had 169 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 42 cosponsors in the Senate.

 

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 4/11/19, 4/3/19, 3/21/19

Indian Political Party Nominates 41 Percent Female Candidates

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The Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) is attempting to rectify India’s poor representation of women in their lawmaking bodies by nominating 41 percent women candidates for races in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament.

Despite women making up almost half of India’s 900 million voters, women make up only 11 percent of members in parliament and 9 percent in state assemblies. In a list of 193 countries, India was ranked 149th for representation of women in parliament. As a result of this drastic disparity in representation, the TMC nominated a mix of women, such as career politicians, actresses, doctors, and activists.

In response, the Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party has included a promise in their manifestos to pass a bill pending since 1996 that would reserve 33 percent of seats in parliament and regional assemblies for women. However, similar promises were included in their last manifesto with no fruition. These parties have also promised women greater access to sanitary napkins, increases in female workforce participation, and protection against workplace sexual harassment.

“You can’t develop a society without uplifting the status of its women,” said Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, a founding member of the TMC and two-term MP. Studies have shown that women representatives bring economic growth to their constituencies. In general, new research, suggests that women in power are a vital part of preventing nuclear conflict, as well as resolving potential nuclear weapon issues. Including women in non-proliferation talks increases the diversity of ideas and leads to more positive outcomes.

In the 2014 general election, the TMC nominated 33 percent women where 12 out of their 34 MPs in the outgoing lower house were women.

 

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 4/16/19; BBC 4/11/19; BBC 4/17/19

New Research Finds Women Make Nuclear War Less Imminent

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New research, including research by the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy, suggests that women are a vital part of preventing nuclear conflict, as well as resolving potential nuclear weapons issues. Including women in non-proliferation talks is proven to increase the diversity of ideas and lead to more positive outcomes.

The Royal Society found that in simulated scenarios men are more likely to display “overconfidence” that leads to attacks. Involvement of women in these scenarios was found to result in de-escalation of the given conflicts. Findings like these drove the U.S. Women, Peace and Security Act, which was passed in 2017 and requires women be included in all U.S. peace talks.

Despite repeated confirmation on the importance of including women in peace talks, today only about a quarter of international delegates for nonproliferation talks are women. Research states that increasing this number even 5% to 30% would make a significant change in peace talk outcomes. Adding more women to nonproliferation talks changes the group dynamic as well as the diversity of viewpoints, which results in more successful negotiations.

Women are an important part of all peace talks, not just nuclear non-proliferation. The Council on Foreign Relations found that when women participate in peace talks, including women’s organizations, the agreements are 64% less likely to fail.

These findings also highlight the Feminist Majority Foundation’s stance on increasing the involvement of Afghanistan women in the Taliban Peace talks. Women have been kept out of these peace talks despite overwhelming evidence that their involvement would lead to a more successful agreement.

 

Media: GCNP 2019; Foreign Policy 2019; The Royal Society 2019; United States Institute of Peace 2019; CFR 2018

India Supreme Court Considering Allowing Women into Mosques

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India’s Supreme Court is now considering a case to allow women into mosques. Currently, most mosques in India do not allow women in at all or have a separate entrance for women to worship in a segregated area.

Individuals began a petition to allow women into mosques, arguing that women were allowed to do so during the time of Prophet Mohammed. The petition states, “Like men, women also have the constitutional rights to offer worship according to their belief.”

The attorney for the case states that the practice of not allowing women into mosques “not only repugnant to the basic dignity of a woman as an individual, but also violative of their fundamental rights.”

Last year, India lifted a ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into Hindu temples stating it violated their right to worship. The petition argues this ruling should be used as precedent for their case.

 

Media Resources: Reuters 4/16/19; India Today 4/16/19

“Virginity Exams” in Afghanistan Continue Despite Government Efforts

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Invasive and medically meaningless examinations, which are meant to determine a girl or women’s virginity status by inspecting their hymen or inserting fingers into their vagina, have persisted in Afghanistan, despite the government’s official public health policy that bars health workers from engaging in the abusive practice.

