Aaron Persky, the judge who sparked national outrage after granting a light jail sentence to Stanford rapist Brock Turner, was recalled by California voters in their June 5 primary. It is very rare for a judge to be recalled: since 1911 when recalls were first legalized, only four attempts have been successful; the last was in 1932.
Sessions Reverses Asylum Protection for Immigrants Fleeing Domestic and Gang Violence
On Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ruled that a 2014 Board of Immigration Appeals decision protecting victims of gang or domestic violence was “wrongly decided.” “Generally, claims by aliens pertaining to domestic violence or gang violence perpetrated by non-governmental actors will not qualify for asylum,” Sessions wrote. “The applicant must show that the government condoned […]
When Misogyny Kills
More than half of mass shootings have been committed by gunmen with a history of violence against women.
Federal Appeals Court Hears Title IX Complaint Brought by Feminist Majority Foundation
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit heard oral arguments in a Title IX sex discrimination complaint brought by the Feminist Majority Foundation against the University of Mary Washington and UMW’s former president Richard Hurley.
Women’s and Labor Rights Advocates hold Enough is Enough Summit on Sex Harassment
Last week the Enough is Enough Summit and Briefing on Capitol Hill harnessed the momentum of the #MeToo movement to bring together a diverse group of lawyers, activists, and policy makers to think through comprehensive survivor-centered policy solutions to the sexual harassment and violence epidemic in workplaces and schools.
Oregon Legislature Passes Strict Gun Law
Just one week after the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Oregon lawmakers passed a new gun control bill that bans domestic abusers from purchasing or owning firearms.
House Passes Unanimous, Bipartisan Bill to Address Sexual Harassment on Capitol Hill
The House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill last week that reforms the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, which provides the current guidelines for how sexual harassment, discrimination and other related claims are handled on Capitol Hill. The new reform bill awaits a vote in the Senate.
Congress Passes Bill to Protect Young Athletes from Sexual Abuse
Last week, the House and Senate passed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act that makes it mandatory for sports organizations to report the sexual abuse of athletes to law enforcement or social services within 24 hours. The bill is now waiting to be signed into law by the President.
Congressional Leaders Request Review of Climate Surveys on Campus Sexual Violence
United States Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Ro Khanna (D-CA), and Susan Davis (D-CA) requested Monday that the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a comprehensive review of past and existing campus climate surveys used to collect data on the incidence of sexual violence on college campuses in order to provide recommendations to Congress for developing a standard, nationwide survey.
Talks of Reparations for South Korean “Comfort Women” End
South Korea announced that it will not be pursuing renegotiations with the Japanese government over reparations for South Koreans victimized by the Imperial Japanese Army sex slave trade during World War II.
Civil Rights Icon Recy Taylor Dies at 97
Recy Taylor, a civil rights icon who was one of many black women victimized with impunity in the Jim Crow Era, died in her sleep at a nursing home in Abbeville, Alabama on December 28, 2017, just three days before her 98th birthday.
Time’s Up on Workplace Sexual Harassment at Golden Globe Awards
On Sunday evening, attendees of the 75th Golden Globe Awards honoring achievement in film and television dressed in black and wore Time’s Up pins to participate in a blackout that showed support and solidarity for the movement to combat workplace sexual harassment.
Senate Candidate Roy Moore Accused of Sexual Assault by Several Women
Last week, the Washington Post published an article sharing the stories of four women who have accused Roy Moore, Republican nominee for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, of initiating unwanted sexual contact. Leigh Corfman, one of the women interviewed by the Post, was only 14 years old when she was approached by Roy Moore […]
#MeToo Movement Raises Awareness on Sexual Assault and Harassment
The statement “Me too” has spread across internet in the last 48 hours as survivors of sexual assault and harassment take to their social media accounts to raise awareness about the prevalence of violence against women.
Over a Dozen Women Allege Sexual Harassment or Assault by Harvey Weinstein
Over a dozen women have come forward accusing Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment, and multiple women have alleged they were also sexually assaulted by the media mogul. Since the story of Weinstein’s decades long record of sexual harassment was brought to light by the New York Times last week, Weinstein has been fired from the company that bears his name, and four members of his all-male board have resigned.
Feminist Majority Foundation Condemns Department of Education Over New Title IX Guidance
This week the Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) and other women’s rights advocates commandeered a hearing held by the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) in order to express grievance over the Department’s rescinding of Title IX guidance documents that served to protect victims of sexual assault on college campuses.
Temple University Feminists Protest Board of Trustees Chairman
In September, the Temple University group Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) announced their campaign to try to remove the name Patrick O’Connor, lawyer for Bill Cosby, from one of the university plazas as well as oust him from his role as chairman of the Board of Trustees. FMLA is affiliated with the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Feminist Campus program.
Women & Girls Comprise 71% of Those Impacted by Modern Slavery
In the past year, an estimated 40 million people were victims of modern slavery, according to a report published last week by The Walk Free Foundation, International Labour Organization, and International Organization for Migration. The report estimates that of these 40 million individuals 71% of those enslaved are women.
Lebanon Repeals Legal Loopholes for Rapists
Last week, the Lebanese Parliament voted to repeal Article 522 of the government’s penal code which halts the prosecution or conviction of an alleged rapist if the perpetrator marries their victim. Lebanon joins Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia on the list of countries to recently repeal similar legislation.
DeVos Meets with Men’s Rights Activists Trying to Dismantle Title IX
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos met for 90 minutes with survivors of campus sexual assault last week, and then went on to a meeting with men’s rights activists to discuss dismantling Title IX enforcement guidelines that combat campus sexual assault. The men meeting with DeVos claim to be victims of false accusations of campus assault.