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Posting from http://4vawa.org/ 

TELL CONGRESS THAT S. 1925, THE REAL VAWA, IS EVERYONE’S VAWA AND MUST BE PASSED!

S. 1925, the “real” VAWA, has 57 Senate sponsors – Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) signed on as a sponsor today!!!  We have set March 20th—the first day of spring—to reach our goal of 60 filibuster-proof sponsors.  We have 3 more to go.  Last week, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mark Udall (D-CO) signed.  Please thank our 3 new co-sponsors!  We can do this! 

VAWA has always been intended to serve ALL survivors.  Every version of the bill since 1994 has worked to improve awareness about and expansion of prevention programs and the provision of services that included all victims of sexual, domestic, dating and stalking violence. 

Read more about how S. 1925 enhances protections for underserved populations on our VAWA Fact Sheets page. Underserved populations are those who are provided with inadequate or non-existent services.  Since 1994, VAWA has been about opening doors for all victims of sexual and domestic violence who have historically been ignored or provided with inadequate or substandard treatment and services – whether due to insufficient funds and scarce resources or discriminatory practices. The Leahy/Crapo Bill (S.1925) continues this intent by offering a gateway for greater reach to all victims by: an improved definition of underserved; an enhanced underserved populations grant program; and specific supports throughout VAWA for underserved populations. When you talk with your Senators, please tell them to support S. 1925 because it opens doors for allvictims! 

TAKE ACTION TODAY!

Suggested actions for this week include:

  1. Reach our goal for 60 Senate co-sponsors!  If your Senator is not a VAWA sponsor, call them at their Hill office, ask for the staff person who handles VAWA and offer to help them convince their Senator to sponsor S. 1925. 
  2. Ask Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to schedule a vote on VAWA!
  3. Tweet for VAWA – Join the twitter carnival for #ReauthorizeVAWA on Wednesday, March 7th at 12pm EST, 11am CST, 10am MST, 9am PST

Action 1:  If  your Senator is one of the 43 who are NOT sponsors of VAWA, call their office today and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1925: When you call, tell your Senator that only S. 1925 represents real, critical, lifesaving protections for ALL victims and all other versions fall short. Check out our new talking points here about why S. 1925 is the only REAL VAWA. Go to theTHOMAS (Library of Congress), select search by bill number, and type in the bill S.1925 for a list of sponsors and thank your Senator if he/she is already a co-sponsor.  Don’t panic if the latest sponsors aren’t there – it takes a few days for their names to be posted.

Suggested Senators who should be a VAWA sponsor:

6 Senators have been VAWA sponsors in the past.  Maybe they just need to be reminded and for sure they need to be persuaded. VAWA programs and services are under-funded and under attack.  It’s time to step up for victims of sexual assault and dating, domestic and stalking violence.  Cochran, Thad  (R-MS), Cornyn, John (R-TX), Grassley, Chuck (R-IA), Hatch, Orrin (R-UT), Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R-TX),  Snowe, Olympia (R-ME)

There are Senators who have expressed interest in (or should care about) VAWA and some have been supportive of program funding and services in the past. Ask them to step up to this crisis: Alexander, Lamar (R-TN), Ayotte, Kelly  (R-NH), Enzi, Michael (R-WY), Graham, Lindsey (R-SC), Heller, Dean (R-NV), Kyl, Jon  (R-AZ), and Lugar, Richard (R-IN).

Action 2: Call Senator Reid’s office with this message:

“We need Senator Reid to continue to be our champion for the whole country. Please sponsor the Violence Against Women Act and schedule S. 1925 for a floor vote as soon as possible.”

If you are not from Nevada call the DC office:              202-224-3542       DC
If you are from Nevada call the Reno office:             775-686-5750      

Action 3: Participate in the #ReauthorizeVAWA Twitter Carnival on Wednesday, March 7th at 12pm EST, 11am CST, 10am MST, 9am PST

HUGE thanks to all who all who have been tweeting about VAWA.  Now we need to make #ReauthorizeVAWA a trending topic on twitter. In order to do that we need a lot of people to tweet messages including the hashtag #ReauthorizeVAWA in a SHORT amount of time.

