39 Years Later, Reflections on Roe v. Wade

By Hannah Sherman, Intern

A group of liberal California kids (accidentally) walk into a pro-life convention. No, this isn’t the start of a joke, but rather a true story illustrating the chasm between pro-life and pro-choice views in America today. This past weekend, as I walked with fellow college students past booths with pamphlets and poster boards, little kids playing with baby dolls and life size cut-outs of Ronald Reagan so you could take your picture with a hero of the pro-life movement, I began to see how contentious Roe v. Wade remains in the American political and social sphere.

Rep. Albert Wynn (left) joins Gloria Feldt (right), President of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on the steps of the Supreme Court, to rally in support of the pro-choice movement on the 32nd Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, in 2005.

As a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz, arguably one of the more liberal institutions in the University of California system, I live in this unique bubble where there are two unspoken and implied laws of the land. Number 1: The Grateful Dead is the best band to ever roam the face of the earth. Number 2: Roe v. Wade was, and still remains, the most important decision in recent times, protecting a woman’s health and reproductive freedom.

January 22, 2012 marked the 39th anniversary of this landmark Supreme Court decision. In a statement released by President Obama, he reaffirmed his commitment to protect a woman’s right to choose as a “fundamental constitutional right,” elaborating that women should have the same rights as men in fulfilling our dreams. In stark contrast, the remaining GOP candidates have expressed their desire to see Roe v. Wade reversed, one even going so far as to affirm his support for a fetal personhood amendment, which would, among other things, criminalize abortion even in cases of rape. While our generation doesn’t have a Gloria Steinem or Betty Friedan leading a contemporary feminist movement, it is as important as ever to continue the fight for reproductive freedom. It is for that reason that women and men alike celebrate Roe v. Wade and the continued impact it has on the life of every woman to choose her own destiny.

What Would Golda Think?

by Loribeth Weinstein
Printed in the January 11, 2012 issue of the Washington Jewish Week

Lori Weinstein

What would Golda think? What would Golda say? I think she would say “for shame.” For shame that in Israel a few men are being allowed the power to extend their exclusionary religious agendas to those who don’t believe as they do. For shame, that this is happening in a country where women are growing in prominence in a variety of fields. For shame, in a country under attack from so much of the world, we attack ourselves.

In the past few months, Israel has seen many egregious acts of women being systematically separated and removed from public life. From male soldiers refusing to listen to their female colleagues singing at Israeli Army events to women told to sit in the back of the bus; from 8-year-old Na’ama Margolis in Beit Shemesh harassed when walking to school to women forbidden from shopping in bookstores unless dressed according to haredi standards, the presence of women and girls is under attack. In Jerusalem, women’s photos have been removed from virtually all billboards, and they are not allowed to sit near men on certain buses. These are examples of efforts to make women in Israel publicly invisible.

Read the full article

Speak Up and Support the Violence Against Women Act

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has transformed our nation’s response to violent crimes against women and girls, providing a safety net of services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Recently, Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced S. 1925, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011 – legislation that will reauthorize VAWA’s lifesaving programs and services for another five years.

Despite widespread Congressional support in the past, the reauthorization of VAWA in 2012 is far from assured. Please contact your Senators today to urge them to co-sponsor the Leahy/Crapo VAWA reauthorization bill.

Incidents of violence against women and girls continue to occur at alarming rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 1 in 4 women has been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner and nearly 1 in 5 women has been raped in her lifetime.

JWI is playing a leading role in the effort to reauthorize VAWA this year. In the coming weeks and months we will continue to work closely with the National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women, Members of Congress and national advocates, to ensure that this legislation is passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law. But we can’t do this without your help.

Contact your Senators today and tell them to stand against violence by co-sponsoring the Leahy/Crapo VAWA reauthorization bill.

Show your support for Naama Margolese and her friends

Naama Margolese is an 8-year-old Israeli girl who was routinely taunted by ultra-Orthodox men on her way to school. Naama was so traumatized by these assaults on her and her schoolmates that she refused to walk to school even accompanied by her mother. Thousands of Israelis have protested this violence. Now it is time for us to show her our support.

