YWCA Week Without Violence

Week Without Violence is October 19-25

This year’s WWV theme will be “ENOUGH!” YWCA USA’s Week Without Violence website is a great place to start gathering information. You can also place a link directly to it from your home page. Look for more information from YWCA USA in your inbox in coming weeks.

On Monday August 4^th, 15 YWCA staffers from 10 GLA YWCAs joined a “Week Without Violence Planning and Sharing” conference call. The result of their collective wisdom is a giant list of activity ideas and resources that can be replicated to suit a range of audience and community needs.

We want to know what you’re doing to observe Week Without Violence! Visit the GLA Advocacy Blog to post a comment in the Week Without Violence post about your activities.

Week Without Violence Topic Areas

• Bullying
• Child Abuse
• Domestic Violence
• Gang Violence
• Hate Crimes
• Healing
• International Violence Against Women Issues
• Peace
• Racial Injustice
• Safety
• Sexual Assault
• Stalking
• Trafficking

Activities for Communities

• Radio and TV PSAs/ announcements about WWV Topics
• Peace Picnic
• Pancakes for Peace breakfast with tabling/ children’s activities/ etc.
• Peace Garden
• Peace Walk/ Unity Walk—like a peaceful protest march. In “Unity Walk” community members begin a separate places in different parts of town and converge in the middle for a shared celebration.
• Candlelight Vigils to honor victims and survivors of violence
• A community –wide “Gun turn-in program” where individuals may turn in weapons with no questions asked; organized in partnership with local law enforcement and city/ county officials
• Clothesline project and “letters to abusers” displays
• Make displays about non-violence for your YWCA lobby or traveling displays for tabling events
• Provide voter information throughout WWV events and activities, including information on early voting, voting safely for survivors of domestic violence, and postcards to remind community members that November 4^th is election day.

Activities aimed at youth/ young children

• Reading books about peace and safety at local libraries and pre-schools (examples “Hands are not for Hitting” and “The Peace Book”)
• Partnering with schools doing “Red Ribbon Week” campaigns (often the same week) to discuss how themes of violence relate to drug and alcohol use
• Focusing on bullying
• Art contest “When I’m Angry;” winner’s art is used on next year’s poster/ brochure
• High School Essay contest on Racial Justice relating to WWV topics. Prizes for top essays; winner will be published in local newspaper
• Peace pledges for school aged kids (see St. Louis Institute of Peace and Justice for examples)
• Organize a finger print clinic with local law enforcement—provides a finger print record for families
• Violent Toy turn-in Drive: kids turn in violent toys and receive peaceful toys in exchange

Activities for College Audiences

• Take Back the Night
• Movie night (examples:”Waitress,” “Batterers Will Kill” from YWCA Cincinnati)
• Theater performances
• Host a guest speaker on a related topic (example TJ Leyden, former white supremacist who speaks on hate/ tolerance issues)
• “Chalk the Quad”: Students chalk messages about peace/ violence against women/ etc. at the center of campus

Half In Ten Campaign: Take Action for Low-Income Families

Yesterday, Senator John Edwards spoke to over 1,000 young people at the Campus Progress National Conference in Washington, DC. Senator Edwards asked these 1,000 young activists to pledge their support for Half In Ten and find 10 friends to do the same. Watch him call on these students to form the core of a movement to change this country forever. To grow this movement, we need you, too.

As we build this movement, there are specific changes that we can make today to reach our goal of reducing poverty by half in ten years. Yesterday, Senator Edwards discussed one of these: the need to expand the Child Tax Credit. Current law denies the CTC to millions of poor children and their families because they earn too little to owe federal income tax. By lowering the minimum earnings from the current $12,050 to $8,500 for 2008, families of more than 13 million children will become newly eligible to receive the credit or receive an increased amount.
During these tough economic times, helping our lowest-income families should be a top priority. The House of Representatives has begun to address this need by approving H.R. 6049, which expands the CTC to all families who make at least $8,500 a year. But it’s looking like the Senate might not go as far as the House and would leave over 1.5 million low-income children out entirely or give their families a smaller refund.

We must all voice our support for real change to the CTC. Add your name to this petition urging Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) to:

• Expand the CTC to the children who need it most, allowing those families making $8,500 a year to access the credit, and
• End the annual increases in required earnings that deprive low-income families and children from this needed help.

Starting today at East Harlem’s Yorkville Common Pantry, Senator Edwards is heading out on the road, learning from citizens affected by poverty, rallying with community activists, and putting pressure on elected officials. Together, we can build a movement to cut poverty in half, but we need you—educating yourself on the issues, bringing your friends and family into Half In Ten, and urging elected officials to take action—to make the concrete changes that can pull families out of poverty.

