321ACTION: September 9, 2024
This Friday, Sept. 13, marks the 30-year anniversary of the initial Violence Against Women Act, which transformed our nation’s response to gender-based violence, bringing it out of the shadows and recognizing it as a societal problem. Keep an eye on JWI’s social media channels for VAWA-related posts this week.
While we have come a long way in the past three decades, but we still have a long way to go in ensuring survivors have access to safety and to justice.
Ready to make a difference?
Here are three ways to get started:
3. Read this important story on self-defense
Please take a few minutes to read Who Gets to Kill in Self-Defense, incredibly important and compelling opinion piece by Rachel Louise Snyder in The New York Times.
Snyder discusses the gendered nature of the United States legal system's understanding of what constitutes self-defense. Far too often, victims of domestic violence who defend themselves and their children are convicted of homicide — even labeled as murderous criminal masterminds — because self-defense laws assume the reality of men is the only legitimate reality.
2. Join tomorrow's day of action
Victim of Crime Act victim service grants were cut by 40% this past year. Without Congressional action, they face even further catastrophic cuts in the future.
These grants fund lifesaving services for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse (including child sexual abuse), trafficking, stalking, gun violence, elder abuse, drunk driving, and other crimes.
Tomorrow, September 10, join people around the nation in telling Congress to pass the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act to bolster victim service grants.
Use this toolkit to contact your members of Congress and access more information, including social media posts.
1. Learn about the need for paid safe leave
Victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes often need paid time off work to seek safety, participate in legal proceedings, access physical and mental healthcare, and address the impacts of the violence. JWI is proud to have contributed to the new resource, The Need for Paid Safe Leave & Model Legislative Language, issued by the safe leave working group, of which we are a member.
This important resource provides a road map for policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders to establish safe leave policies in their communities.
+ In case you missed it...
The Jewish Gun Violence Prevention Roundtable held an informative online conversation with national experts about the intersection between domestic violence and firearms. You can watch the recording of Domestic Violence and Firearms: A Deadly Combination and find the accompanying resource guide here.
Finally, Californians: click here to join JPAC, HIAS, JFCS East Bay, Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley, Jewish Family & Children's Service of Long Beach & Orange County, and Jewish Family Service of San Diego in urging Governor Newsom to sign SB 85 and support refugees.