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VAWA ACTION ALERT!!!

Please forward widely!

January 27, 2012

VAWA is moving and NOW is the time to tell Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act! VAWA is moving quickly toward reauthorization and will be marked up in the Senate Judiciary Committee next week. VAWA now has 28 sponsors! But we need EVERY Senator on the Senate Judiciary Committee to support VAWA during mark up! Please take the following actions to get VAWA reauthorized SWIFTLY!

Action 1: Call members on the Senate Judiciary Committee listed below who haven't YET signed on to support VAWA and tell them they need to support VAWA today!

IOWA: Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member, R-Iowa - Be sure to remind the Senator that he has always supported VAWA and we need his support now. Victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in Iowa rely on the services that VAWA supports. Violence crosses all political and other boundaries. Victims need the support he has provided in the past.

UTAH: Senator Orrin G. Hatch, R-Utah and Senator Michael S. Lee, R-Utah - Be sure to remind Senator Hatch that he has always supported VAWA and we need his support now. Victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in Utah rely on the services that VAWA supports. Violence crosses all political and other boundaries. Victims need the support he has provided in the past. In October 2000 Senator Hatch said: 'Madam President, I rise today to express my pride and gratitude that the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 will pass the Senate today and soon become law. This important legislation provides tools that will help women in Utah and around the country who are victims of domestic violence break away from dangerous and destructive relationships and begin living their lives absent of fear.'

TEXAS: Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas - Be sure to remind Senator Cornyn that he has always supported VAWA and we need his support now. Victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in Texas rely on the services that VAWA supports. Violence crosses all political and other boundaries. Victims need the support he has provided in the past.
ARIZONA: Senator Jon Kyl, R-Arizona
ALABAMA: Senator Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama
SOUTH CAROLINA: Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina - Tell Senator Graham that an inclusive VAWA can protect victims such as this one in South Carolina: http://www.wbtv.com/story/16608678/teen-girl-raped-passed-out-friend-at-new-years-eve-party-police-say
OKLAHOMA: Senator Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma

Call the D.C. office (visit http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm for Senate phone numbers and http://www.house.gov/representatives/ for House phone numbers). Ask to speak to the staff person handling VAWA, and either leave a message or ask them to please attend the briefing. Staff for our sponsors should attend to get information to shore up and expand their bosses' knowledge and enthusiasm about the bill. Staff of wavering or uncertain Members will be able to gather important info about VAWA and ask questions or voice their concerns.

Action 2: Send a letter to the editor to your local paper - especially in Iowa, Utah, Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma

Let your community know that VAWA needs to be reauthorized quickly! Send this letter to your local paper - some allow for submissions online!

To The Editor:

Domestic violence is pervasive and must end. In fact, violence against women and children affects everyone in [name of local community] in some way. In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was a giant step forward for our nation. Its passage meant that our federal government finally acknowledged that domestic and sexual violence cause tremendous harm, and put resources into helping victims. Millions of families are better off as a result.

The time has come to again reauthorize this critical legislation. Evidence shows that VAWA is working. Over the last 15 years, domestic and sexual violence have declined. But there is more work to do. On average, each day current and former boyfriends and husbands murder three women in America and several hundred people are raped or sexually assaulted. Countless
children witness this violence. The Violence Against Women Act of 2011 will build on efforts to prevent violence before it begins and teach the next generation that violence is always wrong.

We need more resources for children and youth who have been exposed to violence, and to engage men as allies in this work. Congress must reauthorize this legislation and invest more in building healthy communities.

Sincerely,

[Name, Title, Organization, Contact Info]

Action 3: Thank our important allies in the campaign to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act:

Thank Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. Sen. Michael Crapo [R, ID] who introduced S. 1925. Thank all of the co-sponsors to the bill: View Co-Sponsors (28)Sen. Mark Begich [D, AK], Sen. Richard Blumenthal [D, CT], Sen. Barbara Boxer [D, CA], Sen. Benjamin Cardin [D, MD], Sen. Robert Casey [D, PA], Sen. Chris Coons [D, DE], Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL], Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D, CA], Sen. Al Franken [D, MN], Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand [D, NY], Sen. Thomas Harkin [D, IA], Sen. John Kerry [D, MA], Sen. Mark Kirk [R, IL],Sen. Amy Klobuchar [D, MN], Sen. Herbert Kohl [D, WI], Sen. Frank Lautenberg [D, NJ], Sen. Carl Levin [D, MI], Sen. Lisa Murkowski [R, AK], Sen. Patty Murray [D, WA], Sen. John Reed [D, RI], Sen. John Rockefeller [D, WV], Sen. Bernard Sanders [I, VT], Sen. Charles Schumer [D, NY], Sen. Jeanne Shaheen [D, NH], Sen. Debbie Ann Stabenow [D, MI],Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D, RI], and Sen. Ron Wyden [D, OR].

We are hiring!

In order to provide linguistically and culturally appropriate services to survivors, Monsoon relies on Multilingual Advocates. Multilingual Advocates assist API survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by providing information, referrals, peer support, advocacy, and interpretation services for survivors.

Are you interested in working with survivors of violence against women in Eastern Iowa? Monsoon is searching for multilingual advocate for our Iowa City office who will work 20 hours a week under a two-year contract. Are you interested in assisting us in establishing our services in Sioux City and at the same time provide direct services as a multilingual advocate? Monsoon is also searching for the right candidate for Sioux City. Multilingual advocates are required to speak one or two Asian or Pacific Islander language; knowledgeable about the API communities in Iowa; and committed to end violence against women.

For more information, contact Mira Yusef at mirayusef@muawi.org.