Thanks again for your support!
The Half In Ten Team

Half in Ten plans to reduce poverty in the United States by 50 percent within 10 years. Under the leadership of Senator John Edwards, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), the Center for American Progress Action Fund (CAPAF), the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), have joined forces on the campaign to elevate and sustain a focus on the situations facing the poor and middle class today,build and strengthen an effective constituency to demand legislative action on poverty and economic mobility, advance specific legislative and policy proposals that will deliver real benefits to struggling American families. For more information on how to reduce poverty in America, see From Poverty to Prosperity: A National Strategy to Cut Poverty in Half by the Center for American Progress Task Force on Poverty.

House and Senate Appropriations Committees Pass Funding Increases for VAWA and VOCA

The House Appropriations Committee passed their Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) bill with $35 million in increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs at the Department of Justice and a $60 million increase for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund. This is a huge increase in funding over FY 08 and even more funding than VAWA and VOCA received last week when the Senate Appropriations Committee passed their CJS bill.

The House bill increases VAWA from $400 million (in Fiscal Year 2008) to $435 million. This includes increases for several key programs:

· The STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Grant Program was increased to $178 million
· The Legal Assistance to Victims Program and the Rural Grant Program were both increased to $41 million each
· Transitional housing received $20 million
· The Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) received $15 million
· The House passed a $60 million increase to the VOCA cap, providing a total of $650 million. This is a large and much needed funding increase for VOCA.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed their version of the CJS bill with $15 million in increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs bringing the total to $415 millio at the Department of Justice and a $45 million increase for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund.

This included increases for several key programs and critical funding for new programs:
· The STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Grant Program was increased to $162.9 million.
· The Legal Assistance to Victims Program was increased to $42 million.
· Rural Grants were increased to $42 million.
· The Sexual Assault Services Program (SASP) received $12 million.
· $45 million increase to the VOCA cap, providing $635 million in crucial funds.

To learn more about VAWA programs click here.

What happens next?
Next the full House and Senate must vote on the bills that were passed out of committee. After the House and Senate pass their separate bills, they must be reconciled into one final bill that is passed by Congress and signed by the President. It is possible that Congress will not finish the Appropriations process this calendar year, and may delay the process until a new President is inaugurated in 2009.

For an explanation of the Budget and Appropriations process and timeline click here.

Your legislators need to hear that they did the right thing by supporting these increases. Those who serve on the House and Senate Appropriations committees played a key role. Click the name of each legislator below to visit her or his congressional website. Use the contact form to send a thank you note for their work to maintain and expand funding for sexual and domestic violence.

If your reps aren’t listed below, fear not! There will be more opportunities to advocate for all of these measures to be funded at the maximum possible level as the federal budgeting process continues.


House Appropriations Committee Members from GLA
David R. Obey, Wisconsin, Chair
Marcy Kaptur, Ohio
Peter J. Visclosky, Indiana
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., Illinois
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, Michigan
Tim Ryan, Ohio
Ralph Regula, Ohio
David L. Hobson, Ohio
Joe Knollenberg, Michigan
Ray LaHood, Illinois
Mark Steven Kirk, Illinois

Senate Appropriations Committee Members from GLA

Herb Kohl Wisconsin

Richard Durbin Illinois

Gratitude to the National Network to End Domestic Violence for suppling the information included in this update.

And we wonder why the U.S. Ranks 69th in the world for Women's Poltical Empowerment

One of GLA's issue priorities is advocating for increased access to political leadership and power for women and for people of color. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap 2007 Report, the United States ranks 69th in the world for women's political empowerment.

A new initiative from the Women's Media Center brings the sexism directed at women in the public eye into stark relief. Check out this YouTube video on the "Sexism Might Sell, But I'm not Buying It" site. The campaign calls upon national news outlets to stop using sexist commentary as a punchline.

As one speaker in the video states-- women make up more than 50% of the U.S. population. We have every right to demand that our issues, our campaigns for public office, and our ability to lead be taken seriously.

Paid Sick Days Poll

This weekend, Parade Magazine, the country’s most widely-read magazine, featured a story on paid sick days. Now, Parade is conducting an online poll, asking its readers: “Should employers be required to offer paid sick days?”

Help us send the message loud and clear that paid sick days are much-needed—and strongly supported—by taking Parade’s online poll. Parade is distributed by over 400 Sunday newspapers, including several major papers, and reaches an estimated 71 million readers. This article and online poll will help paid sick days campaigns across the nation reach a broad, new audience.

Please take a moment to check out the article and, most importantly, cast your vote in Parade’s online poll, and forward it to your members, friends and coworkers in a show of support for paid sick days for everyone.

contributed by Loretta Line
YWCAs Illinois Advocacy Manager

Economic Downturn Stories Needed

YWCA USA is a member of the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN), which works on funding human needs programs and budget and tax issues, including the federal budget and appropriations process. CHN is one of the organizations leading the Half In Ten: Poverty to Prosperity Campaign with former U.S. Senator John Edwards.

CHN and the YWCA are working together to collect stories from people who can speak first-hand about how the economic downturn impacts service providers and their clients. The goal of this campaign is to put a human face on the rising economic needs.

