It’s unacceptable that VAWA resources

have been jeopardized for almost 2 years!

The election is over and it’s time! Congress has some unfinished business.

We must get Congress to finish the work of passing a VAWA that safely and effectively protects ALL victims.

TAKE ACTION TODAY! 

November 14 is the VAWA day of ACTION

Call and tweet your Representatives and Senators today!

By the end of the day, every Member of Congress will hear a unified message:

Work out the differences, pass VAWA before this Congress ends and you go home for the holidays.  Do not let VAWA die and miss this chance to help victims find shelter, help and justice.  There is precious little time left and victims’ lives and futures are in the balance.

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Join #PassVAWA2012 Social Media Campaign

Be a part of a ground-breaking campaign to leverage the full power of social media in fighting for the Reauthorization of VAWA! Join the #PassVAWA2012 Facebook Photo Campaign to tell Congress that it’s time to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act!  It’s easy, just snap photos of you, your friends, your colleagues, & sympathetic strangers holding up signs saying why we need to Pass VAWA NOW!  Submit your photos via email to lccref@gmail.com or tweetpic with #PassVAWA2012. For more details and sample campaign tweets check out the tool kit below.

Click here to download:

PassVAWA2012_Campaign.Took_Kit.pdf (49 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

PassVAWA2012_Campaign.Took_Kit.pdf (49 KB)

12:00pm eastern on Thursday, November 8^th

for a very important VAWA update and organizing call.

Dial-in Number: 1-213-226-0400 Conference Code: 451747 

Save Wednesday, November 14 for a VAWA day of ACTION

• Every national leader will call Congressional leaders

• Every organization’s state and local leaders will call their U.S. Senators

• Every local organization and all individuals will call their House members

By the end of the day, every Member of Congress will hear a unified message:

Work out the differences, pass VAWA before this Congress ends and you go home for the holidays.  Do not let VAWA die and miss this chance to help victims find shelter, help and justice.  There is precious little time left and victim’s lives and futures are in the balance.

Join #PassVAWA2012 Social Media Campaign

Be a part of a ground-breaking campaign to leverage the full power of social media in fighting for the Reauthorization of VAWA! Join the #PassVAWA2012 Facebook Photo Campaign to tell Congress that it’s time to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act! 

It’s easy, just snap photos of you, your friends, your colleagues, & sympathetic strangers holding up signs saying why we need to Pass VAWA NOW!  Submit your photos via email to lccref@gmail.com or tweetpic with #PassVAWA2012.

For more details and sample campaign tweets check out the below tool kit!

Click here to download:

PassVAWA2012_Campaign.Took_Kit.pdf (49 KB)

(download)

Click here to download:

PassVAWA2012_Campaign.Took_Kit.pdf (49 KB)

 As our sisters and brothers, survivors, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers begin the hard work of repairing the damage done by Hurricane Sandy, our hearts go out to them.

We know that VAWA’s lifesaving services are more important than ever! 

Once the election is over, we must make every effort to get our Representatives and Senators in Congress to make VAWA a priority in the lame duck session of Congress.

Please join us

12:00pm eastern on Thursday, November 8^th

for a very important organizing call.

Dial-in Number: 1-213-226-0400 Conference Code: 451747

You’ll hear from national leaders who will outline major actions that everyone in the country can take to ensure VAWA gets passed by the end of the year.

We will discuss a National Day of Action for VAWA to be held on Wednesday, November 14^th.

Congress has some unfinished business.

They MUST PASS the Violence Against Women Act

when they reconvene in November!

Get their word on it. VAWA NOW.

Congress has some unfinished business.

They MUST PASS the Violence Against Women Act

when they reconvene in November!

Advocates should use the next 12 days before the election to let the candidates know that we need VAWA done now! 

 Get their word on it. VAWA NOW. 

In the past week, tweeting about VAWA trended and, as a result, women’s issues were a focus of the second Presidential Debates!  All of you did a great job getting the word out and holding our elected officials to their obligation to address the concerns of all people.  Now we have to get them focused specifically on VAWA – we need a commitment from every Congress Member that they will pass VAWA before the end of the year!

ACTIONS:  Tell you legislator that you think VAWA is an election issue and MUST be passed by the end of 2012.  Your representatives and senators are home campaigning. Call their district offices with this message and also send it by email:

In this election season the most important issue to me is the Violence Against Women Act.  It is unacceptable that it has been 658 days since VAWA expired, 160 days since Congress’ last action on VAWA.  With only 52 days until this Congress ends you can help change that.  I need a commitment from you that VAWA reauthorization will be your priority immediately after the election.   Please tell your colleagues and Congressional leadership that you want to see VAWA reauthorized in the lame duck session.  Make VAWA the number one priority bill passed before January.

