NTF Letter to Senate Leadership

September 21, 2018

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley

Dear Senators:

As you know, the member organizations of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (NTF) represent millions of survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, the professionals who serve these survivors, the faith organizations that support them, the schools that educate them, and the businesses and communities that care about them throughout the United States and its Territories. The NTF has worked for twenty-four years to ensure that federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local governments and communities address the pervasive and insidious crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. We are dedicated to keeping survivors safe and free from continuing trauma, while holding perpetrators accountable.  One of the primary tools we have to do our work is the Violence Against Women Act. We write now to apprise you of our intention to disengage from negotiations over VAWA reauthorization, and of the important reasons for this decision.

VAWA’s enactment in 1994 was a watershed moment for our nation. Its passage meant that our federal government finally acknowledged that domestic and sexual violence cause tremendous harm to individuals and society, and allocated resources to helping victims, improving the response of courts, prosecutors and law enforcement, and holding perpetrators accountable. Millions of people are better off as a result.

It’s time – way past time – to do much more to end this violence, and to protect our communities. That means investing more in prevention. That means increasing access to justice and safety for Native women. That means holding perpetrators accountable rather than punishing victims, and improving enforcement of protective orders. That means reducing homicides by ending abusers’ easy access to firearms. That means ensuring victims have access to safe housing and economic stability. That means reauthorizing VAWA with modest but meaningful improvements that enhance our nation’s response to these heinous crimes. That means moving forward - never backwards and never remaining static. This has been the trajectory of VAWA over the past twenty-four years: each time it has been reauthorized in a bipartisan manner with improvements to continue to enhance our nation’s response and prevention efforts.

The Steering Committee of the NTF has been working with community stakeholders and Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle for more than two years to develop and promote the best possible VAWA reauthorization bill for 2018.

However, we have grave concerns about the way the Senate Judiciary committee, under current leadership, has failed to demonstrate the lessons learned through the implementation of VAWA over the past twenty-four years. If the committee is not willing to engage in a process that upholds the dignity and safety of a person who has come forward to report that she was a victim of sexual assault, then they cannot pretend to care about the reauthorization of VAWA.  We will only engage in discussions with those members of Congress committed to doing this work with integrity; with those who not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk—regardless of party.  

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s deeply troubling and highly credible allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, unwillingly made public, have put the issues of victim autonomy and safety, trauma-informed response, and proper investigation and assessment at center stage for the nation.

This, of all times, is the moment for your offices to demonstrate the great progress we have made as a country in our response to victims of gender-based violence. This is the moment for you to show that you are serious about implementing best practices for addressing sexual assault, and that you are committed to the work that VAWA makes possible in communities across the country. You could have—you should have—set an example for our country in your treatment of Professor Ford and her allegations. As subject matter experts, we have been available to you for advice and consultation for months, and we would have gladly assisted.

Instead, your actions and comments in the past week have taken us back 25 years, as if VAWA never existed, as if all of the hard-won, evidence-based, best practices we have invested in as a nation were for naught. How can Congress legislate a coordinated community response for the nation, yet fail to live up to its own mandate?

This moment has become a crucible. It’s a test of our progress. Do we start by believing victims of sexual assault and treating them with dignity, or don’t we? So far, Senate leaders are failing that test. Prejudging the outcome of the hearing. Sympathizing with her perpetrator. Attacking her credibility. The public vitriol has been even louder and more toxic. She now must live in fear for her own safety and that of her children, and has had to flee her home and hire security. 

These attacks need to stop now. They send a message to every victim of sexual violence that their pain doesn’t matter, that they do not deserve justice, that – for them – fair treatment is out of reach. This will only serve to drive victims into the shadows and further embolden abusers.  

This is not a case of “he said, she said” – Professor Ford provided a detailed account, along with therapist notes from six years ago, and passed a lie detector test.  More corroborating evidence may be available if an investigation is undertaken. Yet she has faced death threats and has had to endure suspicion, ridicule, defamation, and scorn. Her identity was revealed without her consent, her motives have been questioned and her credibility has been attacked.  And now she’s being told effectively that she must be put on trial – immediately — before there is even a cursory independent investigation that could support her report.

No one is suggesting the committee ought to simply accept an allegation. In fact, as advocates, we are urging you to conduct a thorough investigation. But no fair investigation begins with attacking and trying to discredit the alleged victim. Congress must enlist the advice from experts to ensure they are educated in how to engage in trauma-informed questioning of Professor Ford. She is NOT on trial. She is not alleged to have done anything wrong. She is a person with important information about a man to whom you are about to offer a lifetime appointment on our nation’s highest court.

So, what should the process look like instead? As we explained in our September 18 letter to Senators Grassley and Feinstein, we propose three ground rules:

1. First, consult with experts on sexual violence and trauma now. What you learn will help you make this process fair. Any hearing must include expert witnesses.

2.  Second, conduct a comprehensive, bipartisan investigation. The notion that she should be cross-examined by Judge Kavanaugh’s attorney, interviewed by Senate staff with no training in sexual assault investigations, or called to testify with just a few days’ notice and told to take it or leave it, is insulting. It’s not a search for the truth; it’s a strategy to win a political game. Recognize that she is being traumatized again by this entire process, and needs support.

