Today is July 3, so we are wishing everyone an Early Happy Independence Day! In what ways would we like to promote independence for women (and everyone)?
Independence from Sexual Oppression
As we’ve reported previously, domestic violence has increased during the pandemic, with fewer resources. From the New England Journal of Medicine:A Pandemic within a Pandemic — Intimate Partner Violence during Covid-19:
With personal movement limited and people confined to their homes, advocates expressed concern about a potential increase in intimate partner violence (IPV). Stay-at-home orders, intended to protect the public and prevent widespread infection, left many IPV victims trapped with their abusers. Domestic-violence hotlines prepared for an increase in demand for services as states enforced these mandates, but many organizations experienced the opposite…. This pandemic has reinforced important truths: inequities related to social determinants of health are magnified during a crisis, and sheltering in place does not inflict equivalent hardship on all people.
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One in 4 women and one in 10 men experience IPV, and violence can take various forms: it can be physical, emotional, sexual, or psychological.2 People of all races, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, socioeconomic classes, and religions experience IPV. However, such violence has a disproportionate effect on communities of color and other marginalized groups.
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IPV RESOURCES FOR PATIENTS.
Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741)
National Parent Hotline (call 1-855-427-2736)
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (visit https://www.childhelp.org/childhelp-hotline/. opens in new tab or call 1-800-422-4453)
National Domestic Violence Hotline (visit http://thehotline.org. opens in new tab, text LOVEIS to 22522, or call 1-800-799-7233)
Futures Without Violence (visit https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/resources-events/get-help/. opens in new tab)
Recognise the warning signs of abuse (at least 42!), that abuse may worsen over time, and that anyone can find themselves with an abusive partner. Please do not hesitate to reach out and get help to free yourself. Check out the above link. Forms of abuse include physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial, reproductive, digital, and stalking. Some of these may surprise you.
In the workplace: On the one hand this was a bad week because Bill Cosby was freed. On the other hand, it’s important to realise that his conviction was overturned because of a non-prosecution agreement with the previous DA, not because the women were not believed. In fact, the prosecutors may have been overzealous because they did believe women. Hopefully women will continue to speak up and say #MeToo. And hopefully it will not take more than 60 women to send guilty men to prison. If you have experienced abuse or harassment in the workplace and want to sue or bring charges, be aware that there are statutes of limitations and you may need to act sooner than later. Here is one informational article regarding how to beat the statutes of limitations. Here is a state by state list of statutes of limitations for sex crimes.
We are not giving up: Cosby’s prison release is a “battle cry” for victim rights movement, advocates say: Procedural issue prompted release of a man more than 60 women have accused of rape or sexual assault.
“This is truly a battle cry for the victim rights movement,” Angela Rose, founder and executive director of the advocacy group Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment (Pave), told the Guardian. “There is so much that needs to be done and I hope this is a watershed moment to unite survivors across the country.”
Rose also directed survivors who felt triggered by the decision to survivors.org. “They are not alone,” she said.
If your state does not provide much time for victims to come forward, you may want to work on that! For example, whilst most states provide 21 years to file for the most serious offenses, Florida only allows 7-8 years from majority or 4 years after leaving the abusive relationship for an adult to file charges. I do not find any petitions or other movements to change this at the present time. There was a law proposed in 2019 that was withdrawn in 2020. So if you have the time and energy, check your state and work with advocates to ensure that your harassment, abuse and assault laws are all they should be.
Independence from Voter Suppression
(That rhymes!)
This week was also a bad week for voting rights as the Supreme Court upheld Arizona’s laws that are sure to result in barriers to voting for many. However, Biden vows to continue fighting and Kamala Harris will play a major role. State advocacy groups are not giving up. Ultimately, though, it may take an act of Congress — so consider contacting your Congresscritters and keeping up the pressure! Is this more a minority issue than a women’s issue? Welp, we all want Democrats in office for their more favorable policies. We need a bigger majority in the House and Senate, and in a lot of state legislatures.
Also, we can bypass a certain amount of this voting pressure. Know your state voting laws, what ID you need, and consider helping others get to the polls. Make sure you, your family and friends are ready to vote. Consider joining RockTheVote/VoteFest. Check early and often that your names are not purged from voter rolls. Other ideas? Please comment below!
In Good News
Gwen Goldman: 60 Years After the Yankees Told Her the Dugout Was No Place for a Girl, She Threw Out the First Pitch
Wally Funk, who completed flight training and passed all the tests for the space program back in the early 1960's (including some record-breaking results) but was turned down for being a woman, will finally get to space - Jeff Bezos has invited her to join him on his flight. However you feel about his doing this, he's doing something good with it.
As always, many thanks to the WOW crew for items and discussion, especially this week Angmar, SandraLLAP, and ramara!