The bigger a splash we can make by sharing this, the better! 
You can help us trend #ReauthorizeVAWA by tweeting this message on Wednesday, March 7th at noon EST.  Here are some sample tweets:

  • We urge all Senators to support the real #VAWA that helps all victims- S. 1925. #ReauthorizeVAWA now! 4vawa.org
  • Bring the real VAWA to the Senate floor for a vote NOW. #ReauthorizeVAWA now! 4vawa.org

If you can’t/won’t be in front of your computers or hand-helds at noon you can still send out the post on twitter at noon by signing up at Hoot Suite  and scheduling your message to post on March 7 at noon (just make sure you’re time settings are for EST).  During the Twitter Carnival, you should also retweet and respond to the twitters of others – always including #ReauthorizeVAWA.

Thanks for the terrific tweets already out there! 

Also, be sure to check out and “like” our Facebook page where you can find a toolkit and other action and information items.

If you aren’t on one of the VAWA email lists or want to add members of your staff or state/community leaders to our grassroots alerts e-mailing list, send names and contact information including email to Sean Black, sblack@icasa.org.

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Are you interested in Anti-Violence issues? Want to get involved? Join a Caucus or Taskforce

If you live in Virginia and would like to be part of a Taskforce and/or Caucus of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, here is a list of current opportunities:

Child Advocacy Taskforce

Wild Women of Wisdom Taskforce

Survivor Caucus

Women of Color Caucus

Southwest Task Force

Latin@ Caucus and Taskforce  – Contact Caroline Velez at carolina@safeharborshelter.com

Northern Virginia Taskforce – Contact Kathleen Kelmelis at kkelme@fairfaxcounty.gov

Queer Caucus – Contact Ann Crittenden at acrittenden@vsdvalliance.org

Principles and Process Committee – Contact Alba Jaramillo at ajaramillo@vsdvalliance.org

Leadership Development and Governance Group – Contact Carol Olson at olson.carolann@gmail.com

Public Policy Committee – Contact Kristine Hall at khall@vsdvalliance.org

Accreditation Committee – Contact Linda Winston at lwinston@vsdvalliance.org

 

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Cross-Over Report on Current Legislation in Virginia

This week was cross over, which means we are officially moving into the 2nd half of the General Assembly Session.  For the most part, its been a good session with respect to our priorities.   We are pleased that anti-strangulation is moving forward as a stand-alone crime, that a bill to keep guns out of the hands of persons convicted of domestic violence is still alive, legislation to promote inter-agency collaboration and coordination in the investigation and prosecution of campus sexual assault expected to pass, and that legislation to clarify issues regarding protective orders processes and procedures are also moving forward without resistance.  

Unfortunately, several good bills were also defeated, including legislation to enhance penalties for stalking and a bill to clarify a minor’s rights with respect to petitioning for protective orders.   We are disappointed that the anti-immigration legislation is also still alive, but will continue our work with allies to defeat these bills in the Senate.  

These are just a few of the highlights.   Summarized below is a more detailed 2012 Cross Over Report.  Kristine created a hyperlink for all bills that are still alive so that if you are interested in reading the actual language on any bill, you can “click” on the bill # and be directed to the actual bill language. 

2012 Cross Over Report

 

PROTECT FUNDING FOR CRISIS AND SAFETY SERVICES

 

Governor McDonnell maintained level funding in his proposed budget.   Neither the House nor the Senate has proposed any additional reductions in funding for sexual and domestic violence services.  However, the current budget uses one-time fund balances to replace $1.2 million in TANF funding for domestic violence services. These one-time funds will not be available in 2014 or beyond.  Thus, $1.2 million in funding for the core services that provide safety for victims of domestic violence and their children remains at risk. 

