Support I-VAWA

Thanks to the Hastings Center for this:

Please contact your representatives in the Senate and ask them to support I-VAWA, legislation that will reduce violence aimed at women and girls worldwide.

Around the world, violence against women and girls is at epidemic proportions. One out of every three women worldwide will be physically, sexually or otherwise abused during her lifetime with rates reaching 70 percent in some countries. This type of violence and abuse ranges from rape to domestic violence and from acid burnings to honor killings.

Introduced by Senator Biden and Senator Lugar on October 31, 2007, the International Violence Against Women Act (S. 2279) is an historic and unprecedented effort by the U.S. to address violence against women globally. The law would make ending violence against women a diplomatic priority for the U.S. and create the first high-level position in the U.S. Department of State to coordinate efforts to combat violence against women. It will also make sure that the U.S. is able to develop emergency measures in a timely fashion to respond to critical outbreaks of violence against women, such as the mass rapes in the armed conflict in the Congo.

The Act recommends allocating more than $1 billion over 5 years in U.S. assistance to support international programs that prevent and respond to violence.

This inspiring legislation incorporates training, protection, and services for women across a range of situations, from the fight against HIV-AIDS, to school and health clinics, to court systems, to workplaces, to refugee camps. It also supports the efforts of local women's groups overseas that are already working to end violence against women in their countries.

Call your senators today and emphasize that you want them to sign on as a co-sponsor of this bill, S.2279. It's simple:

Call 202-224-3121 and ask for the office of your senators. (If you don't know who they are, you can find out at www.senate.gov.)

Tell their offices that you are a constituent, and you care about the well being of women and girls around the world

Urge them to cosponsor S. 2279, the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA)

If you feel so moved, share one reason why this issue matters so much to you

Your five minute phone call can help bring safety, security and new options to the lives of women and girls worldwide.


You can also contact your senators via email or by regular mail, using the same easy steps outlined above.


SAMPLE LETTER TO SENATORS TO CO-SPONSOR I-VAWA


Dear Senator __________,


I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor S. 2279, the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA), a groundbreaking piece of legislation that would significantly expand efforts worldwide to end violence against women and girls.


We know that at least one out of every three women globally will be beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, with rates reaching 70 percent in some countries. Millions of women and girls experience violence every day including rape, domestic violence, acid burning, honor killings, human trafficking, female genital cutting and other harmful practices.


As your constituent, I am asking that you support I-VAWA, making violence against women a diplomatic priority for the United States. This legislation is very important because it will:


Create the first U.S. State Department coordinator working explicitly on Violence Against Women;
Develop strategies in 10-20 countries for U.S. programs to address violence against women and girls;
Integrate best practices on addressing such violence into existing U.S. foreign assistance programs;
Fund international programs that prevent violence, support health programs and survivor services, encourage legal accountability, promote access to economic opportunities and education, and better address violence against women in humanitarian crisis situations;
Develop emergency measures to respond to a mass outbreak of violence against women and girls in armed conflict, like mass rape;
Prevent sexual exploitation and abuse by U.S. personnel overseas by creating training and accountability mechanisms;
Expand U.S. financial support for overseas non-governmental organizations working to end violence against women and girls.

For the first time, through I-VAWA, the U.S. has an historic opportunity to raise this issue in its diplomatic work and have an impact on the suffering of millions of women around the world. As my senator, you have the power to make a real difference in the lives of millions of women and girls by co-sponsoring S. 2279, the International Violence Against Women Act. I urge you to do just that.


Sincerely,


Your Name
Your Address