I-VAWA

In reading about the International Violence Against Women Act on VDay.org, I found a pleasant surprise. I saw the name of someone I know right there in the text, and luckily I was proud to see them. (Excerpt from VDay.org)

V-Day joins Amnesty International USA, Women Thrive Worldwide and Family Violence Prevention Fund in strong support of the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA). This is the first comprehensive piece of legislation in the United States aimed at ending violence against women and girls around the world and would consistently incorporate solutions for reducing violence against women into U.S. foreign assistance.

Specifically, I-VAWA would:
**Address violence against women and girls comprehensively, by supporting health, legal, economic, social, and humanitarian assistance sectors and incorporating violence prevention and response best practices into such programs.
**Alleviate poverty and increase the cost effectiveness of foreign assistance by investing in women.
**Define a clear mandate for Senior Officials in the Department of State and USAID for leadership, accountability and coordination in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls.
**Enable the U.S. government to develop a faster and more efficient response to violence against women in humanitarian emergencies and conflict-related situations.
**Build the effectiveness of overseas non-governmental organizations – particularly women’s non-governmental organizations – in addressing violence against women.

In February 2010, I-VAWA was re-introduced in the 111th Congress by bipartisan teams in the House and the Senate on February 4th, 2010. In the House, the bill was introduced by Representative Bill Delahunt (D-MA), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee on Europe and Representative Ted Poe (R-TX), Co-chair of the Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus. In the Senate, it was introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-MA), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senators Boxer (D-CA), Collins (R-ME) and Snowe (R-ME).

I am proud to see that my representative (and member of my church) is a part of something so large and so worthwhile.

There are several ways to take action:
Sign the petition: www.womenthrive.org/vday
Organize a call-in or letter writing campaign. Get your friends and relatives to flood the voicemail or mailbox of your member of Congress. Urge them to cosponsor the bill and support it when it comes to the floor. Is your member of Congress already an I-VAWA cosponsor? Click here to see an up to date list of cosponsors. If your member of Congress is a cosponsor write and thank them for the support.
Download Sample 'Please Co-Sponsor' Letter >
Download Sample 'Thank You' Letter >

Texans, let's show Ted our appreciation and flood his mailbox with these thank you letters!

TURNING PAIN TO POWER Tour

Join V-Day for the TURNING PAIN TO POWER Tour & Stand Up for the Women of Congo!
"V-Day’s TURNING PAIN TO POWER Tour was developed to get the word out about violence against women in the Congo, and the efforts underway to end it. Through public conversations, Dr. Mukwege and Eve will expose the violence, explore the causes of the brutality, and share the stories of Congo’s growing movement of women leaders. The February 2009 tour will make stops in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. "

To find the itinerary and to buy tickets, please follow this link:
http://newsite.vday.org/pain-to-power-tour

Degrade with the power of a hand grenade

This June the United States held the 'council president' position at the U.N. Council and we brought forth a powerful and devastating theme for debate: the use of sexual violence in war.

The council resolved unanimously that "sexual violence [is] a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate, instill fear in, disperse and/or forcibly relocate civilian members of a community or ethnic group."

Eve Ensler, I pray you were there for this. In discussing such war-torn regions as Yugoslavia, Darfur, Rwanda, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert theorized that "it has probably become more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier in an armed conflict".

The more surprising, and optimism-crushing, news is the rise in sexual abuse accusations against peace keepers and aide-workers. People who have been placed in the situation as care givers are taking advantage of the victims. It leaves you with a horrible feeling of "who can be trusted?"

This violence against women is devastating on immeasurable levels. According to Condoleezza Rice "we affirm that sexual violence profoundly affects not only the health and safety of women but the economic and social stability of their nations."

And while I am proud and encouraged that we are finally taking steps against this atrocity, I find myself wondering, "What took so long?"