The prevalence of virginity exams continues as prosecutors and law enforcement officers often order these tests in cases of moral crimes to submit as evidence which lead to longer prison sentences. Women who fail the virginity exam can be incarcerated for up to three months, but many women and girls are jailed for a year and a half. Even if women are determined to be a virgin, the stigma of the test itself ruins women’s reputations and bring humiliation to women. Girls and women who are found simply walking alongside a male can be accused of premarital sex and subjected to the harmful exam.

“Virginity examinations” are humiliating, traumatic, and nonconsensual practices that attempt to determine whether a woman or a girl had premarital sex, which is considered a moral crime in Afghanistan. Virginity tests are documented to be practiced around the world in at least 20 countries, but the U.N., World Health Organization, U.N. Women, and U.N. Human Rights called for a global ban in 2018. WHO has said that there is no scientific evidence that virginity exams can prove whether a person has had vaginal intercourse or not and should not be practiced, as girls and women’s hymens can vary with some remaining intact after sexual intercourse and others not even born with a hymen.

In July 2018, the Ministry of Public Health issued an official public health policy that barred government health workers from practicing virginity tests and ended the use of virginity tests as a basis for women to be jailed.

The U.N. has called these virginity exams discriminatory against women and a violation of human rights. stating “the social expectation that girls and women should remain ‘virgins’ is based on stereotyped notions that female sexuality should be curtailed within marriage. This notion is harmful to women and girls globally.”

 

Media Resources: NPR 10/1918; Human Rights Watch 7/10/18

Ohio Implements Unconstitutional Six Week Abortion Ban

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Ohio has officially banned abortions after 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, before many women even know they are pregnant. The law will make an exception to save a woman’s life, however no exceptions for cases of rape and incest. It will take effect in 90 days unless blocked by a federal judge.

The law also creates punishments for doctors who perform abortions. Doctors who perform abortion after a heartbeat is detected face a fifth-degree felony, up to a year in jail, and the State Medical Board may impose fines up to $20,000.

Similar bills have been deemed unconstitutional in states such as Kentucky and Iowa. The ACLU of Ohio has also said it will be suing the state on behalf of Planned Parenthoods throughout Ohio. Former Ohio Governor John Kasich vetoed a similar bill several times, saying that it would be too expensive for the state to go to court over.

Ohio is now the fifth state this year to sign a heartbeat bill into law. While many of these laws end up being blocked by federal judges, they have become part of a larger movement to overturn Roe V. Wade.

 

Media Resources: NPR 4/11/19; NY Mag 4/11/19

South Korea Rules Sixty Year Old Abortion Ban Unconstitutional

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On Thursday, Seoul’s Constitutional Court voted 7-to-2 to overturn the 66-year-old abortion ban in South Korea, which criminalized abortion except in cases of rape, incest or imminent danger to the women’s health, and was one of the strictest abortion bans in a developed country.

The court ruled the abortion ban as unconstitutional and violated a pregnant women’s choice and “a pregnant woman’s right to self determination.”

The court ordered Parliament to revise the abortion ban by deciding whether to restrict abortions in the late stages of a pregnancy, by the end of 2020. Until the deadline, the ban will still be enforced. If lawmakers do not meet the deadline, the ban will become void. Legalization paves the way for the first abortion rights in South Korea.

Despite the overruling being met with praise from the majority, a small faction of Catholics and other Christian denominations have been vocal over their outrage. They held a protest outside of the court, whilst women’s health care advocates rallied on the other side. The anti-abortion protesters shouted demeaning terms like “murderers” and called the court ruling “against humanity.”

Lee Yu-rim of the Sexual and Reproductive Rights Forum called the ruling a “historical milestone” and stated that, “Now a woman can be respected for her own decision about her body.”