 

“PEACE BEGINS AT HOME” SPECIALIZE INTEREST LICENSE PLATE

SB 225 (Senator Herring) & HB 182 (Delegate O’Bannon) –SB 225 passed the Senate unanimously & HB 182 was continued to 2013 in the House.

Supported by the Action Alliance.  These bills authorize the issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates bearing the legend PEACE BEGINS AT HOME to support the programs of the Domestic Violence Action Alliance for the prevention of sexual and domestic violence in Virginia.  HB 182 was not continued in the House because we had not collected 450 pre-paid applications.   SB 225 will now be considered by the House and will only pass if we collect 450 pre-paid applications.   

 

ENHANCE THE PROSECUTION OF STRANGULATION

SB 459 (Senator Herring) & HB 752 (Delegate Cline)— SB 459 passed the Senate unanimously & HB 752 passed the House unanimously.  

Supported by the Action Alliance.  Both of these bills were amended to provide that any person who impedes the blood circulation or respiration of another person by applying pressure to the person’s neck and resulting in wounding or bodily injury is guilty of strangulation, a Class 6 felony.

There are minor differences between these bills.  SB 459 uses the language “willfully, knowingly, intentionally” applying pressure to the person’s neck.  HB 752 uses the language “knowingly, intentionally and unlawfully” applying pressure to the neck of such person.  The Action Alliance staff will work with the Senator Herring & Delegate Cline to align these two bills. 

 

IMPROVE VIRGINIA’S RESPONSE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

 

SB 302 (Senator Howell) & HB 965 (Delegate Rob Bell)— SB 302 passed the Senate unanimously & HB 965 passed the House unanimously.  

Supported by the Action Alliance.   These bills require campus police to enter into mutual aid agreements with a local law-enforcement agency or the State Police for cooperation in providing assistance with the investigation of deaths and alleged rapes occurring on college campuses.

 

SB 301 (Senator Howell) & HB 969 (Delegate Rob Bell)—SB 301 passed the Senate unanimously & HB 969 passed the House unanimously. 

Supported by the Action Alliance.  These bills require each attorney for the Commonwealth to invite any chiefs of campus police located within the jurisdiction to the annual SART meeting.

 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

 

SB 224 (Senator Herring).  Passed the Senate unanimously.

Supported by the Action Alliance.  This bill provides for a Class 1 misdemeanor for a battery through the application of physical force against a member of a family or household member. This change in law is needed to apply federal firearm prohibitions appropriately to persons convicted of assault and battery of a family or household member.  This bill will now be considered by the House.

 

PROTECT THE SAFETY AND BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN

 

HB 84 (Delegate Albo)— HB 84 passed the House unanimously.

Supported by the Action Alliance, as amended.  The bill was amended and no longer creates a presumption for joint custody.  Instead, it requires judge’s to communicate the basis for their decision regarding custody or visitation and to communicate the relevant statutory factors used to determine the best interests of the child when making the decision.  This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

HB 606 (Delegate LeMunyon)— HB 606 was defeated.   

Opposed by the Action Alliance.  Establishes a presumption in child custody cases that an award of joint legal custody, with physical custody, to the extent feasible, shared equally between the parties, is in the best interests of the child.

 

ADVANCE VIRGINIA’S PROTECTIVE ORDER LAWS

 

SB 445 (Senator Vogel) & HB 1033 (Delegate McClellan)— SB 445 passed the Senate unanimously & HB 1033 passed the House unanimously.  

Supported by the Action Alliance.  These bills allow Circuit Court to hear petitions to modify, dissolve, or extend a permanent protective order when the Circuit Court issued the order. The bill also requires the Court to enter and transfer identifying information to the Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) system when a protective order is issued. Circuit court clerks who are not currently using the Statewide Case Management System shall provide protective orders directly to the Virginia Criminal Information Network in an electronic format approved by the Department of State Police. This bill seeks to align the process and procedures for protective orders issued in Circuit Court with those currently  in place for the Juvenile & Domestic Relations and General District Court.