Naama’s story is the latest, egregious example in a wave of violence and intimidation of women and girls in Israel. It is part of an expansive effort led by groups of ultra-Orthodox men to institute gender discrimination across Israeli society, violating women’s basic and foundational rights.

Please join us in signing a letter of support to Naama and to her classmates at Orot Banot, a religious Zionist girls school in Beit Shemesh, telling them that we stand with them and support their rights to education and human decency. This is a pivotal time for women’s rights in Israel and we urge all who care about the well-being of Israel and importance of social justice and gender parity to speak out against discrimination of women and girls in all forms.

JWI is committed to protecting the fundamental rights of women and girls, and we will continue to work in the United States, Israel and in Jewish communities around the world to uphold and strengthen their safety, security, and equality. Women encouraging women: that’s what we do.

FBI Makes Critical Updates to Archaic Definition of Rape

Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced the inclusion of a new, more expansive definition of rape into the Uniform Crime Report- an important decision that will update this definition for the first time in over 80 years and ensure more accurate reporting. By counting men as victims for the first time and dropping the requirement that victims must have physically resisted their attackers, this new definition will better mirror current states’ criminal codes, reflect the nature of violent crimes in the year 2012, and will count more victims of this violent crime. This decision will not, however, change federal or state laws or alter charges or prosecutions.

JWI strongly supports the revision of this definition. In tough economic times, accurate reporting is especially necessary as we make the case to lawmakers about funding programs and services for victims of the devastating crime of rape. 

JWI on the ground in Grand Rapids, Michigan

By Susan Jerison, Director of Marketing and Communications

On Wednesday, I spent the day in Grand Rapids representing JWI at the opening of our 38th children’s library at Ramoth House, a battered women’s shelter run by Safe Haven Ministries.  I saw the latest of many shelters with a space transformed – a basement corner now filled with bookshelves, a brand new carpet, furniture and rows and rows of books. The shelter has a new space for children to learn and play.  And, as is true in all of our children’s libraries, the residents not only enjoy the space, but know that the Jewish community is helping them in their journey to escape violence and rebuild their lives.  Shelters are often hidden for safety; what a wonderful, gentle way to remind the women that we care about them.

I was welcomed so warmly by the shelter staff and volunteers and had an opportunity to learn about all of Safe Haven’s important programs during lunch with Jill Harkema, Safe Haven’s executive director and Susan Halteman, the director of development.  But the part that was most gratifying was to learn about the impact of JWI’s work.  In addition to the library, Jill expressed her thanks and gratitude for the training webinars offered each month by JWI through the National Alliance to End Domestic Abuse.  The Safe Haven staff often gathers together at their conference table for the webinars to learn about the latest techniques available to domestic violence professionals.  They had implemented recommendations and ideas from our call on domestic violence in the workplace.  Thanks to our action alerts on legislation for government funding for violence prevention, Safe Haven staff reach out to their Congressional representatives to urge their support. The women in the shelter love our Mother’s Day flowers and the OPI packages they receive each year, with plenty of nail polish and beauty products to brighten up Mother Day for the residents.  And all this happens from Washington DC to Michigan, here and at hundreds of domestic violence programs around the country.

Leading the day’s events was Michelle Gilbert, regional public relations manager for Verizon Wireless, who is a wonderful champion of the National Library Initiative.  Michelle took advantage of the new library to organize a press conference to announce Verizon grants to 8 organizations in Western Michigan, including support for the Safe Haven library.  Thanks to Michelle and her counterparts across the country, Verizon has partnered with JWI to open 11 libraries from Richmond, Virginia to Seattle, Washington, with 5 more planned for 2012.  Our Seattle library received Verizon support and was dedicated just the Friday before by JWI board chair, Susan Turnbull, who received equally heartfelt thanks.

Joining me at the dedication was longtime JWI volunteer Eileen Enoch from the Grand Rapids Chapter, a vital presence for JWI locally.  As soon as the dedication came to a close, the children eagerly ran down the basement steps so that they could resume their library activities.  Much of the library furniture and books had arrived just a few days before.  All still present smiled at their excitement and joy.