In February, a women’s group campaigning for abortion rights in South Korea said, “When there were too many people, they told us ‘not to produce babies’ in the name of family planning, and when they thought there were not enough people, they then told us ‘to produce babies’ or face punishment… We can no longer put up with this deceitful frame.”

In 1973, the government revised the law to allow abortions for rape or incest victims, if the pregnancy posed imminent danger to the women’s health, or to couples who could prove they had hereditary diseases. In the 1970s and 1980s, South Korea’s population grew immensely and the government started population and birth rate control campaigns, issuing propaganda posters with slogans like “It’s too crowded in Korea” and “Even two is too much.”

The ban was first enacted in 1953, when South Korean laws were first written. Although the ban criminalized abortions, they were widely available and practiced in South Korea for decades, with 1 in 5 women saying they have had an abortion. Regardless, women’s rights advocates continued to push for legalization because women’s health was consistently jeopardized under the ban because people sought out unauthorized and unregulated abortions.

The long-standing, now-overruled ban allowed women to be fined or face up to a year in prison for having the procedure, and medical providers that perform the procedure could face up to two years. Although it was allowed in special cases, a woman still needed permission from her spouse or cohabiting partner. Advocates emphasized the ban made women vulnerable to reprisals, as most abortion-convicted women were reported by boyfriends, former boyfriends, husbands and in-laws. Obstetricians and legal scholars have stated that the government turned a blind eye and implicitly encouraged abortion for years in order to advance social goals, so the ban was not heavily enforced, but it caused women to face unnecessary hurdles like doctors that would not perform the procedure due to fear of persecution.

 

Media Resources: Washington Post 4/11/19; LA Times 4/11/19; New York Times 4/11/19; New York Times 1/13/18

Trump Transgender Military Ban Takes Effect

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President Trump’s highly controversial and discriminatory military policy to ban all transgender individuals from serving in the United States Military will officially take effect today at the Pentagon.

In addition to banning transgender individuals from military service, the Pentagon will also prevent using any DoD or DHS resources to fund sex reassignment procedures or surgeries, which affects current and past military personnel. Specifically, the policy prohibits those diagnosed with gender dysphoria and who have, as a result, sought any medical treatment from serving in military troops. The Department of Defense stated that individuals who opt to not receive medical treatment will still be eligible to serve despite the diagnosis. It is estimated that over 15,000 active duty transgender troop will be impacted by this policy.

The official policy approval and installment comes nearly two years after Trump first tweeted about the policy proposal. Those who joined the military prior to Trump’s term in office will be grandfathered under Obama Era policies that protect transgender individuals. This means that they will be permitted to serve, however, they cannot use DoD or DHS resources for medical expenses.

Lawyer Shannon Minter, who opposed the ban in court, argued that “This is absolutely ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ for transgender people.” Minter has also stated that the new policy has created “extreme” anxiety for transgender individuals currently in active duty who have yet to come out.

 

Media Resources: ABC 4/12/2019; CBS 4/12/2019; NBC 4/12/2019

A Texas Bill Would Make Abortion Punishable by Death Penalty

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Texas lawmakers are considering a bill, called the Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act or House Bill 896, that would ban all abortion in the state as well as charge women who have abortions with homicide, a crime punishable by death penalty in the state of Texas.

The bill was granted its first committee hearing in the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence earlier this week. The proposed legislation criminalizes abortions, giving no exceptions for rape or incest and blatantly violating the Roe v. Wade decision, which outlawed criminalizing abortion. In addition to making no exceptions, the act also directs authorities to ignore any conflicting federal laws. The bill has received backlash from both pro-choice and anti-abortion groups. “I am absolutely appalled by any proposal that would suggest prosecuting a woman for seeking an abortion or obtaining an abortion,” said Catherine Glenn Foster, president of the anti-abortion group Americans United for Life.

“My bill simply accomplishes one goal,” said Rep. Tony Tinderholt, a Republican state legislator who introduced the bill. “It brings equal treatment for unborn human beings under the law.”