 

SB 300 (Senator Howell)— SB 300 passed the Senate unanimously.

Supported by the Action Alliance.  This bill makes various changes to the provisions governing protective orders issued by a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, including (i) clarifying that only violations related to trespass, criminal offenses, acts of abuse, or prohibited contacts are Class 1 misdemeanors; (ii) clarifying that Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts have jurisdiction over all protective orders that involve juveniles who are petitioners or respondents; and (iii) allowing judges to prohibit contact between the respondent and the petitioner’s family.  This bill will now be considered by the House.

 

HB 674 (Delegate Surovell)—HB 674 was defeated in House Courts.  

Supported by the Action Alliance.  This bill would have addressed several issues regarding protective orders and minors, including (i) providing that a minor may petition for an emergency protective order on his own behalf without a parent, legal guardian, or another adult acting as a next friend; and ii) providing that any adult may petition in the name of a minor as the minor’s next friend for a preliminary and/or permanent protective order.   These provisions would have codified existing case law and are consistent with the Attorney General’s Opinion (10-116) issued in January 2011.

 

PRESERVE ACCESS TO SERVICES REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS

 

HB 958 (Delegate Rob Bell)—Passed the House  

Opposed by the Action Alliance.   This bill Supplements the existing law that requires sheriffs to make a query into legal presence when a person is “taken into custody” at a jail. This bill expands such inquiries by requiring inquiries of everyone arrested, and requires that an arresting officer inquire of every arrestee whether he (i) was born in a country other than the United States and (ii) is a citizen of a country other than the United States. This bill incorporates HB 89 and HB 320. This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

HB 1060 (Delegate Anderson)—Passed the House   

Opposed by the Action Alliance.  This bill Supplements the existing law that requires sheriffs to make a query into legal presence when a person is “taken into custody” at a jail. This bill expands such inquiries by requiring that an arresting officer inquire of every arrestee whether he is in the country legally. The bill further provides that when a law-enforcement officer believes that the person is not legally present in the United States, he shall communicate to the judicial officer the facts and circumstances underlying his belief. This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

HB 1001 (Delegate Ramadan)—Passed the House   

Opposed by the Action Alliance. This bill provides that the Superintendent of State Police shall seek to enter into a memorandum of agreement with United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as authorized under 8 U.S.C. § 1357(g), to permit the State Police to perform federal immigration law-enforcement functions in the Commonwealth after arrest of an alien. This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

SB 460 (Senator Black)—Defeated in Senate Courts. 

Opposed by the Action Alliance.  This bill would have provided that when a law-enforcement officer lawfully detains a person following a lawful stop, detention, or arrest of such person for a suspected criminal offense or traffic infraction or upon reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and, during the detention, based upon certain prescribed inquiries of the detainee and ICE, the officer forms a reasonable suspicion that the person is unlawfully present in the United States, the officer shall make a reasonable effort during the detention, when practicable, to determine whether the person is lawfully present, unless the determination would hinder or obstruct an investigation. The bill would have also sets out procedures to be followed by a judicial officer who would make a bail determination for such an arrestee.

 

STALKING

 

HB 361 (Delegate McClellan)—Defeated in House Appropriations.

Supported by the Action Alliance.  This bill would have provided that a second or subsequent offense of stalking is a Class 6 felony.  Currently, the enhanced penalty applies for a third or subsequent offense.  The bill also provides that stalking when a protective order is in effect is a Class 6 felony.

 

HB 807 (Delegate May)—Passed the House

Supported by the Action Alliance.  Provides that any person who uses an electronic tracking device through intentionally deceptive means and without consent to track the location of another person is guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor. The bill includes exceptions for law-enforcement officers, the parent or legal guardian of a minor or any person authorized by the parent or legal guardian as a caretaker of the minor at any time when the minor is under the person’s sole care; a legally authorized representative of an incapacitated adult, private investigators in certain circumstances, bail bondsmen, and the owners of fleet vehicles.  This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

 

HB 963 (Delegate Rob Bell)—Passed the House unanimously. 