3. Third, adhere to basic tenets of a trauma-informed approach:

• Provide Professor Ford as much input as possible into the time, date and format of any questioning;

• Ensure a safe and comfortable environment;

• Allow her to have support people with her and to take breaks as needed;

• Provide her with clear information about the process and allow her to ask questions and ask for clarification as needed;

• Repudiate personal attacks on Professor Ford;

• Refrain from inaccurate, stereotypical assumptions that have been refuted by research, such as suggestions that delayed reports of sexual assault are not credible or gaps in memory suggest dishonesty or emotions undermine credibility. None of that is true, as extensive research on the neurobiology of trauma has revealed.

Finally, we want Senators and the nation to understand that this is much bigger than a single Supreme Court nominee. This is about the 15-year-old girl who finds herself hiding in the bathroom, terrified. She is thinking “Is this how I will be treated if I come forward?” And the 17-year-old boy who finds himself emboldened to take without consent? He too is watching, and learning.

In this very public arena, with these incredibly high stakes, we need to get this right. What the Senate does next will send a message to victims and offenders everywhere, whether or not you intend to send a message.  And what will that message be? 

Justice demands a fair process that treats Professor Ford far better than with the derision, scorn, and humiliation to which Professor Hill was subjected 27 years ago.

Justice demands that we respect that Professor Ford is a survivor of trauma, and that the Senate Judiciary Committee hear from experts on the lasting impact of trauma on survivors.

Justice demands that the hearing process be paused while the FBI reopens its investigation and talks to any witnesses with knowledge that bears on the information that Professor Ford has provided.

And finally, justice demands that the American people have confidence not only in the integrity and honesty of those who sit on the highest court, but also those responsible for giving their “advice and consent” to the President, and the process by which they give it.

Senators, you can’t send that message with your words – you can only send it with your actions.

For more information, please contact Terri Poore at [email protected].

Sincerely,

The Steering Committee of National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence

cc:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Sen. Orrin Hatch

Sen. Patrick Leahy

Sen. Lindsey Graham

Sen. Dick Durbin

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

Sen. Michael Lee

Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Sen. Ted Cruz

Sen. Christopher Coons

Sen. Ben Sasse

Sen. Richard Blumenthal

Sen. Jeff Flake

Sen. Mazie Hirono

Sen. Mike Crapo

Sen. Cory Booker

Sen. Thom Tillis

Sen. Kamala Harris

Sen. John Kennedy

Needed improvements to VAWA, college sexual assault policies, and treatment of international abuse survivors: Civic action to-do list for 9-17-18

3. Violence Against Women Act: Needs Improvement!

Survivors of gender-based violence need Congress to come together to reauthorize a Violence Against Women Act that fills the gaps of current law. Instead, members are going to vote this month for a three-month extension of the 2013 VAWA. Senate and House leadership are including this extension in the continuing resolution that will fund the government until December 7th . This is a significant step backward in a history of trusted bipartisan negotiations on VAWA. We must continue to advocate for a timely reauthorization with critical enhancements that meet survivors’ needs. To learn more about the necessary improvements in VAWA’s reauthorization watch this webinar!

2. In college sexual assault, VICTIMS need more rights.

One in five women are victims of sexual assault during college and more than 90 percent of those assaults go unreported. It is imperative that schools create and implement policies that support survivors; unfortunately Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has created new regulations for schools that bolster the rights of accused perpetrators. Before the regulation is formally released, learn more about what a regulation is, how to submit a comment on the federal register, and why it’s important to voice your concerns through the open comment period.

1. Give refuge to international abuse survivors!

People fleeing violence in hopes of achieving the American Dream should have an opportunity to seek asylum, but the Administration has restricted asylum protections for survivors of domestic violence and drastically limited the number of refugees allowed in the country. These draconian immigration policies go against precedent and our moral compass. It is imperative that the Administration reunite all separated children with their families and not further restrict the number of refugees allowed to enter the country. (Less than 20,000 refugees entered the U.S. as of September 1 st , down from over 80,000 in 2016.) Call yourmembers of Congress and tell them to improve our immigration system!

Civic action to-do list for 9-7-18

3. Reauthorize VAWA before it expires

Tens of thousands of victims and survivors of gender-based violence rely on the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), our nation’s most comprehensive source of support for victims of domestic violence, dating, violence, sexual assault, and stalking. But, at the end of th is month VAWA will expire ! We are relying on your help to ensure that VAWA is reauthorized with the critical enhancements that survivors need. Register for a webinar hosted by the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence to hear issue area experts discuss VAWA, the key enhancements in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 6545), and strategies to make sure that VAWA is reauthorized!

2. Birth control ≠ abortion inducing drugs

The next Supreme Court Justice should respect the rights of all Americans, but this week during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings we learned that Judge Kavanaugh’s appointment would have devastating impacts on the safety and health of millions of Americans. If confirmed to the Supreme Court he will rule againstgun violence prevention policies and against a woman’s right tocontraceptive coverage and comprehensive healthcare. Keep up the pressure by calling your Senators and telling them to #StopKavanaugh.  