However, Democrats on the committee have criticized the hypocrisy of the bill’s provisions. “I’m trying to reconcile in my head the arguments that I heard tonight about how essentially one is OK with subjecting a woman to the death penalty … to do to her the exact same thing that one is alleging she is doing to a child,” said Democratic Rep. Victoria Neave. With major backlash from both sides of the issue, the bill is unlikely to pass.

In fact, Republican Rep. Jeff Leach, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence, said, “I cannot and will not support nor will I let come out of this committee any bill on [abortion] which targets the woman with either civil or criminal liability.”

While the bill is unlikely to pass, the proposed legislation is only one of a growing trend towards anti-abortion laws meant to attack Roe v. Wade. In 2019 alone, over 250 restrictive abortion bills have been introduced in state legislatures. Several states such as Kentucky and Mississippi have attempted to pass “heartbeat bills,” which would ban abortions as soon as the sixth week of pregnancy, before most women even know they are pregnant. Both states have already faced legal challenges, and a federal judge has blocked Kentucky’s law. Georgia and several other states are considering similar restrictive bills. Prior to 2019, only two states had enacted a six-week ban with both laws being struck down by the courts.

In addition, six states have also passed “trigger laws” that would automatically outlaw abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned and another eight states have introduced similar bills outlawing abortion. Despite these restrictions, a Pew Research survey shows that 69% of Americans do not want Roe v. Wade overturned.

“We’re at a critical moment where abortion bans are flying through state legislatures,” said Elizabeth Nash, a state policy analyst for Guttmacher. “Abortion opponents are emboldened to try all kinds of very extreme pieces of legislation.”

 

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 4/3/19; Vox 4/11/19; NBC News 4/10/19; New York Times 4/10/19

New Zealand Bans Semiautomatic Weapons in a 119-1 Vote

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Twenty-four hours after a right-wing terrorist killed 50 people in a Christchurch mosque, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a national ban on military-style semiautomatic weapons. The ban, which passed the legislature in a 119 to 1 vote, extends to all high-capacity ammunition and parts that allow guns to be converted into military-style semiautomatic weapons. All parties, including the main opposition party, overwhelmingly supported Ardern’s plan. Since the perpetrator obtained his firearms legally, Ardern wants to prevent future casualties through a broad firearms ban.

“Every semi-automatic weapon used in the terror attack on Friday will be banned,” Arden promised. “These weapons were designed to kill, and they were designed to maim and that is what they did on the 15th of March,” she said.

The new law updates the Arms Act of 1983, which Parliament passed after the last mass shooting. The 2019 version includes a buy-back scheme, so who own banned weapons can sell them back to the police for compensation depending on their age and quality. Those found in possession of outlawed weapons face up to five years in prison. The law also reclassifies some weapons as “military style” so people who owned firearms that were legal in the past must surrender them to the police. Police Commissioner Mike Bush said that gun drops will be set up at police stations so citizens can safely surrender their weapons.

During the debate in Parliament, Ardern stood on the floor and told stories of when she visited victims in the hospital. All the victims she spoke to suffered multiple gunshot wounds. On top of the physical disabilities, the victims will carry the psychological impact with them for the rest of their lives. She urged lawmakers to use their voices to stand up for the people who had lost theirs.

After an accelerated debate process, the House of Representatives passed the law 119-1. The sole dissenter represents the right-wing libertarian ACT party.

Ardern applauded Parliament’s bipartisanship and “[could not] imagine circumstances where that is more necessary than it is now.”

In addition to the firearms ban, Ardern emphasized that tech companies must limit the spread of white supremacist messages online. The terrorist used message boards to become radicalized and radicalize others. She wants to work with tech companies to find the right balance between internet freedom and protecting New Zealanders of all backgrounds.

