Tag Archive for "VAWA"

Posts Tagged VAWA

The dangers of a gender essentialist approach to sexual violence

In December, when controversy about the rape apologist org the Good Men Project was all over the feminist internets, I wrote about problems with the juvenile way of thinking about people in terms like “good” and “bad.” In that post, I briefly mentioned that to address the reality of sexual violence we need a more sharply nuanced conversation all around, including when it comes to gender. The post included this line:

Most men aren’t rapists; some women are rapists; some people who aren’t men or women have experiences with sexual violence.

Community member Red commented on the post, and I’ve been thinking about this response ever since:

Thank you. Thank you so much. I am genderqueer and was raped 4 years ago. ...

By Lori Adelman • 11 years ago

Quick hit: NYT on VAWA and “scourge of rape” for Native American women

Last Wednesday, House Republicans stooped to a new low by throwing their support behind a ridiculous, callous and watered down version of the Violence Against Women Act. As we detailed last week, the heavily edited H.R. 4970 now moves backward on VAWA reauthorization, with the version that the House passed actually denying protection of undocumented immigrants, Native/indigenous people and LGBT victims of violence. Today’s New York Times documents the plague of sexual assault and rape in the Native American community, shedding light on a horrible reality and further illustrating the need for a VAWA that addresses the realities of women in vulnerable and marginalized populations. From the article:

“One in three American Indian women have been raped or have experienced ...

By Samhita • 11 years ago

That Awful Moment when the House implicitly endorses violence against women

House Republicans have stooped low in their all-out war on women by turning an issue that has never been bipartisan–that violence against women is a bad thing–into a partisan one voting 222-206 in support of a ridiculous, callous and watered down version of the Violence Against Women Act. As Vanessa noted Tuesday, it was slated to be voted on Wednesday with the hope that they wouldn’t pass the watered down version the House produced–but we should only be so hopeful.

This bill denies protection of undocumented immigrants, Native/indigenous people and LGBT victims of violence. Distinguishing these populations that are actually highly vulnerable and susceptible to violence is uniquely callous. What could motivate such thinking? Well, Amanda looked through the list ...

By Vanessa • 11 years ago

House to vote on VAWA reauthorization tomorrow

Last week, the House Judiciary Committee approved their version of the Violence Against Women Act, which compared to current Senate-approved provisions in the bill which would include protections for LGBTQ folks and immigrants, is just not a good look:

The House Judiciary Committee last week approved its version of the reauthorization bill, which not only omits improvements the Senate bill made to the law but also removes existing protections for immigrant women, putting them at greater risk of domestic and sexual abuse.

The Senate’s measure ensures that victims are not denied services because they are gay or transgender. It also strives to ensure that domestic violence crimes committed by non-Indian men in tribal communities are prosecuted. The Senate ...

By Vanessa • 12 years ago

Breaking Quick Hit: Senate votes in favor of VAWA reauthorization bill

The U.S. Senate just voted in favor of the measure reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act with a bipartisan vote of 68-31. Sen. Harry Reid has released a statement:

“More than a third of women in this country have been victims of violence, sexual assault or stalking by a partner. Today’s strong bipartisan vote will give law enforcement agencies the tools they need to prosecute and convict the perpetrators of these heinous crimes, and will help victims get the protection and support they need.

“I urge my colleagues in the House to quickly approve the Senate’s bipartisan bill. Since Congress approved the Violence Against Women Act for the first time in 1994, domestic violence incidents have fallen by fifty-three percent. One ...

The U.S. Senate just voted in favor of the measure reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act with a bipartisan vote of 68-31. Sen. Harry Reid has released a statement:

“More than a third of women in this ...

By Eesha Pandit • 12 years ago

Today: Violence Against Women Act on Senate Floor

It’s that time again! Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee last month on a party-line vote.

The full Senate vote is happening NOW Senate is discussing reauthorization of the act NOW, and you can watch the Senate floor proceedings on the bill S1925 here.

At a time when the GOP is desperately trying to convince us that they do, in fact, care about women, and that they are not, in fact waging a war on us, VAWA reauthorization is a test. Many, including the VP and women Dems have called the Republicans out on their opposition to this bill, which was first passed in 1994 and has been reauthorized (each time ...

It’s that time again! Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee last month on a party-line vote.

The full Senate vote is happening NOW Senate is discussing reauthorization of ...

By zerlina • 12 years ago

Our boy Biden slams GOP for VAWA opposition

We are at a ridiculous point in modern political history where Republicans are opposed to anything and everything if a Democrat supports it. It appears that this even applies to the idea that victims of domestic violence need support.

No, seriously — we’ve said here already: the modern GOP is opposed to the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

When the right claims that the “war on women” is a figment of the feminist imagination, send them a link to this blog post. The Republican party is opposed to the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

I repeat: The Republican party is opposed to the re-authorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

I mean we can all agree that violence ...

By Vanessa • 12 years ago

Quick Hit: Mad Men in 2012

At The American Prospect, Amanda Marcotte connects Mad Men’s revival with the shift in political conversations around sexism during its hiatus, and how that will affect its audience:

The last episode, “Tomorrowland”, aired in October 2010. Since then, we’ve seen a midterm election sweep Republicans into power in both Congress and across state governments, and their number one priority has been to return us to the social structures oppressing Joan, Betty, and Peggy. We’ve seen unprecedented attacks on abortion rights, some of which would, if successful, make abortion harder and more dangerous to get than it was in the 60s. Republicans have declared war on hormonal birth control, even trying to make it legal for your employer ...

At The American Prospect, Amanda Marcotte connects Mad Men’s revival with the shift in political conversations around sexism during its hiatus, and how that will affect its audience:

The last episode, “Tomorrowland”, aired in October ...