1. Support domestic violence shelter funding

Every survivor of violence should have access to housing and supportive services when they make the decision to leave their abuser in search of safety. The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) is the primary funding stream for shelters, domestic violence coalitions, some training programs, and a program that addresses the needs of victims' children. FVPSA was first passed into law in 1984, but it has gone unauthorized since 2010. A straightforward FVPSA reauthorization has been introduced in the Senate (S. 2784) and in the House of Representatives (H.R. 6014). Watch Representatives Thompson, Moore, and Walberg make the case for FVPSA’s passage on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and then call yourSenators and Representative and tell them to co-sponsor this life-saving bill. 

Civic action to-do list for 9-3-18

3. VAWA: What's in and what's next

It is imperative that policymakers reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act before it expires on September 30th. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 6545) has been introduced in the House and includes new critical protections for victims of gender-based violence. This bill strengthens housing protections, ensures that abusers can’t access firearms, ends impunity for non-Native offenders of sexual assault on Tribal land, and increases funding for rape prevention education. To learn more about the key enhancements and the strategies to make sure VAWA is reauthorized with new vital protections, register for “VAWA Reauthorization Webinar: What’s in it, and what happens next” on September 12th at 2PM.

2. Gaslighting

No woman should be intentionally disrespected and emotionally manipulated by their partner, and in the era of #MeToo it’s especially important to acknowledge and call out unhealthy relationship behavior. While there are many behaviors that can be destructive, gaslighting is particularly pernicious because it involves the use of power and control to emotionally manipulate. Click here to learn more about gaslighting and the importance of being an active bystander when you see someone being dismissed or devalued. 

1. #StopKavanaugh

The next Supreme Court Justice should respect the rights of all Americans and safeguard the fundamental principles of religious freedom enshrined in our Constitution. Unfortunately, Judge Kavanaugh’s decisions on firearms, reproductive rights, healthcare, and privacy foreshadow a jurist who could restrict our rights and freedoms for generations. On Tuesday the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings. Call 866-426-2531 on Tuesday to demand your Senators take action to #StopKavanaugh!

Keep guns out of schools, asylum seekers in safety, and Kavanaugh off the Supreme Court: Civic action to-do list for 8-27-18

Keep guns out of schools

Yesterday we learned of yet another senseless mass shooting, the235 th mass shooting of 2018 . While we still don’t know all of the details, what is clear is that stronger gun laws would result in fewer deaths. The U.S. Department of Education is currently considering whether to allow money from federal grants to go toward the purchase of firearms in schools . Congress must ban federal funding to arm teachers and administrators in K-12 schools. Call your Senators today and tell them to supportSenator Murphy’s amendment to block the arming of teachers . 

Use tools to advocate for asylum-seekers

Victims of domestic violence should have an opportunity to seek refuge to save themselves and their families, but Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed long-standing asylum protections for survivors of gender-based violence. Denying asylum to women who faced unimaginable violence and sending them back home into dangerous, even deadly, situations is abhorrent. To advocate on behalf of these women, use a new online toolkit with talking points, a draft letter to Congress, sample social media posts, and a customizable op-ed. We must continue to raise the alarm about the devastating impact of zero-tolerance policies on immigrant survivors. 

Block Judge Kavanaugh

Our next Supreme Court Justice should be an independent jurist who vows to protect the rights of all Americans. The appointment of Judge Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court will have devastating impacts on the safety, health, and rights of millions of Americans. His decisions on firearms, reproductive rights, healthcare, and privacy depict a jurist who could restrict our rights and freedoms for decades to come. Join the growing chorus of people across the country and tell your Senators to oppose Kavanaugh.

Act NOW to oppose Brett Kavanaugh's appointment to the Supreme Court!

August 23, 2018

PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY

Dear Friends,

One of the most important decisions of our lifetime is right around the corner and we need your help. There is no doubt that Brett Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court could have devastating impacts on the safety, health, and rights of millions of Americans. Join with thousands of women who are calling on their Senators to oppose Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court Justice.

Dial (844) 515-2798 and our friends at NARAL will connect you to your Senators.

While not all relevant documents have been released, we do know that his decisions on firearms, reproductive rights, healthcare, and privacy are deeply concerning.

• In 2011, Judge Kavanaugh revealed his expansive view of the Second Amendment when he ruled that semi-automatic firearms are protected under the Second Amendment and there is no meaningful distinction between semi-automatic handguns and long guns.

• Kavanaugh ruled against the opinion of the majority of the D.C. Circuit Court and opposed allowing an undocumented young woman access to abortion care after meeting all of the burdensome requirements of Texas law.

• In a dissenting opinion he argued that the Affordable Care Act placed a substantial burden on religious employers who wanted an exemption from the contraceptive-coverage policy in the law. It also appears that he may support “conscience clauses” that allow healthcare providers to deny service based on their religious or moral beliefs, an interpretation that would deeply affect a woman’s right to access reproductive justice.

• Kavanaugh has shown a willingness to overturn the longstanding deference to individual agencies' interpretation of law. His understanding could undermine every regulation and rule promulgated in the last 40 years, putting into jeopardy the work of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, among many other agencies and departments.

Our next Supreme Court Justice must be an independent jurist who vows to protect the rights of all Americans. It is clear that Brett Kavanaugh does not meet that standard.

Call (844) 515-2798 to tell your Senators to OPPOSE Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court.