 

Media Resources: The New York Times 3/20/19; CNN 3/21/19; BBC 4/10/19; The Atlantic 3/21/19; Feminist Newswire 3/22/19

Women’s Colleges in Japan Begin to Accept Transgender Students

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Last week, Chikushi Jogakuen University, a women’s university located in Fukuoka, Japan, on the island of Kyushu, announced they will begin accepting transgender students for admission. The university stated they will give more details towards the end of 2019. The university follows the example of other women’s colleges in Japan that have announced similar policies; however it will be the first university in Kyushu to admit transgender students.

Although Japan has strict gender roles and is known for their lack of LGBTQIA+ rights, Japan’s minor strides provide hope on a societal level for those that face inequality in Japan. However, on a governmental level, Japan still has a lot of work to do to pave the way for equality.

Earlier this year, The Japanese Supreme Court unanimously upheld Law 111, which requires transgender people looking to officially change their gender to undergo sterilization by removing their original reproductive organs, which caused human rights and LGBTQIA+ activists to immediately denounce the ruling.

Last year, Ochanomizu Women’s University in Tokyo shattered boundaries and paved a new path by announcing a new policy that would welcome transgender students starting in 2020. In the policy, they emphasized as long as that students identify as female, they are eligible for admission; in other words, the school will not require students born with male genitalia to undergo a sex-change operation before enrolling. This policy is the first of its kind in Japan. Since Ochanomizu University’s announcement, a few other women’s colleges have followed suit, like Nara Women’s University, and Tsuda University.

 

Media Resources:  SoraNews 24 4/10/19; SoraNews 24 7/2/18; Feminist Newswire 1/28/19

Congress Introduces BE HEARD Act

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The BE HEARD Act, a comprehensive bill meant to address and prevent workplace sexual harassment, was introduced in Congress on Tuesday by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), and other co-sponsors.

The bill is intended to close loopholes within federal discrimination laws, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as to provide resources and assistance to employers in preventing workplace harassment. The proposed legislation would extend protection to workers at small businesses, independent contractors, interns, LGBTQ workers, and volunteers, who were originally excluded from the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The bill also eliminates the tipped minimum wage, which perpetuates harassment within the workplace by compelling workers to endure harassment in order to pay their bills. The current federal minimum wage for tipped workers is only $2.13 an hour, causing workers to rely on tips to make up the difference. In addition, the bill authorizes research and data collection on workplace harassment as well as grants for legal assistance to low-income workers.

Furthermore, the BE HEARD Act addresses the serious issues within the court system when handling workplace harassment claims. Women seeking to sue their employers in federal court must first submit a formal complaint to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within a strict time frame of no later than 180 days after the alleged discrimination. The bill would extend the 180-day statue of limitations to 4 years. The bill also addresses the detrimental practice of nondisclosure agreements and mandatory arbitration clauses within employee contracts that circumvent the justice system by taking legal disputes out of the courtroom and silencing victims from sharing their stories publicly.

The historic bill follows the allegations of high-profile men in Hollywood and the #MeToo movement which sparked discussions surrounding sexual violence and harassment as women around the world demonstrated solidarity with other survivors. The “Me Too” movement was originally founded by activist Tarana Burke nearly ten years ago in an attempt to unify people who have survived sexual assault, especially in underprivileged communities “where rape crisis centers and sexual assault workers weren’t going.” The sponsors of the bill understood that current laws fail domestic workers and those who do not get media attention.

“When we started work on the Be HEARD Act, we’d heard a lot about abuses of power in Hollywood and in Congress,” Sen. Patty Murray said. “What we wanted to do was shine a spotlight on workers who weren’t in those headlines.”

“I am thinking about the hotel workers I worked alongside when I was scraping money together to help my family,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley added. “I am thinking about the transgender men and women who face discrimination for living their truth. I am thinking of my mother Sandy and my daughter Cora — my past and this country’s future.”

Of the women who reported unwanted sexual advances at work, 80 percent said it constituted as sexual harassment and one-third say it constituted as sexual abuse. That means that 33 million U.S. women were sexually harassed and 14 million women were sexually abused at worked. 95 percent of women who have experienced unwanted sexual advances at work say that male harassers typically go unpunished.