You can also tweet:

@[your legislator]:  What are you doing to make sure #VAWA is reauthorized in lame duck?  

@[your legislator]:  Make #VAWA a lame duck priority – reauthorize it now! 

Let’s capitalize on that and get VAWA passed before the end of the year!

In the past year, we have worked together to get an inclusive, survivor-focused Violence Against Women Re-Authorization bill introduced into the Senate!  We also saw a number of bills introduced in the House, and the one that passed had limited and very partisan support. 

At the beginning of October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), the White House issued a statement acknowledging the need for inclusive responses to domestic violence:

“Despite considerable progress in reducing domestic violence, an average of three women in the United States lose their lives every day as a result of these unconscionable acts. And while women between the ages of 16 and 24 are among the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence, domestic violence affects people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or religion.” 

We can capitalize on this momentum and get VAWA passed by the end of this year!  But to do so we need to make sure that VAWA is a priority for every legislator during the “lame duck” session in Congress between now and January.

Let’s keep the pressure on – because together we can get this bill passed!

SEND YOUR LEGISLATOR THIS MESSAGE: 

By email:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  It’s unacceptable that VAWA expired a year ago.   You can help change that.  VAWA reauthorization MUST be a priority in the lame duck session!  Please tell your colleagues and Congressional leadership that you want to see VAWA reauthorized now.  Make VAWA the number one priority bill passed before January.:

Watch the debates tonight and tweet to about VAWA

• @crowleyCNN Ask in the #Debate why #DV resources through #VAWA have been expired 4 a yr? 4vawa.org #Women1016

• @crowleyCNN He chained Claire, an immigrant, to the radiator, beat her with a cord & raped her. Y has #VAWA expired? #DV #Women1016 #Debate

• A @TransEquality survey showed 64% trans people experienced sexual assault: bit.ly/P7nwJe Pass #VAWA 2012! #Women1016 #Debate #DV

• “[Sexual Abuse] is not a racial story – it affects every nationality, every tribe” – Donna, AK native. Pass #VAWA now! #Women1016 #Debate

• Danielle knew she had to get out of the relationship for her safety & her children. Pass #VAWA! 4vawa.org #Women1016 #DV #Debate

• “The sexual abuse had gone 2 the very core of my human spirit & had taken away who I was, who I was meant 2 b” –Donna,AK #VAWA #Women1016

• “Rape Assistance Volunteers told me it wasn’t my fault. I can now look @ myself in the mirror.” –Leanna,CO. But #VAWA expired, #Women1016

• “They beat me & raped me, after that my whole life was different.” –Gabe,IL. Support #VAWA 4 all survivors, men & #Women1016 #Debate

• Her brother used a knife 2 cut Yvette’s (NH) throat & genitals while assaulting her @ age 12. Men&#Women1016 need #VAWA 4vawa.org

• “We all deserve to be treated with dignity, respect & love” –Laura,NY. Pass #VAWA 2012 for all! 4vawa.org #Women1016 #Debate #DV

•  #LGBT survivors face the same rates of #DV, #SA as all – so #VAWA must include them too.  Pass VAWA 2012 for all Men & #Women1016

•  Homicide rates increased 3x in 2011 for #LGBT victims of #DV.  Pass VAWA 2012 for all people!  4vawa.org Men& #Women1016 #Debate

During last night's VP Debate we heard Vice President Biden's and Congressman Ryan's views on abortion.  Now it's time we hear from the President and Mr. Romney on another important women's health issue - violence against women.

Add your voice! 

Use these tweets to urge Candy Crowley to include the Violence Against Women Act as a debate topic in next week's presidential debate and share with the public why VAWA is so important:

• @crowleyCNN Rape is rape and #VAWA is expired. #Debate candidates must respond to these issues

• @crowleyCNN lets hear about why #VAWA has been expired for a year while #DV, rape and stalking major issues #Debate #DVAM2012

• @crowleyCNN, it’s #DVAM2012 - #Debate should include women & family issues like #education, #poverty, #dv, #VAWA

• Claire escaped abuse & obtained permanent residency through #VAWA. Tell ur Rep 2 pass #VAWA in 2012! 4vawa.org

• He put a knife to Veronica’s throat & threatened to have her & her fam deported from NM. No1 deserves abuse. Pass #VAWA now! #DVAM2012

• 1 in 3 Native American women will be sexually abused during their lifetime. Pass #VAWA in 2012 to help all survivors. #DVAM2012

• It’s unacceptable tht #dv resources have been expired for a year. Reauthorize #VAWA now! #DVAM2012 4vawa.org

• A community org tht helps Black/Latino LGBT was denied #dv funding bc it was “ineligible.” Protect all victims; pass #VAWA in 2012

• “Rapists take away your childhood, your innocence, your spirit.” –Sasha of WI. Pass #VAWA now so survivors have hope. 4vawa.org

• Eunice of OH was slapped and locked in her closet for failing to satisfy her partner. It's #DVAM2012; Pass #VAWA in 2012

• Sexual assault of men remains “a silent epidemic” –Gabe of IL.  Pass #VAWA now to help all victims 4vawa.org

We have made so much progress on VAWA!  Let’s capitalize on that and get VAWA passed before the end of the year!