Advocate for VAWA, stand against harassment in Congress, and get ready to vote: Civic action to-do list for 8-20-18

Learn how to advocate for VAWA

Gender-based violence impacts people from every walk of life, and yet the bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in the House of Representatives only has Democratic co-sponsors . The Violence Against Women Act is the nation’s greatest response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and we must continue to push for the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act of 2018 (H.R. 6545) before it expires on September 30 th . This bill provides modest yet critical enhancements to help support survivors and prevent the cycle of violence. For resources on the intricacies of the bill and how to ask your Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 6545 , click here . 

Improve harassment procedures in Congress

Individuals who have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace have suffered in silence for far too long . The National Women’s Law Center analyzed thousands of sexual harassment claims filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to better understand the breadth and depth of workplace harassment. It is time for employers and elected officials to reform policies to create healthy and safe workplaces. Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate must come together and agree on legislation to improve the sexual harassment procedures in Congress. Call your Senators and tell them to support the House policy that puts the needs of survivors above perpetrators.

Report for (civic) duty

Voting is a basic tenet of our democracy, and on November 6 th it is up to each of us to vote like our rights depend on it. We have the opportunity to make our voices heard and elect people to all levels of government who stand up for our values. Make sure you areregistered to vote at your current address, and all of your family and friends are as well. Click here to learn about the dates for early voting, deadlines to register to vote, and where to go vote. You can see who will be on your ballot and what initiatives you will vote for here . And, if you want to promote civil engagement, you can join the “When We All Vote” initiative to register voters and/or volunteer to turn out voters the weekend before Election Day at“The Last Weekend.”  

VAWA, #MeToo, and Ending Hate: Civic action to-do list for 8-13-18

Voice your support for VAWA!

Gender-based violence impacts every community across our country, and we must continue to reauthorize legislation to support survivors and prevent domestic and sexual violence. The Violence Against Women Act will expire in September, and every member of the House of Representatives should sign on to co-sponsor the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act of 2018 (H.R. 6545). This bill provides modest but critical improvements that will strengthen housing protections, ensure that abusers can’t access firearms, end impunity for non-Native offenders of sexual assault on Tribal land, and increase funding for rape prevention education. For resources on how to ask your Representative to support the bill, click here !

#MeToo includes Congress!

The #MeToo movement helped break the silence of survivors of domestic and workplace abuse, but still, Congress hasn’t passed a bill to reform its own workplace harassment rules. While both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed legislation to reform the policies, members of Congress are having a hard time reconciling the differences in the legislation . Call your Senators and tell them to support the House version that “requires lawmakers to personally pay for harassment and discrimination settlements related to their actions on the job and creates a legal adviser to assist employees pursuing misconduct claims.”

Continue to combat racism and hate!

The core values of our country include that p eople of all races, religions, and genders have the right to lead lives free from discrimination, hate, and violence. Yesterday at the Unite the Right rally in Washington D.C., the hate-filled, anti-Semitic rhetoric of Jason Kessler was drowned out by thousands of protesters chanting for love, acceptance, and peace . But, sometimes words aren’t enough. Call your Senators and Representativeand tell them to co-sponsor the National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality Act (NO HATE Act) to ensure local law enforcement is able submit hate crime information to the FBI and increase penalties for perpetrators of hate crimes. 

Support for VAWA, stalking victims, and our most vulnerable citizens: Civic action to-do list for 8-6-18

3. Support VAWA 2018

Domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking are crimes that continue to devastate families and impact communities across our nation. The Violence Against Women Act is about to expire and it is time for Congress to come together and pass a bill to close the current gaps in the law that leave many victims vulnerable. The new bill , introduced in July by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, contains critical improvements that will strengthen survivors’ access to housing, ensure that abusers cannot access guns, close loopholes to allow Tribal courts to prosecute non-native offenders, and increase the number of youth receiving rape prevention education. This modest enhancement bill should be supported by members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, but we need your help in getting bipartisan support. To learn more about the bill and the ways to get engaged, sign up for JWI’s webinar on Grassroots Organizing for VAWA 2018 !

2. Stand Up for Stalking Victims

Convicted stalkers should not be able to purchase or possess firearms, but yet they can and they are. The Center for American Progress found that there are at least 16,399 convicted stalkersin 25 states that are still able to have a gun. Call yourRepresentative and Senators and tell them to co-sponsor the Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act in the Senate and the Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abusers in the House of Representatives to close this dangerous loophole!

1. Budget to Aid Our Most Vulnerable

Everyone in this country should be able to access affordable healthcare, food, and housing, and it is the responsibility of Congress to fund the programs that provide these critical needs. Now through September, Congress must pass a budget for all federal programs, including those that compose the social safety net. Call your Senators and Representative and tell them to follow through on the commitment they made earlier in the year to increase funding for Medicare and Medicaid, federal nutrition assistance programs like SNAP, affordable housing programs, and Social Security Disability Insurance. Hold Congress accountable in their duty to protect the most vulnerable!

JCFS’s Rabbi David Rosenberg Named Co-Chair of JWI’s Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Violence

Contact: Pam Austin, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, 773.467.3884/[email protected]

July 26, 2018, Chicago, IL

Jewish Child & Family Services (JCFS) is pleased to announce Rabbi David Rosenberg, JCFS’s Coordinator of Jewish Education, as the new co-chair of Jewish Women International’s (JWI) Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community.

The Task Force speaks publicly, develops and disseminates resources and training, and provides guidance to clergy working with families experiencing abuse. This group has members from countries around the world, including the United States, Israel, Canada and Australia, and is comprised of clergy from every Jewish denomination, some of whom are survivors of domestic abuse.