 

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 10/17/17; Bustle 4/9/19; Vox 4/9/19

Superior Court Judge Faces Suspension for Questioning Sexual Assault Survivor in Court

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New Jersey Superior Court Judge John F. Russo Jr. is expected to be suspended from his position for three months without pay, per recommendation of the state’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct after it became public that he suggested a sexual assault survivor close her legs. Superior Judge Russo has been on administrative leave since 2017 while the committee investigates his previous actions.

A woman, who will remain unidentified, sought a restraining order from Judge Russo in 2016 against a man who had previously sexually assaulted her. Judge Russo said to her, according to the court transcript, “Do you know how to stop somebody from having intercourse with you?” He continued to pressure her stating, “Close your legs? Call the police? Did you do any of those things?”

The Advisory Committee found that Judge Russo violated the code of judicial conduct on four separate occasions, including the exchange with these women. The Committee released a statement that “questioning of the plaintiff in this manner, to include hypotheticals, was wholly unwarranted, discourteous and inappropriate” and could “re-victimize the plaintiff.”

The other violations of judicial conduct include overruling an alimony case in which he knew the plaintiff, as well as abusing his office to reschedule a guardianship hearing for his son with disabilities.

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ordered a hearing in July in order to assess the recommendations. The Advisory Committee has also recommended “appropriate courtroom demeanor” training for Judge Russo.

 

Media: Washington Post 2019; Huffington Post 2019; NY Times 2019; Refinery 29 2019

Equal Rights Amendment Introduced to Louisiana State Senate

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Today the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S. Constitution was introduced in the Louisiana Senate by Louisiana State Senator Jean-Paul Morrell. It has been 47 years since the Louisiana Senate has voted in favor of ratifying women’s equality into the U.S. Constitution.

HCR2 was also introduced in the Louisiana State House by Representative Robert Carte. Both of the introductions of the bill come at the opening of the 2019 legislative session.

Currently, only one additional state is needed to ratify the ERA on a national constitutional level. The Constitutional amendment would grant women and men the same legal protections, as well as require equality for all genders. Louisiana is one of 13 states to not ratify the ERA. Renewed interest in passing the ERA has aroused in the last few years, with Nevada passing the ERA in 2017, followed by Illinois in 2018.

Proponents of the ERA include the Louisiana Ratify ERA Coalition, who is currently hosting a lobby day and march at the Louisiana Capitol in order to educate lawmakers about the ERA. Founder of the Coalition, Angela Adkins, has advocated for the bill stating that “the United States leads the world in policy making,” and “if we set an example that women are equal, we can change the way that women are treated around the globe, not just in the United States.”

 

Media: Feminist Majority 2019; The Advocate 2019; Louisiana State Senate 2019; LARTL 2019

Students Protest Kavanaugh Teaching at George Mason University

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This summer, Brett Kavanaugh will be teaching a course on the origins of the U.S. Constitution at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia School of Law campus in London. Jennifer Mascott, an assistant professor of law at George Mason and a former clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals in the D.C. Circuit, will be joining him for the course. Mascott came to Kavanaugh’s defense when he was accused of sexual assault.

Sexual assault survivors at George Mason’s main campus have been mobilizing to have Kavanaugh removed. At a meeting with the Board of Visitors, one student said “as a survivor of sexual assault, this decision has really impacted me negatively, it has affected my mental health knowing that an abuser will be part of our faculty.” A group on campus called Mason 4 Victims has also created a petition to remove Kavanaugh and requests the school to issue a formal apology. They also are requesting that the school release all documents related to Kavanaugh’s hire.