Supported by the Action Alliance.  This bill provides that any person who commands, entreats, or otherwise attempts to persuade another person to send, submit, transfer, or provide to him any child pornography in order to gain entry into a group, association, or assembly of persons engaged in trading or sharing child pornography shall be punished by not less than five years nor more than 20 years in a state correctional facility, with a five-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for a second or subsequent violation. This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

HB 964 (Delegate Rob Bell)—Passed the House unanimously.

Supported by the Action Alliance.  The bill provides that any person who displays child pornography or a grooming video or materials to a minor is guilty of a Class 6 felony. The bill defines grooming video or materials as (i) a cartoon, animation, image, or series of images depicting a child engaged in a sex act when the minor to whom the material is displayed is less than 13 years of age. This bill will now be considered by the Senate.

 

SB 205 (Senator Barker)—Passed the Senate unanimously. 

Supported by the Action Alliance.  This bill allows the collection of forensic evidence in cases of suspected sexual assault where the alleged victim may not be legally capable of giving consent.

This bill will now be considered by the House.

 

—

Gena M. Boyle, MPA

Domestic Violence Advocacy Coordinator

Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance

804.377.0335 x2109

gboyle@vsdvalliance.org

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We need your help today to protect immigrant victims of sexual and domestic violence.

We need your help today to protect immigrant victims of sexual and domestic violence. 

Please call the members of the House Courts Criminal Law Subcommittee today and ask them to defeat the following legislation that threatens access to safety for victims of sexual and domestic violence: House Bill 89, House Bill 108, House Bill 320, House Bill 472, House Bill 958, House Bill 1060 and House Bill 1001.

This Wednesday, February 8, the House Courts of Justice Criminal Law Subcommittee will consider the above bills that would threaten access to safety for immigrant victims of sexual and domestic violence.  The bills, all of which deal with the ability of local and state law enforcement to enforce civil immigration laws, will impede the ability of immigrant victims to access law enforcement and undercut community policing and efforts to enhance victim/witness cooperation in criminal investigations and prosecutions.

Members of the House Courts Criminal Subcommittee:

Delegate Rob Bell: 804-698-1058 or delrbell@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Dave Albo: 804-698-1042 or deldalbo@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Ben Cline:804-698-1024 or delbcline@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Todd Gilbert: 804-698-1015 or deltgilbert@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Jackson Miller: 804-698-1050 or deljmiller@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Ron Villanueva: 804-698-1021 or delrvillanueva@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Rick Morris: 804-698-1064 or delrmorris@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Vivian Watts: 804-698-1039 or delvwatts@house.virginia.gov

Delegate Charniele Herring: 804-698-1046 delcherring@house.virginia.gov

Suggested talking points:

  •  If approved, these bills would threaten access to safety for victims of sexual and domestic violence and will discourage victims and witnesses from reporting acts of sexual and domestic violence.
  • Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault already face tremendous barriers to reporting.
  • When victims perceive that law enforcement is to be feared rather than trusted, it undercuts community policing and efforts to enhance victim/witness cooperation in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
  • Please protect access to safety for sexual and domestic violence victims by rejecting these bills.

For questions or more information, please contact Kristine Hall or Gena Boyle at 804-377-0335 or khall@vsdvalliance.org and gboyle@vsdvalliance.org.