“Rabbi David has been a valued member of the Task Force for seven years.  This new role recognizes David’s expertise and leadership as a spiritual leader and educator, as well as the strength and breadth of all the abuse prevention efforts JCFS provides to our Chicago Jewish community,” says Amy Rubin, Senior Director, JCFS Community Services.

JCFS provides education and resources to increase awareness, expand understanding and ensure a culturally sensitive, coordinated response to abuse in Jewish homes and families. Through Safer Communities, we support schools, synagogues, camps and other institutions with discussion about the impact of abuse, improving access to support for those experiencing abusive situations, and coordinated community strategies that perpetuate healthy, peaceful homes, families and relationships.

JCFS strives to enhance the social and emotional well-being of individuals and families with complex needs or barriers to service, while maximizing potential for people with disabilities in the Jewish community and beyond. We provide therapeutic and supportive services for children, adults and families of all backgrounds who face challenges with life transitions.

Jewish Child & Family Services is a partner with Jewish United Fund in serving our community. We embrace diversity. Our commitment to inclusivity is woven throughout our services, programs and welcoming workplace. For more information visit JCFS.org

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JWI is the leading Jewish organization working to end gender-based violence. As a Steering Committee member of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, and convener of the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community, JWI supports this bill as it builds on VAWA’s previous successes and adds enhancements to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

URGENT: Is your Representative co-sponsoring VAWA?

Act NOW to ensure that VAWA is reauthorized!

Once again it is time to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Tens of thousands of victims and survivors of gender-based violence rely on VAWA , our nation’s single largest source of support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We are relying on you to help ensure its reauthorization!

VAWA funds programs – such as the Hotline, counseling services, training for law enforcement, community-based advocates – that have saved thousands of lives, but more needs to be done. The new bill, introduced last Thursday by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, contains critical improvements that will strengthen survivors’ access to housing, ensure that abusers cannot access guns, close loopholes to allow Tribal courts to prosecute non-native offenders, and increase the number of youth receiving rape prevention education.

As the leading Jewish organization working to end gender-based violence and empower women and girls, JWI has been working with the Senate and House for more than a year to secure bipartisan sponsors for VAWA 2018, which already has more than 100 Democratic co-sponsors. Now it's time for Congress - especially Republicans - to hear from you.

Thank you for joining JWI as we fight for the right of every woman to live free from violence! Passing VAWA means saving lives and should never fall victim to partisan politics. 

What you can do today to ensure bipartisan support for VAWA:

• Call your Representative’soffice in D.C. and tell them to co-sponsor the bill.
• Attend a local town hall meeting and ask your Representative to co-sponsor VAWA in person.
• Join JWI’s interactivewebinar on grassroots strategiesto pass VAWA 2018 on Wednesday, August 8 th at noon (EST) .

(left to right) JWI CEO Lori Weinstein, standing alongside Representatives Jerrold Nadler, Leader Pelosi, and Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee, Gwen Moore, and Steny Hoyer at last week’s press conference introducing VAWA 2018.

Reauthorize VAWA, defeat plastic guns, and stop the health care gag rule: Civic action to-do list for 7-30-18

3. Reauthorize VAWA

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is our nation’s single most effective tool in responding to the devastating crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. JWI stood alongside Leader Pelosi and Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee, Steny Hoyer and Jerrold Nadler, as the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act of 2018 (H.R. 6545) was introduced at a press conference last Wednesday, July 25th. This bill responds to the urgent needs of tens of thousands of victims of sexual and domestic violence by strengthening their access to housing, ensuring that abusers cannot access guns, closing loopholes to allow tribal courts to prosecute non-native offenders, and increasing funding for rape prevention education. Violence against women is not a partisan issue: Join JWI in calling for every member of the House of Representatives to co-sponsor this life-saving bill!

2. Defeat Printable Plastic Guns

Individuals who are unable to legally purchase firearms should not be able to circumvent the law by making plastic 3D-printed guns in their homes, yet that is exactly what will happen on Wednesday when gun blueprints are published. This information will allow anyone to create untraceable guns - even terrorists, convicted felons, and domestic abusers. Call your Senators and Representative and tell them to pass a law immediately to make this illegal!

1. Stop the Health Care Gag Rule

No woman should be denied complete information in a healthcare setting, but access to this information will be restricted if a proposed rule by the Department of Health and Human Services is enacted. A domestic “gag” rule would force health clinics to decide between providing lifesaving preventative care such as cancer screenings and mammograms, and providing accurate information about all pregnancy options, including abortion. We cannot ask women OR their health facilities to make that choice! Add your voice to oppose the gag rule - click here to submit a comment and use this template to get started! All comments must be submitted by tomorrow, July 31! 

JWI Announces Support for VAWA 2018 Reauthorization

Jewish Women International (JWI), a member of The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence (“NTF”), announced today its support for the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act of 2018 as introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX-18).

