The Census Bureau released a report entitled Marital Events of Americans: 2009, the first-ever detailed analysis of the marriage and divorce patterns of Americans 15 years and older, which found that southern and western states have both higher rates of marriage and divorce. In 2009, the divorce rate was 10.2 per 1,000 for men and […]
The Guttmacher Institute released a new study indicating that while the overall rate of unintended in the US pregnancies has remained steady since 1994, with approximately 5 percent of woman experiencing an unintended pregnancy each year, the rate of unintended pregnancies has actually increased dramatically, while the rate for higher-income women has steadily declined. According […]
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin announced that over the next five years, UNFPA will donate $70 million to Bangladesh to be used for maternal and reproductive health and to end violence against women. Osotimehin stated, “Healthy and educated people are human capital that helps nations fight poverty and promote development. […]
The law firm of Katz, Marshall & Banks filed a lawsuit on behalf of Dr. Margo Fitzpatrick, a former Booz partner, in the District of Columbia Superior Court against Booz Allen Hamilton for allegedly discriminating against its female employees and engaging in retaliatory firing. Booz Allen is being charged with maintaining a “‘glass ceiling’ barring […]
President Obama issued an executive order to increase diversity in the federal government through the recruiting, hiring, and promotion process. According to a White House statement, the federal government must “endeavor to achieve a work force from all segments of society.” Within 90 days of the order, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management […]
Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor and former administration official for the Obama Administration, is considering running for a Republican Scott Brown’s seat in the US Senate in Massachusetts. Warren filed late last week to establish an exploratory committee. Stephanie Schriok, president of Emily’s List, expressed her support for Warren: “Elizabeth is poised to make […]
Beginning tomorrow morning, hundreds of farmworkers, organized by the United Farm Workers, will embark on a 167 mile pilgrimage from the Central Valley to Sacramento, CA to urge Governor Jerry Brown (D) to sign the Fair Treatment for Farm Workers Act, which would allow farmworkers to privately fill out state-issued ballots for union elections. The […]
The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a division of the National Institutes of Health, released the results of its study this week indicating that cigarette smokers face a greater risk of bladder cancer than previously reported. Moreover, the findings, which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that smoking caused approximately 50 […]
The White House, with an unprecedented number of blocked judicial appointments, has released a new blog post, which reveals that the Republican blocking maneuvers are costing the government $1.4 billion detaining prisoners awaiting trial alone. Moreover, the average wait time of a civil litigant’s jury trial is approximately 25 months and 15.9 percent of civil […]
Yesterday, the Virginia Department of Corrections announced that it will adopt regulations banning restraints on pregnant inmates during labor, delivery, and a recovery period following the delivery. The regulations specify that handcuffs may only be used during transport and additional restraints may be used in cases where the woman may harm herself or others, but […]
On Tuesday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in the US District Court of Kansas City, KS challenging a new state law that prohibits private health insurance plans from covering abortion services, except when the woman’s life is endangered. Under the law, women who seek coverage for […]
The Office for Civil Rights at the US Department of Education determined, following its investigation, that two high schools in Oldham County, Kentucky violated Title IX by failing to provide equal locker room facilities for male and female athletes. Passed in 1972, Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in all levels of […]
Yesterday, two Democratic Senators Bob Wirch and Jim Holperin defeated their Republican opponents in the final two Wisconsin recall elections. The recall bids grew out of this spring’s bitter fight over Republican Governor Scott Walker’s anti-union law stripping teachers, nurses and social workers of their collective bargaining rights. Both Democratic senators were among the 14 […]
Last week, a civil lawsuit was filed against the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, where Father Shawn Ratigan was arrested in May for taking “lewd and lacivious” photographs of a now nine year old girl. Bishop Robert Finn of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese admitted that although he knew about Ratiga’s misconduct for approximately […]
In New Jersey, a bill that would prevent sexual assault survivors from receiving invoices for forensic examinations, as well as for medications to prevent sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy tests, and emergency contraception, awaits the signature of Republican Governor Chris Christie. The bill was passed by a majority in both the state House and Senate. It […]
A three judge panel of the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled unanimously to overturn a preliminary injunction issued by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Donald Daughton in 2009, which blocked portions of a restrictive state abortion law. Judge Daughton’s ruling prevented anti-abortion provisions from going into effect, including one that would require that women be […]
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) signed the Justice for Victims of Sex Trafficking Crimes Act into law, which will enable victims of human trafficking charged with prostitution to petition to expunge their prostitution convictions. Governor Quinn stated, “Sex trafficking is a truly reprehensible crime that preys on the most vulnerable. Victims deserve a chance to […]
Starting on September 1, approximately 180,000 women in Texas will be without access to contraception and preventive services as a result of the state Legislature’s cuts to family planning services by two-thirds. However, state lawmakers voted to increase funding by $300,000 for Alternatives to Abortion Services, a state program comprised of 26 crisis pregnancy centers, […]
The Massachusetts Public Health Department approved new regulations that will allow the sexual partners of those being treated for chlamydia to obtain antibiotics without seeing a doctor. The new regulations aim to dramatically cut down on the spread of the disease in the state. Kevin Cranston, director of the infectious disease bureau at the Massachusetts […]
Yesterday, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) signed a bill into law that would require that medical staff, including physicians, physician’s assistants, nurses, medical technicians, social workers, and licensed counselors, at abortion clinics are included as mandated reporters under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act. Planned Parenthood of Illinois notes, that physician, physician’s assistant, registered […]