The university’s president, Angel Cabrera, is refusing to let Kavanaugh go. Neil Gorsuch will also be teaching a class at the law school’s campus in Padua, Italy.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assaulting her while they were both in high school during the 1980s. According to an account Ford gave to the Washington Post, Kavanaugh was intoxicated when he trapped her in a bedroom at a party, pinned her to the bed, groped her, grinded his body against hers, and attempted to remove her clothing. She alleges that Kavanaugh held her down when she tried to get away and covered her mouth with his hand when she tried to scream for help. Eventually she was able to escape, and says that for decades she has been coping with the trauma from that night. Dr. Ford testified in front of Congress, however Republicans discredited her and Kavanaugh was placed on the Supreme Court anyways.

 

Media Resources: Washington Post 4/9/19; Feminist Newswire 9/17/18; Washington Post 9/16/18

Lindsey Graham Holds Hearing on Dangerous Anti-Abortion Act

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

Today, Senator Lindsey Graham, the head of the Judicial Committee, is holding a hearing on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a dangerous bill based on “junk science” that would make abortion after 20 weeks illegal. This bill could have lethal consequences for women who “are faced with pregnancies complicated by severe birth defects that can only be diagnosed at this stage of pregnancy.”

At the hearing, Senator Durbin argued that “while we debate abortion, pregnant moms in the US are dying at a rate nearly unheard of in the rest of the world…23,000 infants die each year mostly from preventable issues. Out of the richest nations we rank 32 out of 35 concerning infant deaths.”

Democratic State Senator Jen Jordan testified that the 20 week ban in Georgia has negatively impacted women’s rights to make comprehensive reproductive healthcare choices. “We heard testimony from mothers who just happened to get a scan a bit earlier than 20 weeks & they felt like they were rushed into a decision to terminate a pregnancy, that they didn’t have time to evaluate the other options because of the 20 week ban.”

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act incorrectly claims that “an unborn child is capable of experiencing pain by at least 20 weeks after fertilization, if not earlier.” All current medical evidence disputes this claim. The Act would ban abortion nationally after 20 weeks except in cases of incest, rape, or if the life of the mother is in danger. The Act would also impose a fine and prison time for those who perform an abortion after 20 weeks.

Dr. Daniel Grossman, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive health at the University of California at San Francisco and the director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, said that “the best available evidence indicates that it’s not possible for a fetus at 20 or 22 weeks to feel pain. The neurofibrils that connect pain receptors to the cerebral cortex are not developed, and really don’t develop until the third trimester.” The Journal of the American Medical Association agrees with Dr. Grossman’s conclusions; in 2005 the journal published the most comprehensive literature review on fetal pain and concluded that fetuses don’t develop pain receptors until the third trimester.

Seventeen states currently have 20 week abortion bans even though only 1.3% of all abortions occur after 20 weeks. Dr. Beverly Gray argues that although the number of abortions after 20 weeks is low, it is necessary to allow legal abortions after 20 weeks because of the reasons why women seek abortions after 20 weeks are very complex. “Many of these women are faced with pregnancies complicated by severe birth defects that can only be diagnosed at this stage of the pregnancy. Other women are diagnosed with medical complications, such as cancer, where pregnancy can put their life at risk. Many teenagers don’t realize they are pregnant until the second trimester and often seek care later, especially if they are hesitant to disclose the news to their family. Because abortion after 20 weeks is more rare, there are fewer ob-gyn’s who provide this care, making it logistically difficult to find a doctor, which can also create delays.”

The passage of this bill would have extremely dangerous effects on reproductive health care and reproductive choice.

 

Media Resources: Refinery 29 1/29/18; Committee on the Judiciary 4/9/19; Feminist Majority 4/9/19

ERA Introduced in Missouri State Senate

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

Last week, Missouri State Senator Jill Schupp introduced the Equal Rights Amendment into the state senate for ratification. Senator Schupp faces a tough battle in the Missouri State Senate after the Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz announced that he would oppose the legislation. Missouri’s Senate is composed of 24 Republicans and 10 Democrats and the legislation is currently in committee.