This bill continues important protections for survivors while also making modest yet vital enhancements to the existing Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”) based on needs identified by organizations who work daily with victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

These include provisions that: 

• Make important investments in programming to prevent gender-based violence;
• Provide resources to implement evidence-based prevention programming that engages men and boys as allies and promotes healthy relationships;
• Safeguard important protections to ensure that all victims and survivors have access to safety and justice;
• Provide a mechanism to hold people who prey on Native women accountable;
• Provide law enforcement with new resources to develop more trauma-informed approaches;
• Protect victims and survivors from abusers with dangerous weapons;
• Offer improved protections for survivors in federal public, subsidized and assisted housing;
• Support victims and survivors who need help rebuilding financially after experiencing violence;
• Address the needs of underserved communities; and
• Improve healthcare responses to the four crimes.

Click here to read the letter of support and learn more about the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act of 2018.

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JWI is the leading Jewish organization working to end gender-based violence. As a Steering Committee member of the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, and convener of the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community, JWI supports this bill as it builds on VAWA’s previous successes and adds enhancements to ensure the safety of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

New policies against workplace harassment and paid sick leave, and access to rape kits in rural America: Civic action to-do list for 7-23-18

3. Workplace Harassment

Sexual harassment is unacceptable in any and every workplace. Last week, Republicans and Democrats in Congress came together to sponsor a bill in Congress that responds to the #MeToo movement by addressing workplace harassment. The EMPOWER Act (Ending the Monopoly of Power Over Workplace harassment through Education and Reporting) is the only comprehensive policy to eradicate the ubiquitous culture the silence across all industries and hold the companies and perpetrators responsible. Call yourmember of Congress and tell them to co-sponsor this bipartisan, bicameral bill!

2. Paid Sick Days 

Paid sick leave is an important component of economic security for all workers. It’s also what is right and what is fair for both full time and part time employees.  More than 40 jurisdictions have laws that mandate paid sick leave, but members of Congress are trying to override these local and state laws through the Workflex in the 21 st Century Act (H.R. 4219). Watch members of the House of Representatives’ Education Committee debate the bill at a hearing tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET and then follow up by calling yourRepresentative and telling her/him to oppose it.  

1. Access to Rape Kits

All victims of rape should have access to a forensic examination after an assault, but rural survivors often have to travel hours to go to a hospital that has rape kits and a nurse trained to administer them. The bipartisan Survivors’ Access to Supportive Care Act (SASCA) would help improve and expand access to health care services for survivors of sexual assault. Evidence from these exams is critical to the prosecution of a perpetrator of rape . Contact your Senators and Representative and tell them to co-sponsor this legislation, all victims deserve equal access.

Lack of paid leave, dangerous asylum policies, and healthcare lies of omission: Civic action to-do list for 7-16-18

3. Inclusive Paid Leave

Universal paid leave is an integral component in the fight for gender equality, but the United States is the only country in the developed world that does not offer paid leave. It is time for the Administration and Congress to support new parents and families. Last week the Senate held a hearing to debate two different paidleave policies – 1) the FAMILY Act would provide 12 weeks of partially-paid leave (66% of monthly wages) to all new parents and people with serious personal or family health issues and 2) the conservative approach would only benefit new parents and be paid for out of an individual’s Social Security. Call your member of Congress today and tell them to co-sponsor the FAMILY Act , no worker should be asked to jeopardize their retirement benefits to care for a new child or loved one!

2. Implementing A Dangerous Asylum Policy

Survivors seeking asylum, fleeing violence and persecution, should not be re-victimized upon entering the United States – yet that is exactly what the Administration’s new asylum policy guidelines are doing. Last week Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued perilous new guidance to U.S. Customs and Border agents – they must immediately reject refugees seeking asylum based on claims of gang or domestic violence. Data from Tahirih Justice Center shows that38% of all asylum seekers they serve suffer from gender-based violence. It is abhorrent to send these survivors back home to dangerous situations with no hearing or court date. Use this action alert email application to write your member of Congress today and urge them to defend protections for domestic violence survivors. 

1. Forcing Clinics to Lie to Women

All women deserve complete information when making healthcare decisions, but the Administration is restricting this access to information in a new proposed rule released by the Department of Health and Human Services. A domestic “gag” rule would force health clinics to decide between providing lifesaving preventative care such as cancer screenings and providing accurate information about all pregnancy options. This proposed rule is yet another attack on women’s reproductive health. Submit a comment to the Administration by July 31 st to oppose this proposed rule! (Usethis template comment to get you started.)

Choice and lives on the line: Civic action to-do list for 7-9-18

3. Choice is on the line!

A woman’s right to decide if she needs to terminate a pregnancy is well-established, but continually under attack. Today President Trump is planning to announce his nominee for the Supreme Court, who he has promised will overturn Roe v. Wade and the Affordable Healthcare Act. The Administration is also attacking women’s reproductive health by proposing a domestic “gag” rule on health clinics that would prevent healthcare professionals from providing a pregnant woman accurate and complete information. With reproductive healthcare at stake call your Senators and tell them to only support a nominee that will uphold Roe as settled law and submit a comment to regulations.gov to oppose the proposed rule and allow women to make well informed decisions about their lives and their bodies. 

2. Lives are at risk!

The Administration’s immigration and asylum policies are vilifying and harming immigrant families and putting women’s lives at risk who are fleeing horrific intimate partner violence. The “zero-tolerance” policies punish immigrants fleeing their countries, but do nothing to address the conditions of violence and corruption driving them to walk thousands of miles in search for safety. Call your member of Congress and tell them to co-sponsor the Central America Family Protection and Reunification Act (CAFPRA) for a more humane and sensible policy that works to address the needs of victims in their home countries. 