L-R: Diane Wilson, Executive Director, Project COOL; Betty Jo Ferry, Development Coordinator, Center for Women in Transition; Lucy Joswick, Community Liaison, Family Futures; Michelle Gilbert, public relations manager–Michigan/Indiana/Kentucky Region, Verizon Wireless; Jill Harkema, Executive Director, Safe Haven Ministries; Susan Behrend Jerison, Director of Marketing & Communications, Jewish Women International (JWI); John Lazet, Crime Victims' Advocate, Michigan Attorney General's office; Dave Vehslage State Director - Government & External Affairs,Verizon.

The Cycle of Abuse and Financial Security

By Lauren Levine, Executive Associate

In the domestic violence prevention community, it’s a well-known fact that women are often forced to stay in abusive relationships for financial security. In fact, studies indicate that the best predictor of whether a victim will stay away from her abuser is the victim’s degree of economic independence. Yet, victims also struggle keeping a steady job due to frequent absences for medical attention or legal procedures or even because their abuser actively prevents them from going to work.

To make matters worse, a 2004 report by the National Institute of Justice found that the rate of violence against women increases as male unemployment increases. 4.7% percent of women with employed male partners are abused. When the male experiences one period of unemployment, there’s a 7.5% rate of violence and when the male experiences two or more periods of unemployment, 12.3% of female partners experience violence.

Because of this, women end up in a vicious cycle of being financially independent and in abusive relationships. In many cases for a victim of domestic abuse, unemployment insurance can be the chance she has to have the immediate resources necessary to escape violence. Estimates by Dr. Adriana Kugler, chief economist for the Department of Labor, put the number of women who will be affected by a failure to extend unemployment insurance at 2.2 million women. If one in four women are victims of domestic violence at some point in their life, then as many as 550,000 women could be experiencing domestic violence with no unemployment insurance to help them out of a financially dependent and in abusive relationship should this extension fail. If there is a chance of breaking the cycle of domestic violence, it will not start with a failure to extend unemployment insurance.

This post is part of the #HERvotes blog carnival.

Redefining Rape

By Miri Cypers, Senior Policy and Advocacy Specialist

This week, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) advisory board voted to update its definition of rape for the first time since 1929. The old, narrow definition only counted cases of forcible rape of a women or girl by a male and discounted many instances of sexual assault that fell outside this definition like same-sex sexual assault and the assault of male victims.

As CEO of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago Christine Bork notes in a piece in Huffington Post, as a result of this archaic definition “…countless cases of sexual assault are excluded from federal statistics each year. The FBI’s antiquated definition of rape underestimates the impact of sexual assault in our community and, in turn, reduces the amount of resources available for survivors.”

Before adopted, the new definition must be approved by FBI Director Robert Mueller. JWI urges the adoption of this new language and hopes you will join our colleagues at the Feminist Majority Foundation if you wish to do the same.

A Matter of Conscience

By Miri Cypers, Senior Policy and Advocacy Specialist

Yesterday, Jewish Women International hosted a Congressional briefing titled “Whose Conscience Matters? When Health Care Exemptions Fail Patients and Health Care Professionals,” along with Catholics for Choice, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, National Council of Jewish Women, Planned Parenthood Clergy Advisory Board, and the Religious Institute.

Speakers explored the history of conscience clauses and harmful legislation and regulations proposed by Congress and the Administration that would expand these clauses. By expanding refusal clauses to allow health care providers, religious institutions, even pharmacists the ability to deny women abortions, medical referrals, and contraception, the conscience of an individual woman is devalued.

As anti-family planning advocates fight for the expansion of religious exemptions or refusal clauses in everywhere from the new health care reform bill to Congress, please join JWI by staying informed and active and help us raise the voice of the progressive, faith community on this critical issue. We strongly believe that women must be able to make personal health care decisions according to the dictates of their own faith and beliefs- not according to the conscience of others.

L-R, Glenn Northern, Planned Parenthood Clergy Advisory Board; Miri Cypers, Jewish Women International; Amy Cotton, National Council of Jewish Women; Nicolette Paterson, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice; Sara Hutchinson, Catholics for Choice.

An Inspirational and Uplifting Day

By Lori Weinstein, JWI Executive Director

365 days of the year, JWI is on the front lines of ensuring the physical, emotional and economic safety of women and girls. But on one day we pause to honor the important work of our organization and to celebrate the unique accomplishments and formidable leadership of ten outstanding Jewish women. Yesterday’s Women to Watch event was dazzling. This year’s honorees are a very special group – deeply reflective of the breadth of the Jewish community – underscoring the diverse and beautiful tapestry of successful Jewish women across a myriad of professional, personal and philanthropic interests.

