Gisèle Pelicot demands to be heard in a system that stifles the voices of sexual violence victims. Now garnering attention from the world, Pelicot, 72, has become a hero and a symbol of resistance for many women, young and old, who see themselves in her. In Avignon, France, Pelicot insists she receives justice in “the […]
30 Years of Progress: The Evolution and Impact of the Violence Against Women Act
On September 13th, 1994, thirty years ago, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law. The monumental act has been a lifeline for women across the country, making history as one of the most influential pieces of legislation for women’s rights ever to be passed. Enacted and upheld for the last three decades, […]
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Silenced No More
VA NOW President Lisa Sales stands for survivors at the SAAM press conference. On Wednesday, April 24th, survivors and activists gathered outside the Alexandria Federal Courthouse for a press conference organized by Lisa Sales, President of Virginia NOW, to raise awareness about the continued prevalence of sexual violence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Speakers included […]
A Win For Youth in Virginia
On February 13th, the Virginia House of Delegates voted to pass House Bill 994, a bill that bans child marriage in all its forms. Virginia was one of the first states to ban child marriage in 2016, but there has always been a loophole allowing emancipated children between 16-18 years old to get married. Now, […]
U.S. Gymnasts Testify at Senate Hearing, Revealing How the FBI Mishandled the Larry Nassar Abuse Investigation
Four top U.S. gymnasts, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols, testified at a Senate hearing Wednesday on how the FBI botched the investigation into sexual abuse allegations made against former USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar. Nassar is currently serving a life sentence for molesting hundreds of women and girls during his time […]
Secretary of Defense Supports Major Change in Prosecution of Military Sexual Assault Cases
On Tuesday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin endorsed a proposed change in the military justice system that would remove the authority to prosecute sexual assault cases from the chain of command and instead transfer that authority to independent military lawyers. Under the new recommendations, military commanders would no longer handle the prosecution of sexual assault cases. […]
$200 Million of American Rescue Plan Will Support Domestic Violence Survivors and Their Children
This piece originally appeared on Ms. Magazine’s digital site During the pandemic, domestic violence in the U.S. rose by more than 8.1 percent, according to the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice—and this number is still increasing. Economic hardships, including unemployment, financial and food insecurity, burdens from child care and homeschooling, have exacerbated the triggers […]
HHS Announces Grant for Domestic Violence Survivors Through American Rescue Plan
On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $200 million to support the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Program grantees, funded through the American Rescue Plan. The Department’s funding is through the Family and Youth Services Bureau at the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families. These programs provide crisis intervention and […]
Military Sexual Assault Bill Gains Bipartisan Support in the Senate
A new bill that would change the way sexual assault cases are handled in the military is gaining bipartisan support in the Senate and could soon become law. The Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act was introduced last month by New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and would “professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes by moving […]
Attorney General Merrick Garland Asks Congress for $1 Billion for Office of Violence Against Women
On Tuesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland asked Congress for over $35 billion in funding for the Justice Department, including $1 billion for the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). The OVW assists state, local, territorial, and tribal programs in working to end gender-based violence. In addition to the $1 billion, $120 million is provided to […]
Two Female Afghan Supreme Court Judges Assassinated as Violent Terrorist Attacks Increase
On Sunday, in yet another targeted attack by the Taliban, two women judges on the Supreme Court of Afghanistan were shot and killed in Kabul. Two other employees of the Court were wounded in the same attack. The judges, along with their colleagues, were on their way to work in the morning when two gunmen killed and […]
Army Reprimands Senior Officials After Murder and Assault at Fort Hood
CW: murder, sexual misconduct Yesterday, the Army announced that 14 senior officers will receive punishment following the investigation of the death of Vanessa Guillén. This is one of the largest disciplinary actions ever taken by the service to date. These 14 officers will be relieved or suspended from their positions, after a probe was initiated […]
LSU Staff & Administration Mishandle Sexual Assault
CW: sexual assault, rape A USA Today investigation that was released yesterday indicates that Louisiana State University has mishandled numerous sexual assault complaints against students, many of which are athletes. A large number of these sexual misconduct complaints have been about the football team’s running back, Derrius Guice. A member of the diving team told […]
Protests Surge Amid Growing Rates of Gender-Based Violence in Turkey
Protests have stirred across Turkey in recent weeks as thousands of women have taken to the streets to rally against gender-based violence. Wednesday saw some of the largest rallies yet in response to the rising femicide rates and violence against women in Turkey. Most recently, last month’s brutal murder of Pinar Gültekin, a 27-year-old university […]
New Podcast Encourages Iranian Women to Share Stories of Domestic Violence
A new podcast in Iran helps women share stories of domestic violence and raises awareness about the lack of support systems in place for Iranian victims. The podcast is run by an Iranian woman who was herself a victim of domestic violence. In Iran, domestic violence is seen as a private issue, and victims are […]
Reports Reveal China’s Campaign to Forcibly Sterilize Uyghur Women
Reports Reveal China’s Campaign to Forcibly Sterilize Uyghur Women Reports and victim testimonies have brought to light a mass forced-sterilization campaign undertaken by the Chinese government against the Uyghur people. Many Uyghur women have recounted having their fallopian tubes forcibly cut or having IUDs inserted against their will. Others, after being taken to one of […]
U.N. Report Documents State Violence Against Repatriated North Korean Women
The U.N. human rights office released a report Tuesday showing women in North Korea faced violent human rights abuses in prison after being forcibly returned to the country when seeking employment abroad. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report cites testimony from more than 100 women who escaped after their detention. Detainees […]
Democratic Women Take to the House Floor to Address a Culture of Hostile Sexism
After Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL) failed to apologize for a vulgar verbal attack on Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) earlier this week, claiming that he “cannot apologize for his passion,” Ocasio-Cortez and her female Democratic colleagues addressed the incident on Thursday. In their speeches, these representatives dissected the unmistakable patterns of dehumanization and sexism that 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 […]
Trump’s Anti-Asylum Rule Will Harm Refugees Fleeing Gender Violence
In June, the Trump administration proposed a new rule that would make it virtually impossible for refugees to obtain asylum status in the United States. If implemented, the new regulation would eliminate gender-based asylum entirely and forbid asylum judges from hearing any cases involving “private” disputes wherein the persecutors are not directly linked to the […]