During the past year, our collective work ensured that the Senate passed a bipartisan, inclusive and survivor-focused Violence Against Women Re-Authorization bill and have kept Congress and the media focused on the needs of survivors! Our advocacy ensured that a dangerous VAWA bill in the House passed by with limited and very partisan support. 

At the beginning of October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), the White House issued a statement acknowledging the need for inclusive responses to domestic violence:

“Despite considerable progress in reducing domestic violence, an average of three women in the United States lose their lives every day as a result of these unconscionable acts.  And while women between the ages of 16 and 24 are among the most vulnerable to intimate partner violence, domestic violence affects people regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or religion.” 

At the same time, the issue of rape has remained front and center in our nation’s consciousness and a comprehensive policy response is needed.

We can capitalize on our momentum and the public focus on women’s issues and get VAWA passed by the end of this year! 

But to do so we need to make sure that VAWA is an election issue and a priority for every legislator during the “lame duck” session in Congress - after they come back from the election through the end of the year.

Let’s keep the pressure on – because together we can get this bill passed!

Your representatives and senators are home campaigning. Call their district offices with this message and also send it by email:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and 3 women lose their lives every day to this crime.   1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner.  Rape, affecting 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men, is unacceptable.  ALL victims of violence must be protected.  Yet VAWA expired over a year ago.    VAWA reauthorization MUST be a priority in the lame duck session!  Please tell your colleagues and Congressional leadership that you want to see VAWA reauthorized now.  Will you publicly state before the election that passing VAWA this year is one of your highest priorities? 

You can also tweet:

@[your legislator]:  What are you doing to make sure #VAWA is reauthorized in lame duck?  #DVAM2012

@[your legislator]:  Make #VAWA a lame duck priority – reauthorize it now!  #DVAM2012

@[your legislator]: Rape is rape. Will you let rape victims know you want to help? Prioritize passing #VAWA in lame duck.

@[your legislator]:  Oct is DV Awareness Month.  Reauthorize #VAWA now for ALL survivors!  #DVAM2012

We've done it before and we can do it again – together we can get this bill passed!

Congress must know we won’t stop until we get a final bill that protects all victims!

Action: Call your Representatives and Senators today and ask:

“ What are you doing to make sure VAWA is reauthorized?”

Here’s the contact information for your Representatives and Senators.

Many who worked to make VAWA a reality in 1994 remember the ceremony on a warm September day in the White House Rose Garden and the sense of relief that followed: we finally had the tools to address the epidemic of domestic violence.

Since that day, VAWA has expanded its protections to victims of dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  Since that day, VAWA has saved thousands of lives and brought safety to thousands of homes.  VAWA’s programs have trained law enforcement, prosecution and court personnel to better understand the dynamics that make these four crimes such a burden on U.S. communities. 

Over the years, VAWA has created historic protections for immigrant victims and victims on tribal lands.  VAWA has raised awareness about and improved responses to sexual assault and stalking.  VAWA programs have disseminated prevention programs in middle schools and high schools.  The homicide rates for victims of these crimes has dropped significantly.

Yet any child born on that bright day in September 1994, now turning 18 years old, still faces the specter of victimization, because there are so many areas VAWA did not cover in the 18 years since its passage.  So in 2012 the Senate developed a new improved version of VAWA, a reauthorization that fills in so many of those gaps that pose dangers to youth who have never lived in a world without VAWA. 

Without the new version of VAWA, an 18 year old victim of sexual assault will not be able to secure safe housing.  Without the new version of VAWA, an 18 year old victim of dating violence will find it difficult to obtain justice on campus.  Without the new version of VAWA, many underserved communities, including the LGBT community, immigrant victims, and Native women, will have no place to go for help.

VAWA has done a stellar job of helping millions of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking over 18 years.  Let’s celebrate VAWA’s birthday by making sure all victims of violence can access help and justice.  Congress can best say “Happy Birthday, VAWA!” by completing an inclusive bill and getting it to the President to be signed, as it once was on a bright September day.

Thank you!

• Continue to check our website for fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates.

• Follow us on twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page where you can find a toolkit and other action and information items.

• Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

• If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to  ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

As members of Congress head back to Washington this week and next, it is critical that all of us continue to reach out to Members in their districts and tell them to get a final VAWA passed that protects all victims!  