We are hoping you or someone in your association will be willing to participate in this easy but important effort. Two types of stories are needed: 1) Stories describing the importance of human needs programs and how unmet needs, cutbacks, or proposed cuts impact communities, and 2) stories of the importance of human needs programs and how unmet needs, cut backs, or proposed cuts will harm or have harmed YWCA associations or clients. Examples include stories on cuts to programs, having to limit the clients served, having to layoff staff, rising co-pays, and longer waiting lists. Programs of interest include Medicare, Medicaid, housing assistance, violence against women programs, child care, child support and Head Start.

To give a 10-15 minute “interview” for this project, or to get more information, please email Randi Schmidt, YWCA USA Senior Advocacy Associate.

For more on Half In Ten see the related post from May 2008.

Postville Raid Brings Sexual Violence Against Immigrant Wokers to Light

Many racial justice and immigrants rights advocates have been following news of the raids at Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville Iowa last week. On May 12th 697 people were arrested by federal agents in the biggest single-site immigration raid in U.S. history.

Among the many dimensions of human rights abuses that advocates seek to remedy through comprehensive immigration reform, sexual and economic exploitation of undocumented workers is rarely brought to light. According to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, "it is estimated that 80% of undocumented females who cross into the United States experience sexual assault and/or rape."

Many YWCAs offer programs and services to immigrant women and to survivors of violence. As advocates for an end to violence against women and for full racial equity, these issues are our issues. If we are going to prevent immigrant women from experiencing future sexual exploitation, we must advocate for their full rights and enfranchisement.

It is certainly not news to those involved in the movement to end violence against women that conditions of isolation like language barriers, lack of "legitimate" legal status, and economic dependence are the fastest incubator for exploitation and violence.

Does your YW have programs, resources, or expertise on these issues? If so, please share thoughts and ideas for action in the comments section.


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The article below from the Des Moines Register describes the conditions of women workers in Postville:

Advocates: Workers allege sexual abuse
By JENNIFER JACOBS • jejacobs@dmreg.com • May 20, 2008

Reports that there was an expectation of sexual favors at Agriprocessors Inc. are beginning to emerge from workers at the Postville meat processing plant, and advocates for immigrants are trying to document the stories.Sister Mary McCauley, a Roman Catholic nun at St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Postville, said workers have said that "there was sexual abuse, that there's propositioning."

Coalition On Human Needs partners to Reduce Poverty

The message below comes from the Coalition on Human Needs-- a YWCA USA national coalition partner. GLA is eager to join the Half in Ten Campaign!

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Cutting poverty in half in the US over the next decade is an achievable goal.

The Coalition on Human Needs is proud to have joined with three vitally important organizations and with former Senator John Edwards in a new campaign to turn that goal into reality.

On May 13, CHN joined with The Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) to introduce Half in Ten: From Poverty to Prosperity, a campaign chaired by Senator Edwards and coordinated by the four organizations.

Half in Ten will seek federal and state solutions to cut poverty in half within ten years. Meeting in Philadelphia with many ACORN members as well as leaders from community action agencies, anti-hunger groups, children's advocacy organizations, labor, leaders from the faith community, and other advocates, Senator Edwards called poverty "a moral cause facing every single one of us," and the imperative of reducing poverty "a question of fundamental fairness that this country was founded upon." He has been in touch with the three major presidential candidates about making commitments to the half in ten goal. You can read about their poverty positions at the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity website.

Drawing upon a report principally authored for the Center for American Progress by CHN's Public Policy Committee Chair and Board member Mark Greenberg, the campaign will focus on federal and/or state efforts to raise the minimum wage, expand tax credits so they reach more poor families and individuals, increase the availability of quality child care for low-income families, expand Unemployment Insurance so it reaches more low-income workers who lose their jobs, and protect people from foreclosure and other forms of predatory lending.

Half in Ten: From Poverty to Prosperity is off to a very promising start. But we know that the four organizations, even with the exciting participation of John Edwards, cannot by ourselves achieve our goal. We will seek every opportunity to work with organizations in Washington and around the country, many of whom are already hard at work on important anti-poverty initiatives - such as Catholic Charities USA, the Center for Community Change, the Community Action Partnership, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Sojourners/Call to Renewal, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), the National Women's Law Center, and Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). Well - I am getting into trouble because there are so many organizations we will work with and upon whose expertise we depend. Those include all of CHN's members, and many more besides.

We urge you to check out the new Half in Ten website. . .and the press release announcing Half in Ten... and the Philadelphia Inquirer story following the launch event.

We believe that the recession, the failures of the current Administration, and the leadership of many committed organizations and public officials have all contributed to a new desire for practical solutions to poverty - and a recognition that persistent poverty hurts all of us. This is an exciting time.

More to come!

Deborah WeinsteinExecutive Director, Coalition on Human Needs