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I just saw a commercial for “Just for Men” beard dye.  The commercial shows a toddler with a beard out with an adult woman on a date.  The implication is that the beard dye makes the male young and sexy.  The commercial implies suggestiveness of intimacy between the adult female and the toddler.  All in the service of males to feel young and sexy.  It’s too creepy for me.  Plus, there are posts regarding other “Just For Men” commercials that imply pedophilia.  What is it with these types of commercials popping up?  Every step forward we make is two steps back.  Disappointing “Just for Men”

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Reject Immigration-related bills that threaten access to safety for victims of sexual and domestic violence

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Sexual Coercion and Teen Dating Violence

SEXUAL COERCION AND TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
Teens face an alarming rate of violence in relationships and it is often not disclosed by the teens or observed by others.  As you will see from Traci’s statistics below, the rates are over 50% of teens experiencing dating violence and sexual coercion. 
A study by Gale Spencer and Sharon Bryant in 2000 analyzed the difference in teen dating violence in rural, suburban, and urban settings. Their study found that teens in rural districts were more likely to be victims of dating violence than their suburban and urban counterparts, with female teens at greatest risk.  It is also apparent in analysis of the research and articles, that teen dating violence and sexual coercion among teens is less likely to be studied in the rural South, despite studies showing that the rural areas and rural areas in the south are more likely to have incidents of teen dating violence and sexual coercion. Rickert, Wiemann, and Vaughan in their study through the Center for Community Health and Education at Columbia University found that teens who were verbally coerced into sex were less likely (only 47%) to tell another person while 60% of teens who experienced rape/attempted rape were more likely to tell another person. Shorter dating periods and the use of alcohol were predictors of disclosure as well.  Meaning the shorter the time the teens were dating, the more likely the adolescent victim of sexual assault is to tell someone and the longer the teens were dating, the less likely the adolescent victim is to tell when violence enters the relationship.
The Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life and the Chesterfield County Coordinating Council produced a study in their community of dating violence in middle and high schools. They found correlation between the perpetrator knowing the victim, substance use, attitudes toward violence, acceptability of violence-related behaviors and grade level.  Additionally, another study by the Center for Studies in Criminology and Law found numerous risk factors associated with dating violence and sexual coercion.  They found that risk taking behaviors mediated the effects of social ties and emotional states on the likelihood of violent victimization in adolescent dating relationships and lend support for theories regarding the relationship between lifestyles and violence in dating relationships. Science Daily and the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine reported that dating violence and histories of sexual assault among urban teens may be associated with suicide attempts. Childhood sexual assault has been linked with depression, alcohol use and violence, also linking to risk factors for suicide attempts. The authors write that dating violence and sexual coercion/assault is associated with depressive symptoms and multiple health-compromising behaviors.
In support of these statistics regarding the high rate of violence in teen dating relationships, the Department of Community Health Sciences at Boston University School of Public Health and the Division of Adolescent Medicine, the Department of Pediatrics, the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center studied the type and amount of parents communication to children and teens about dating violence. They found that only fifty-five percent of parents had discussed dating violence and sexual coercion with their children. Mothers were found to be more likely than fathers to discuss this issue.
Conclusion: That programs are needed to equip parents to talk with children and teens about dating violence and sexual coercion are needed.
In the Rappahannock Area of Virginia, Contact the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault to schedule a prevention/education program for your school or youth-serving agency call 540-371-6771.
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Special Thanks to supportive of our bills regarding strangulation.

Delegate Charniele Herring:

I want to thank you for the great speech you gave at the General Assembly about the prevalence of sexual and domestic violence in Virginia.  As both the leader of a local center serving central Virginia and a Governing Body member of the Action Alliance, I appreciate the recognition you gave our work and your knowledge of the extent of what we really do.   The staff, boards, volunteers, interns, and members here at RCASA and at the Action Alliance appreciate all that you do as an individual and a delegate to support our work to help support survivors of violence. 

Senator Mark Herring:

I want to thank you for your support of the issues important to those serving survivors of sexual and domestic violence and stalking.  We appreciate your support of the Action Alliance license plate bill that will provide another funding source for our local centers.  Your support of the bills dealing with strangulation and firearms prohibitions related to domestic violence criminal convictions and equal protections for sexual and domestic violence victims is also an important effort for us and the safety of our community. 

