The Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence strongly urges the House Ethics Committee to recommend the expulsion of Representative David Stringer. This is based on Representative Stringer’s racist comments and lack of transparency around previous sex offense indictments. The people of Arizona deserve leadership that instills faith and integrity in the state legislature. This requires high ethical standards and a commitment to represent all constituents. If citizens and survivors cannot trust that sexual and domestic violence related issues will be met without bias or dishonesty, it lessens their confidence in the ability of the State to appropriately respond to community needs in situations of violence. This is especially true for survivors of color, who face significant barriers reporting sexual and domestic violence victimization and accessing appropriate services due to systemic racism and prejudice. It is our hope the House Ethics Committee works swiftly and decisively to restore faith in the integrity of the House of Representatives.

The deadline to submit comments on the proposed Title IX changes has been pushed back to January 30, 2019. In order to do a last push for public comments on this important issue, please review the information below on the proposed changes to Title IX and use the sample tweets to get others to submit comments during our ACESDV Tweetstorm January 28 at noon!

These proposed Title IX changes hurt survivors:

• By limiting the definition of sexual harassment to the point where survivors experiences will be discounted unless they experience endure severe, repeated, or escalating harassment which denies students their schooling and impacts their futures. This means that, under the proposed new definition, schools will be held to a lesser standard in addressing the harassment of students-including minors-under its care than addressing harassment of adult employees. 
• Sexual harassment and assault is already widely under-reported. By limiting who can receive a report, students are forced to seek out an authority figure they may never have met and may not be easily accessible. This forces the survivor to discuss the worst experience of their lives to a stranger instead of a school employee with which there may be previous rapport. This is likely to further decrease the amount of reports creating an unsafe overall environment.
• By increasing the burden of proof through setting a higher standard than preponderance of the evidence, the proposed changes tilts proceedings to unfairly benefit respondents, making it even more difficult for those reporting abuse to attain safety.  
• By allowing third party cross examinations that creates gross inequities if one party can afford a lawyer and the other cannot.
• By ignoring assault and harassment that happens off campus by students, survivors will have less options and support to deal with the experience caused by a fellow student. This is especially true since 87% of students live off campus. 41% of college sexual assaults involve off-campus parties. Only 8% of rapes occur on school property (NWLC, 2018)

You can leave your comment at www.handsoffix.org. or here. Please make sure it is personalized. Need additional information? Visit www.handsoffix.org!

Please join us for our tweetstorm to encourage others to comment on these proposed changes. You can use these sample tweets as a guide:

The administration wants to limit reporting. Tell them no! Survivor’s voices need to be heard #handsoffix #ProtectTitleIX

The proposed TitleIX changes will make schools less responsive to sexual harassment of students then their employees. Stop these changes. #ProtectTitleIX acesdv.org.

Send a message to the administration that the proposed changes to TitleIX make things worse not better for those experiencing campus sexual assault #ProtectTitleIX #HandsoffIX

Campus sexual assault survivors already do not feel safe reporting. The administration wants to make that worse. Stop them #ProtectTitleIX Learn how:  HandsOffIX.org

Tell this administration that you #BelieveSurvivors. Submit a comment on the proposed changed to #ProtectTitleIX. Learn more at HandsOffIX.org

Tell the administration it’s time to stop investing on backwards false solutions like their proposed changes to TitleIX. #ProtectTitleIX. Learn more acesdv.org/civicengagenment.

The administration wants to bring the bad days of “boys will be boys” back to campuses with proposed rules changes on Title IX. #ProtectTitleIX by telling them no Learn more acesdv.org/civicengagenment.

With only a couple of days left it is important to make your voice heard by submitting a comment on her proposed Title IX rule. #ProtectTitleIX Learn how:  HandsOffIX.org

Our partners at the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence shared this helpful FAQ on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Shutdown:

With VAWA technically expiring at the same time as the government shutdown, we have noticed that there is some confusion and misinformation about the impact of these two events. Please see below for clarification. 

Does VAWA funding run out in a shutdown?

Technically no, but problems may arise with accessing funds if the shutdown lasts. The Administration is on a reduced staff during a shutdown. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) will stay open until further notice. If the shutdown extends beyond that time, it will be challenging for organizations dependent on VAWA funds to access those funds. This could mean that victims cannot access lifesaving services if the shutdown continues for any length of time. 

VAWA expired when the Continuing Resolution expired. What does that mean for the protections and programs in the law?

We have worked for two years with Congress to urge passage of a Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act that would provide critical enhancements and improvements to the law.  The law technically expired on December 21^st.  The protections enshrined in VAWA, however, continue to exist despite its expiration.