“Women have been publicly fighting for equality since 1868,” Schupp said; “We believe that once we have the 38th state in place, [the ERA} will move forward.”

Kamala Lopez, the executive director of Equal Means Equal documentary and the lead organizer of the National ERA Coalition was in Missouri last week advocating for the passage of the ERA. In response to opponents of the ERA, Lopez argued that “the ERA will not cause the sky to fall.” Lopez is calling for more education surrounding the ERA to assuage opponents’ fears and correct miseducation regarding the ERA.

Sherry Buchanan, a member of ERA 38, a group dedicated to making Missouri the 38th state, could not testify last week in front of the committee due  to time restraints and the large number of people who showed up to testify in support of the ERA. Buchanan instead submitted her testimony in writing. She argued that “we take the gains of the past few decades for granted and do not seem to realize how easily they could be rescinded. Congress and legislatures could overturn some of the laws now in place or pass new laws that are discriminatory. Courts could render non-egalitarian rulings. Regulatory agencies could change rules. And funding could be used to keep women from having equal access and opportunity.”

Another ERA supporter, Carolyn McGowan, said that “there’s a lot more rights that women have now than we did when I was a little girl, but they aren’t guaranteed in the Constitution, and we can see how people can reverse things, easily, by executive order, even legislative for women’s rights, for everyone.”

In January, Congresswomen Jackie Speier (D-Ca.) and Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) hosted a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to announce the introduction of legislation in support of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). They were joined by activists and organizations spearheading the movement such as the Feminist Majority, the National Organization for Women, the National Women’s Law Center, the ERA Coalition, Virginia General Assembly Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Price William), actors and activists Alyssa Milano and Patricia Arquette, and other members of Congress.

Because the 1982 deadline has been one of the biggest obstacles to the ERA, Rep. Speier plans to introduce a bill to Congress that will remove the 1982 deadline from the ERA bill. Speier mentions the statue of a woman called “Contemplation of Justice” which resides on the steps of the Supreme Court, and states women are tired of contemplating justice; “we want justice now.” Rep. Maloney introduced a separate bill to kick-start the ratification process again. Supporters of the ERA have waited long enough and continue to push forth effort in ratifying the ERA.

 

Media Resources: St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4/1/19; Four States Homepage 4/1/19; The Joplin Globe 4/3/19; Feminist Newswire 1/30/19

 

Only 33 House Republicans Support the Violence Against Women Act

Posted on by Feminist Newswire

The House passed the Violence Against Women Act yesterday in a 263-158 vote, with 33 Republicans voting for the bill, and 157 voting against the re-authorization. The current law only bars gun ownership for convicted abusers who are married to their victim, live with their victim, or have a child with their victim. A new provision aimed at closing the so-called “boyfriend loophole” would extend this gun ban to convicted stalkers, as well as current or past dating partners who are convicted of domestic abuse and those with restraining orders.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick is the only GOP co-sponsor of the bill, stating “I understand for some of my colleagues that may be controversial. For me, it’s not…I think the biggest threat to the Second Amendment is when you allow all of these gun crimes to occur unaddressed, because that erodes people’s confidence and trust in people that are legitimately trying to protect themselves and their families and their homes.”

Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority and Feminist Majority Foundation, said in a statement: “I am pleased that the U.S. House has reauthorized VAWA, a bill I have advocated for and fought to improve for over 25 years…But our work is far from over. Unfortunately, the funding allocated in this bill is still not sufficient enough to support all of the domestic and sexual violence resources needed in the United States. Too many women still lose their jobs because of intimate partner violence. Half of women experiencing homelessness report that intimate partner violence is the immediate cause. Students at schools across the country are still fighting for fair treatment when they courageously report sexual assault.”

The NRA has opposed this bill, which has tested the loyalty of the 33 Republicans who voted in favor of the bill. President Trump has not yet stated if he will sign the bill, which also must pass the Senate.

 

Media Resources: Feminist Newswire 4/2/19; NPR 4/4/19

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