1. Domestic violence links to mass shootings!

There have been twelve mass shootings (where four or more people are injured or killed) in the first eight days of July. They may not have made the national news, but the epidemic of gun violence is constantly simmering below the surface, impacting communities across the country. Domestic violence, stalking, and assaultrepresent common acts of violence in the history of mass shooters. The murders at the Capitol Gazette, Pulse Nightclub, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, and many more have been tied to men who had a history of intimate partner violence. It is past time for Congress to act to restrict domestic abusers and stalkers from owning firearms and ban weapons of war from our communities. 

Mass shootings, women's rights, and zero tolerance: Civic action to-do list for 7-2-2018

So much has happened in the last week that we had a hard time selecting only three issues for action! From the wholesale ban on immigration from Muslim-majority countries to separating children and parents escaping violence to the vacancy on the Supreme Court to mass gun violence to allowing fake crisis pregnancy centers to withhold information from patients – the list goes on and on. Please take action on the three items below!  

3. Another mass shooting in the news

We won’t give up demanding gun violence prevention legislation. Congress must take action and do their part to prevent mass shootings! Just last week five people were shot and killed at the small Maryland newspaper where they worked – and this was the 43rd incident in June in which four or more people were shot. America’s permissive gun laws create a culture in which there are more guns than people in this country (121 guns for every 100 residents). Congress must do their job to limit access to guns and protect our families and communities!

2. Choice is at risk

Women should have autonomy and control over their own bodies, but President Trump has pledged to nominate Supreme Court justices that will overturn this fundamental right. With the new vacancy on the Court, access to safe and legal abortions in this country are on the line. Call your Senators and tell them to oppose any nominee who does not pledge to protect the rights of all people, including women and their constitutional right to abortion. 

1. Zero Tolerance is inhumane

The inhumane “zero-tolerance” immigration policy must be stopped – children should no longer be separated from their parents, all children must be reunited with their parents, and families coming across the border should not be detained indefinitely. Yesterday, JWI marched alongside hundreds of thousands of people at rallies across the country to demand an end to the Administration’s immigration policies, including the ban on any immigration from five Muslim-majority countries. Now call on Congress to take action and pass comprehensive immigration legislation to fix our broken system. 

Supreme Court lets down women and immigrants in two catastrophic decisions

Yesterday the Supreme Court let down women and immigrants in two decisions that will have potentially catastrophic effects on their rights and their lives.

Two court cases were decided by a 5-4 conservative majority: NIFLA v. Becerra further restricts the rights of women by denying them accurate information in their healthcare decisions; and Trump v. Hawaii reinforces the anti-Muslim sentiment of the Trump Administration by banning the immigration of Muslims from certain countries.

JWI’s CEO, Lori Weinstein, issued the following statement in response to the two decisions:

NIFLA v. Becerra

The deceptive practices used by Fake Women’s Health Centers have no place in our healthcare system, and yet the Court declared that crisis pregnancy clinics have the right to lie and mislead women seeking services. The Court’s mistaken decision weaponizes the First Amendment by allowing supposed “healthcare” facilities to mislead women, imperiling their health and safety. Women have the right to accurate information when making decisions about their reproductive choices. This decision is an affront to the hard won rights of women who fought for decades for the opportunity to make choices about their own lives.

Trump v. Hawaii

The intent of the Administration’s executive order banning Muslim immigrants from entering the United States is clearly tied to anti-Muslim animus. Denying a group of individuals entry to the United States based on their religion is an affront to the basic values on which our country was built.  We stand in solidarity with our Muslim colleagues and their families: We understand all too well the impact of being denied entry to this country based on religion and country of origin.

United families, women's rights, and bipartisan solutions: Civic action to-do list for 6-25-18

3. Families belong together.

The Administration’s “zero-tolerance” immigration policies, first separating families and now detaining families indefinitely is abhorrent. Though President Trump signed an executive order last week to end his policy of family separation, 2,000 children are still far removed from their parents. It is imperative that reunification is the immediate priority of the Administration. This Saturday, June 30, join Families Belong Together marches across the country to demand that every single family is reunited and the detention of children and families is stopped. Join JWI in D.C. and wear white to make a strong statement of “love, unity, and freedom as we demand that families stay together and out of detention.” 

2. Women’s rights are human rights.

Denying survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault from qualifying for asylum protections, as the Attorney General’s decision in Matter of A-B does, is not only cruel, but also inconsistent with longstanding international jurisprudence, UN guidance, and the Department of Homeland Security’s own regulations. The Attorney General’s decision must be overturned. DHS itself has consistently taken the position that women like Ms. A.B. should qualify for asylum, recognizing that domestic violence may rise to a level of persecution required for asylum seekers. Email or call your members of Congress and tell them to uphold our commitments to those seeking our protection, and pass a bill to overturn the Attorney General’s decision. 

1. Congress must find bi-partisan solutions.

Our immigration system is broken, and it is up to Congress to develop bipartisan policies to fix it. This week an immigration bill that is a compromise between moderate and Tea Party Republicans, with no Democratic support, will come before the House of Representatives. Call your Representative and tell them to vote NO on Speaker Ryan’s “compromise” bill, “Border Security and Immigration Reform Act” (H.R. 6136), because it makes drastic reductions to legal immigration and eliminates protections for vulnerable children fleeing violence in their home countries. Our elected officials must join together to pass bi-partisan solutions!