The funding will very likely continue, once an FY 2019 funding bill is complete. VAWA funds would have been safe in a continuing resolution like the Senate passed.

The government shutdown, not the lapse in authorization, is the most significant threat to continued VAWA funds. 

What should Congress do?

The most urgent issue for victim service providers and the survivors they serve is access to continued grant funds. Congress must pass a funding bill (like the Senate passed on December 20th) that extends government funding until February 8, 2019. The President and Congress must end the shutdown to ensure continued access to lifesaving services.

When they return for the 116^th Congress, Members of Congress should begin work on a bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to build on current protections and increase access to justice and safety for all survivors.

Can I do anything?

Feel free to weigh in on the shutdown with your Members of Congress and reassure survivors that they will have access to services for now. Contact NAESV  if you have any questions. 

At a survivor speakout we hosted this year, a survivor of sexual violence said these powerful words about sexual and domestic violence survivors: “We are told we should be silent when it’s inconvenient for those in power.” It’s true there is a long legacy in the United States of silencing, shaming, and ignoring the voices of domestic and sexual violence survivors. Yet, in 2018, the world watched as survivors refused to be silenced at an unprecedented scale, and the sexual and domestic violence community both in Arizona and nationwide stood with survivors and elevated their voices.

The momentum of the #MeToo Movement continued into 2018, where we witnessed the issue of sexual violence get both local and national attention, beginning with numerous Arizona women coming forward publicly with sexual harassment claims against former Representative Don Shooter, and ending with the dramatic Senate Judiciary Hearing with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. In both instances, we were inspired by the courage, resiliency, and tenacity of survivors who refused to be silenced, who advocated for change, and who came together to support each other with love and compassion.

In response to these situations, ACESDV stood with survivors fighting to keep perpetrators out of positions of political power. We held survivor speakouts and solidarity circles, provided advocacy and referrals to survivors through our Sexual and Domestic Violence Services Helpline, and engaged in community actions and media interviews demanding accountability for perpetrators of sexual and domestic violence. We watched as the experiences of survivors were dismissed and disbelieved, reinforcing the continued need for advocacy and education. We are guided by the wise words of a survivor speaking in a solidarity circle during the hearing of Judge Kavanaugh: “Feel your anger and your sadness, in that – is your power.”

In 2018, we were dedicated to using our power to address the roots of violence and transform our society into one centered around equity, diversity, interconnectedness, and fierce love. We know if we want to end sexual and domestic violence, we must engage men, stand with survivors of color, and empower youth. Accordingly, 2018 was the founding year of our Men Against Patriarchy and Oppression (MAPO) Committee, a male-led workgroup focused on ending toxic masculinity, changing harmful gender norms, and providing new avenues for men to get involved in the movement to end gendered violence. It was also the first year of our Youth Advocates Institute, a youth-led initiative building youths’ leadership and advocacy skills in order to promote culture change and healthy relationships among their peers. In addition, ACESDV worked with grassroots partners to build community capacity to connect LGBTQ migrant survivors and immigrant survivors with services, and educate community members about consent, bystander intervention, and healthy sexuality.

Over the past year, we were reminded more than ever how important it is to stand with survivors and continue the fight to end sexual and domestic violence. We are incredibly grateful to do this work. While our efforts can sometimes seem daunting, ACESDV is dedicated to supporting survivors and centering their experiences to create meaningful social change. We need your help to do so. In the powerful words of one sexual assault survivor: “We have to fight for compassion, love, and support in a world where it’s dying.”

With your gift, you are sending a message that you too #BelieveSurvivors and will continue to be in solidarity with the 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men who have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime, and the 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men who have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

Other ways your gift can help:

$35 enables one Victim Services Specialist to spend one hour on the phone with a survivor of sexual or domestic violence.

$50 supports one hour of public policy advocacy at the Arizona State Capitol.

$100 sends one domestic violence advocate to the 40-Hour Sharing Experience domestic violence training.

$250 sponsors materials for the Young Advocates Institute Southwest youth-led social justice camp.

$500 supports travel assistance for one rural ACESDV member program to attend a training.

$1000 sponsors an entire 5-day Sexual Violence Core Advocacy Training.

Consider purchasing a paper peace dove through the Gift of Peace Campaign at Jacksons Car Wash and Food Stores throughout the Metro Phoenix area through December 25th. Purchases using your Fry’s Reward Card are also great, as is shopping through AmazonSmile. Every little bit will support us as we head into 2019.

Thank you for your continued support of our mission to end sexual and domestic violence in Arizona by dismantling oppression and promoting equity among all people!

Allie Bones, MSW
Chief Executive Officer