It was an inspirational and uplifting day – and an honor for JWI to convene a group of such amazing talent and leadership. I am always moved by the wisdom and generosity of our honorees and encouraged by the hundreds of women and men who join JWI to celebrate our honorees and to honor the organization’s unwavering commitment to empower women and girls; protecting their fundamental rights to live in safe homes, thrive in healthy relationships and reach the potential of their dreams and aspirations.

From L to R: Ellen Stone; Esther Newman; Abbie Weisberg; Kathy Manning;
Alexis Kashar; Lori Weinstein, JWI Executive Director; Susan Turnbull, Chair, JWI Board of Trustees; Julie Schonfeld; Kim Heiman; Abby Greensfelder; Rynthia Rost. Photo by Michael Kress.

A Big Thank You to Our White House Champions

JWI would like to express our deep thanks to President Obama and Vice President Biden and our wonderful allies in the Administration who continue to express stalwart support for reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) this Congress. On November 30^th, upon the introduction of S. 1925, the VAWA reauthorization bill by Senators Leahy and Crapo, White House Advisor on Violence Against Women Lynn Rosenthal, posted this piece to the White House blog.

In this piece, she calls attention to the pervasive nature of domestic violence in our country and lays out why we need VAWA more than ever. Thank you, White House champions, for your strong commitment and support!

What VAWA Means to Me

By Miri Cypers, Senior Policy and Advocacy Specialist

Yesterday, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) introduced legislation, that would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for another 5 years. This big moment, one JWI has been working up to for over two years, gave me some pause: time to think about what this legislation and these issues really mean to me.

I began working at JWI not even six months ago. At the time, my life was a whirlwind. I was weeks away from my wedding and on top of that I had to become an expert on anti-violence policy. I have always cared deeply about issues and legislation affecting women and girls, but I never quite understood the impact of violence against women on all sectors of society.

After six months of working on language, advocacy, and strategy around the reauthorization bill, I recognize that violence against women is a cross-cutting issue affecting every community and every woman in the U.S. and in the world. If we ourselves are not victims of violence or abuse, we know someone who is- a mother, a friend, a sister, or a daughter. After only six months of working on VAWA, I can now say that these issues are ones that I will care about and advocate for my entire life. One in four women in our country will experience violence or abuse in her lifetime, and with this new bill, the number will be a step closer to zero. 

At a recent Congressional briefing JWI organized, one of the speakers on the panel who was a victim of violence talked about her life in the “pre-VAWA world.” She was experiencing physical violence and when she called the police, they walked her abuser around the block for some fresh air and placed him right back on her doorstep, only to terrorize her again. I could not imagine living in the “pre-VAWA world.” For this reason, I work every day at JWI to ensure that every woman in our country can enjoy the security and stability- and I hope you join me. Tweet us, write us on Facebook, and comment on this post on what VAWA means to you.

From Australia to the United States, the 16 Days of Activism Through My Eyes

By Rachel Sandler, JWI Intern

November 25th marks the beginning of the vibrant international campaign known as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. JWI is joining this campaign to address the issue of violence against women and girls on a global level and, we challenge you to do the same.

The aim of the campaign is to galvanize the international community around the issue of violence against women, and to bring the international movement together to form one united front working to end abuse. The 16 Days campaign goals include: raising awareness about gender-based violence; strengthening local efforts around this issue; establishing a link between local and international work; providing a forum for activists to develop effective strategies; demonstrating solidarity with women around the world; and creating new tools to pressure governments to eliminate violence against women.

Since the 16 Days campaign began in 1991, over 3,700 organizations in approximately 164 countries have participated. I have personally felt the global scope of this campaign. Before coming to Washington, DC, I was working on the campaign in Australia, my home country. There, I was organizing a film festival to raise awareness about domestic and sexual violence. After flying across the world, I am honored to be working in the United States on this powerful campaign.

JWI encourages you to partner with us on this important issue by participating in our 16-Day Challenge, and we hope you’ll share your own ideas for bringing the 16 Days campaign to life. We are proud to be a partner in this far reaching effort.