Call or Email Your Member of Congress TODAY to Stop Family Separation and Protect Immigrant Survivors

June 20, 2018

Find your Congressional Representative here and Tell Them to Oppose Immigration Bills that Harm Survivors of Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault. Sample Emails and Phone Scripts are provided below.

If you live in Nevada, Colorado, California, Utah, Minnesota, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Arizona, or Connecticut, it is particularly important that you reach out to the following members of the House of Representatives and their staff. If you choose to email, send a message to staff with the standard House email, [email protected].  

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• Mark Amodei (R-NV): Kyle Thomas
• Mike Coffman (R-CO): Jeremy Lippert
• Steve Knight (R-CA): Daniel Boatright
• Jeff Denham (R-CA): JohnMark Kolb
• David Valadao (R-CA): Andrew Renteria
• Mia Love (R-UT): Barbara Andrade
• Collin Peterson (D-MN): Richard Lee
• Erik Paulsen (R-MN): Helen Langfeldt

• Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL): Gabriella Boffelli
• Stephanie Murphy (D-FL): Brad Howard
• Will Hurd (R-TX): Austin Agrella
• Ryan Costello (R-PA): Dante Cutrona
• Matt Cartwright (D-PA): Samuel Nagatu
• Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ): Daniel Marrow
• Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ): Michael Brownlie
• Tom O'Halleran (D-AZ): Xenia Ruiz
• John Larson (D-CT): Srdan Banjac

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on two harmful immigration bills on Thursday, please urge your Representative to VOTE NO on: 

• Speaker Ryan’s Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018 (HR 6136) 
• Representative Goodlatte's "Securing America's Future Act of 2018" (HR 4760)

Both of these bills attempt to address the Administration’s termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) for several hundred thousand young people, but unnecessarily restrict access to the program, make drastic reductions to legal immigration, and eliminate protections for vulnerable children, many of whom are fleeing sexual and domestic violence or human trafficking, created by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). Also, neither of these bills will stop the Administration's inhumane and shameful family separation policy. 

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Call or email your Representative today!

Find your Representative to Congress here, using your zip code. 

Email the staff member for your Representative provided above using the template, [email protected]

Phone and Email Script

"My name is _______and I’m from [City and State]. I’m calling/writing today to tell [Representative________ ] to vote NO on both the Goodlatte bill (HR 4760) and the Paul Ryan Border Security And Immigration Reform Act (HR 6136). These bills will harm domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, fail to adequately protect Dreamers, limit existing protections for abused and neglected children, and fail to address the family separation crisis at the border."

Background Information

The American Immigration Lawyers’ Association has a brief summary of both bills available here.

Specific Impacts of HR 4760 on immigrant survivors

• Eliminates the ability of abused parents of U.S. citizens to apply for VAWA self-petition protections
• Places limits on individuals on temporary worker (H) visas from filing civil actions for damages against their employers, potentially limiting the ability of those sexually assaulted or harassed at work from accessing justice
• Establishes a benefit fraud assessment on various immigration programs including VAWA self-petitions, fiancée visas, Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas, U-Crime victim visas, and asylum, among other immigration programs
• Bars abused family members, including abused ex-spouses, of drug traffickers from obtaining legal status.
• Undermines policies that local welcoming jurisdictions have determined are Constitutionally sound and are appropriate for their respective communities, and they decrease the ability of local law enforcement agencies to respond to violent crimes and assist all victims of crime, U.S. Citizens and immigrants alike.
• Attempts to coerce local law enforcement agencies into sharing information with ICE by placing restrictions on federal law enforcement funding in grant conditions.
• Expands criminal penalties for those who are present without authorization. 
• Expands immigration penalties for individuals with domestic violence convictions, as well as the types of evidence immigration courts can consider in deporting individuals with domestic violence convictions.
• Reduces access to Special Immigrant Juvenile status for abused and neglected children.

Specific Impacts of HR 6136 on immigrant survivors

• Excludes more potential DREAMERS from accessing a new “contingent visa” by excluding more individuals with certain domestic violence and child abuse convictions. The bill cross-references the broad Violence Against Women Act definitions of domestic violence and child abuse to exclude more potential DACA beneficiaries with such convictions. This cross-reference will create difficulties in expanding access to services for victims in other, future VAWA legislation by tying the definitions in VAWA to immigration consequences.
• Expands definitions relating to domestic violence as a basis for deporting individuals and fails to provide exceptions or waivers for survivors who may have used violence against their abusers.
• Undermines the work of local communities who’ve implemented welcoming policies that reduce law enforcement collaboration with ICE, policies that encourage immigrant victims to come forward, seek help, and cooperate with police.
• Undermines important protections for minors who are fleeing sexual assault, domestic violence, and abuse who arrive from Northern Triangle countries, making it easier to deport them back to their countries from which they are fleeing violence.
• Makes it harder for asylum seekers to flee persecution by increasing the standard of proof needed to apply, likely halving the number of asylum seekers. By changing the law to facilitate the quick deportations of asylum seekers and make it harder to apply for asylum, victims fleeing sexual and domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence, who could articulate a genuine fear of persecution, will be deported anyway without the chance to collect evidence or present witnesses before a judge.