Subject: [fem-women2000 512] Press release from the NWPC
From: lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org>
Date: Sun, 03 Sep 2000 18:15:30 +0900
Seq: 512
Forwarded by lalamaziwa <lalamaziwa@jca.apc.org> ---------------- Original message follows ---------------- From: "Leslie Wright" <ngo_csw_ny@hotmail.com> To: <ngo-csw-ny@egroups.com> Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 17:23:00 -0400 Subject: [ngo-csw-ny] Press release from the NWPC -- Below please find a notice about a press conference on domestic violence. This is a US issue, but if your local groups follow it, you may be interested. As noted before, the NGO Committee on the Status of Women takes no position on issues, but acts as a clearing house for passing information to you about issues related to the status of women in worldwide. __________________________________________________ NATIONAL WOMEN'S POLITICAL CAUCUS/MANHATTAN HOLDS RALLY WITH POLITICAL LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS URGING CONGRESS TO REAUTHORIZE WOMEN'S ACT BY SEPTEMBER 15 For Immediate Release Contact: Jennifer Byron or Gabrielle Engh September 1, 2000 212-946-2106 New York - The National Women's Political Caucus/Manhattan (NWPC/Manhattan) will join political leaders, advocates and experts in domestic violence, sexual assault, prosecution and law enforcement in a rally on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday, September 6th at 11:00 a.m. to urge Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) by September 15, thus ensuring it is enacted before Congress adjourns on October 6. Jennifer Byron, President NWPC/Manhattan said: "The need for such legislation is apparent, as evidenced by the attacks against women this summer." The Violence Against Women Act passed with strong bipartisan support in 1994 creating programs that have impacted the lives of millions of women. In the last six years, this landmark bill has provided more than $1 billion to communities across the country. It has bolstered the prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse cases, increased services for victims by funding battered women's shelters and sexual assault crisis centers, provided resources and training for law enforcement and prosecutors, and created a National Domestic Violence Hotline. While funding might be appropriated from year to year without the Act being reauthorized, such a move would be a major step backwards for victims of these crimes and would jeopardize the commitment made just five years ago to eradicate sexual and family violence in all forms. Byron said: "We urge members of Congress to demonstrate strong leadership with regards to domestic violence and sexual assault. By reauthorizing programs from the original Violence Against Women Act of 1994 for a full five years, and at funding levels necessary, leadership will triumph." During fiscal years 1995 to1999, New York State received over $53 million per year in VAWA funds. These funds directly helped millions of women and their families. Without funding, VAWA programs serving battered women and victims of sexual assault will cease to exist. Reauthorization allows states and local communities to engage in long-range planning without continually fearing that funds will be lost from year to year. VAWA must be reauthorized to allow these efforts to continue. Political Leaders/Organizations/Supporting Groups Speakers: Jennifer Byron, President, NWPC/Manhattan; Congress Members Carolyn Maloney and Jerrold Nadler; City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone; Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields; Council Member Ronnie M. Eldridge, Chair, Women's Issues; Public Advocate Mark Green; Ann Liske, Executive Director, New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Ursula Colon, Director of State-wide Outreach and Education, Violence Intervention Program; Liberty Aldrich, Director of Legal Services, Safe Horizon; Harriet Lessel, Executive Director, New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault; Dr. Patricia Carey, Director, Emergency Department, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital; Iona Segal, Director, Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program, Mt. Sinai Hospital; Aiyoung Choi, Chair, Board of Directors, Korean American Family Service Center; Prema Vora, Executive Director, SAKHI for South Asian Women; James Lang, Chair, U.N. Men's Group for Gender Equality. Attendees: New York S! tate Assembly Members Richard Gottfried and Scott Stringer; Deborah K. Shephard, Executive Director, New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Supporting: 100 Hispanic Women; African American Taskforce On Violence Against Women; Center for Elimination of Violence and the Family; Center for the Study of Women & Society, CUNY Graduate Center; Coalition of Battered Women Advocates; Crime Victim Center, Beth Israel Medical Center; Crime Victims Treatment Center, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital; Ecumenical Women 2000+; ESPA (Empire State Pride Agenda); Hunter College Women's Center; Korean American Family Service Center; National Association of Hispanic Women; National Center for Victims of Crime; National Congress of Neighborhood Women; National Council of Jewish Women/New York State Public Affairs; National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence; National Women's Political Caucus/New York State; New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault; New York Asian Women's Center;! New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault; New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence; New York Walks To End Domestic Violence; New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project; Safe Horizon; SAKHI for South Asian Women; Sanctuary For Families; Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Program (SAVI), Mt. Sinai Hospital; United Nations Men's Group for Gender Equality; Urban Justice Center; Violence Intervention Program. _________________________________________________________________________ fem-Women2000@jca.apc.org for Women 2000, UN Special Session on Beijing+5 Searcheable Archive http://www.jca.apc.org/fem/news/women2000/index.shtml visit fem-net HomePage for other mailing lists http://www.jca.apc.org/fem