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Lobby for Sexual and Domestic Violence Services and Funding

2012 Preliminary Legislative Agenda

 

  1. 1.      Protect funding for core safety and crisis services for victims of sexual and domestic violence.

The Action Alliance will be closely monitoring the state budget process to ensure that funding for core crisis and safety services for victims of domestic and sexual violence is protected from cuts.  Funding for crisis and safety services support emergency shelter and transportation, hotlines, court advocacy, and counseling.

  1. 2.      Establish a “Building Healthy Futures Fund” to support efforts to prevent sexual and domestic violence.  Support legislation to create a special interest license plate, “Peace Begins at Home.”

Virginia’s Sexual and Domestic Violence Advocacy Agencies are engaged in a wide variety of prevention efforts across the state to reduce risk factors and promote healthy communities and relationships and they are struggling to fund those initiatives.  In order to sustain and expand prevention efforts—with the ultimate goal of reducing the incidence and prevalence of both sexual and domestic violence, the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance is launching the Building Healthy Futures Fund.   For more information on the Building Healthy Futures Fund or pre-ordering a “Peace Begins at Home” plate, please visit http://www.vadv.org/secAction/bhff.html.

  1. 3.      Preserve access to services for ALL victims of sexual and domestic violence in Virginia regardless of immigration status.

The Action Alliance is opposed to any legislation that will hinder the ability of victims of sexual and domestic violence to access services needed to escape and/or address violence because of immigration status, including crisis intervention, emergency transportation, shelter, and advocacy services offered by Sexual and Domestic Violence Agencies.  Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault already face tremendous barriers to reporting and seeking help.  When victims perceive that law enforcement is to be feared rather than trusted, it undercuts community policing and efforts to enhance victim/witness cooperation in criminal investigations and prosecutions to hold perpetrators accountable.  We oppose any legislation that threatens access to safety, including but not limited to, services provided by law enforcement, the courts, crisis services, and protections made available through the Violence Against Women Act.   

  1. 4.      Campus Sexual Assault

The Action Alliance has been closely monitoring the State Crime Commission’s study of House Bill 2490, which relates to law enforcement response to sexual assaults that occur on campus.  Our organization will support legislation that requires notification and collaboration between campuses and communities when there has been a sexual assault reported by a student.  The model legislation we have offered is consistent with the best practices promoted by the Action Alliance and allied partners across the state.

  1. 5.      Protective Orders

In 2011, the Action Alliance served on the Governor’s Domestic Violence Prevention and Response Advisory Board.  Our agency will support legislation, recommended by the Board, that would allow for the extension of “permanent” protective orders issued in the Circuit Court and require Circuit Court clerks to submit protective orders to law enforcement by the end of the business day on which they are issued.

Last year, the General Assembly overhauled Virginia’s civil protective order process to provide equal access and equal protections to victims of stalking, dating violence and sexual assault.  The Action Alliance will continue to monitor all legislation related to civil protective orders to ensure that Virginia’s laws continue to protect all victims of sexual and domestic violence.

  1. 6.      Enhanced Penalties for Strangulation

During the work of the Governor’s Domestic Violence Prevention and Response Advisory Board, there were discussions about the challenges to prosecuting acts of strangulation in Virginia.  As a result, the Governor is introducing legislation that creates an enhanced penalty for acts of strangulation committed against a family or household member.  The Action Alliance has concerns about the narrow application of the legislation (recognizing that strangulation is an act that occurs commonly in dating violence and during a sexual assault).  The Action Alliance will continue to monitor this legislation and advocate that any revisions to the Code protect all victims of sexual and domestic violence.    

For more information contact Kristine Hall or Gena Boyle at 804-377-0335 or email khall@vsdvalliance.org or gboyle@vsdvalliance.org

Please join The Action Alliance for a breakfast reception on Wednesday, January 25 from 9:30-11:30am in 7 West during our Legislative Advocacy Day!

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