Shocked by a child sexual abuse case in Happy Valley? Why not?

by Rochelle Sufrin

Rochelle Sufrin, a public relations and marketing consultant, Penn State alumnus and former president of the Penn State Collegian Alumni Interest Group, is a domestic violence advocate. She is a co-chair of JWI’s Council of Jewish Domestic Violence Coalitions, former interim director of the Jewish Domestic Abuse Task Force of Pittsburgh and domestic violence prevention consultant for Ladies Hospital Aid Society.  She can be reached at rrsuf@aol.com. This originally appeared in Pittsburgh’s The Jewish Chronicle.

The story of our children — our communities’ most vulnerable members, being abused sexually or otherwise, by someone they trusted, someone with intrinsic power and control over them, is not new.

The story of those in control who choose not to use their power to help others by calling suspected violators in question is not new.

The story of how abuse can occur from a brother to a sister, a caretaker to an elder adult, a teacher to a student, a parent to a child, a spouse to his/her partner, a clergy member, politician, manager or superior to an underling, is not new.

The story of a community within a community, insulated from consequences from the outside world, is not new.

The story of witnesses and victims finding the courage to “tell” just to learn it did not bring justice for their pain or protect the innocent, is not new.

The story that no amount of good deeds or community standing can take away the physical and psychological pain one person can inflict upon another, is not new.

The story of a victim mustering the courage over decades of silence and fear to face his/her offender and the community that will serve as judge and jury, is not new.

What is new is the shock and hurt of a story, which brings such shame, as it should, to so many at one time, that it provides a crystal opportunity that cannot be ignored.

What is new is that one of the largest, most respected universities in the country must be an example for others to learn that no individual is beyond reproach; that crimes must be adjudicated, ignorance must be eradicated and innocence must be protected.

What is new is that so many Penn State fans from around the world will learn from this story that abuse is a cycle of behavior inflicted from someone with power and control over someone in a less powerful position and where signs of physical violence is not always present.

What is new is that as educators, parents, clergy, business leaders and individuals of all ages we must help create safe environments to communicate and understand the real definitions of abuse and learn ways to identify, stop and prevent it.

What is new is that abuse of any kind is not just a family, school or private business matter any longer.  It’s everyone’s business.  It’s a violation of human rights. It’s criminal.

What is new is the tremendous opportunity our business leaders, media, parents and educators now have on the heels of National Domestic Abuse Awareness Month [October] to raise awareness of the definitions of abuse, how to escape an abusive relationship and where to turn for help.

Learning from Penn State

By Alexandra Huss, JWI Intern

As a college student, it’s impossible to ignore the constant attention drawn to the Penn State scandal. If you were to only watch television or read the newspaper, you would assume that all agree that anyone involved in enabling the child abuse to continue is guilty beyond measure, and morally repugnant as well.

All, that is, except for Penn State students. I have many friends at Penn State and it is from them that I first learned of the occurrence, and have seen their desire for the media to “leave them be.” Be it an “angry” status on Facebook at “Joepa’s unfair treatment” or a changed profile picture to the image of this blindly beloved coach, many Penn State students’ affections seem to lie with the coach not the victims.

In speaking with a friend from Penn State, however, I learned that my friend and other Penn State students are concerned about what they perceive as an unfair image of the school in the media. “We are all embarrassed by the rioters, and I think the rioters are realizing that they are embarrassed themselves,” my friend said. She added that the new president sends out regular emails assuring that this can never happen again, and that he will do whatever it takes to make sure students are safe. Students themselves are taking action as well; “Student organizations are collecting money, even at football games, and selling blue ribbons to stop child abuse.”

I hope that this horrific instance serves as a wakeup call for colleges and for systems that allow for the cover up of abuse. In fact, in 1991, Mr. Sandusky almost came to my school, the University of Maryland, to coach. This, of course, leads me to wonder, could it have been my school? Could it be your school, or your child’s school?  There is now word of an incident at Syracuse University. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated occurrence.

It is through awareness and sensitivity that events such as these can be stopped in their tracks. I hope that these efforts at Penn State do more than lead to a new awareness; they must be the first steps towards lasting change.