If recent ill-informed comments about rape and sexual violence, now dominating the national political discussion, have shown us anything it’s that the reauthorization of VAWA must be a priority for our lawmakers now more than ever. (Check out this video where 1,200 advocates at the National Sexual Assault Conference tell Congress: “Rape is rape. Stand up for victims. Pass VAWA now!”).

But Congress will only be in session for just a few weeks in September and then will go home the first of October and may not come back until after the election. Time is running out and they need to act quickly in September to get a final VAWA passed!

Below you will find steps to take action in your community:

ACTION 1: FIND YOUR CONGRESS PERSON AT A TOWN HALL, RALLY OR CAMPAIGNING ON THE STREETS AND ASK:

“What are you going to do to get a final VAWA passed that helps ALL victims?”

ACTION 2:  CAN’T GET TO A TOWN HALL OR RALLY?  CALL YOUR CONGRESS PERSON AND TELL THEM WHY VAWA IS SO IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Find your Congress Member here.  Tell them why VAWA is critical to you, your loved ones, family and friends and ask them “What are you going to do to get a final VAWA passed?”

ACTION 3:  CAN’T FIND YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER IN PUBLIC?  VISIT THEM IN THEIR DISTRICT OFFICE WHILE THEY ARE HOME!

We all know that passing a VAWA that includes ALL victims is the right thing to do – please spend the last two weeks of the Congressional recess telling your Senators and Representative to get VAWA done.  Ask them in their office, on Twitter, through a letter to the editor or on Facebook “What are you going to do to get a final VAWA passed?”

ACTION 4: GOT A GREAT PROGRAM SERVING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE?  INVITE YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENATIVE IN CONGRESS TO COME VISIT YOUR PROGRAM!

We all know the power of seeing what victims are really going through and Members of Congress need to see it for themselves. Chances are that they will want the press to know about their visit and that’s another opportunity for you to get the message out to the public about the need for VAWA.

Please click here to find tips for activism in August including letters to the editor, how to have an in district meeting, tweets, Facebook posts, and letters to the editor. 

Thank you!

• Continue to check our website for fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates.

• Follow us on twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page where you can find a toolkit and other action and information items.

• Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

• If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to  ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.

Our August assignment – Find out what your Senators and House Representative intend to do to get a final VAWA passed THIS YEAR that helps all victims.  Then relay their answers to the press and your coalition partners. 

In August, they are home and you must talk to them about how domestic and sexual violence impacts your community and why they should be working for VAWA’ s passage.  Suggest that they meet with survivors and service providers in your area and use Senator Murray's roundtable as a model. 

ACTION 1:  TALK WITH YOUR COMMUNITY ABOUT VAWA AND INVITE YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER TO THE TALK!

Set up a meeting with your local anti-domestic and sexual violence organizations or your book club, or your religious organization (or any other group you belong to!) and invite your Congress Member or a senior staff member to talk to people who see the real impact of this violence on the community.  Talk about how important VAWA is and why every victim/survivor needs their support. 

Ask the Congress Member or staff person to urge the leaders in both parties in both houses of Congress to quit posturing and get VAWA passed.  If the Congress Member can’t make it, use the meeting as an opportunity to talk about the issue with your friends, family and community members and inspire folks to continue to urge their Members to take action for VAWA.

ACTION 2:  VISIT THEM IN THEIR DISTRICT OFFICE WHILE THEY ARE HOME!

We all know that passing a VAWA that includes ALL victims is the right thing to do – ask for a meeting to explain why VAWA must get passed this fall before they leave DC (and all bills die and have to be reintroduced in January next year).  Invite diverse members from your community to come with you and tell their stories about discrimination and lack of services and outline how a “real” VAWA can help.

ACTION 3:  WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OR AN OP ED!

 Write a letter to the editor in response to a recent story in the paper.  Here’s a great example from the YWCAs in Hawaii.   For more tips on writing letters to the editor, see page 10 of our VAWA Tool Kit. 

No recent coverage of VAWA in your local paper?  Write an op ed.  Here’s a great example from Massachusetts.  An op ed is your opportunity to raise an issue you think is of concern to your community and express your opinion about what needs to be done.  For more tips on writing op eds, see page 34 of our VAWA Tool Kit.

ACTION 4:  TWEET ABOUT THE NEED FOR VAWA! 

Use the August tool kit – with state-by-state tweets – to tweet about VAWA to your Congress Member.  Tell them why VAWA is critical to you, your loved ones, family and friends and ask them “What have you done to get a final VAWA passed?”  If it’s easier for you to just re-tweet follow @NTFVAWA on Twitter and re-tweet our tweets!

Thank you!

• Continue to check our website for fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and updates.

• Follow us on twitter at @NTFVAWA and “like” our Facebook page where you can find a toolkit and other action and information items.

• Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA, #RealVAWA and #VAWA.

• If you aren't on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to  ntfvawaalerts@icasa.org.