Hindu American Seva Charities has joined 40 national and
regional ecumenical, interfaith, and advocacy organizations to renew a call
to Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA).
Click here for our press
release<https://docs.google.com/a/hinduamericanseva.org/file/d/0Bwlxj5pIr0I-Y...>.
VAWA impacts us all, women and men. Please get to get your Dharmic voice
of compassion heard. We urge you to get your Senators to sign the bill. Below
is the most recent alert sent out by the National Task Force.
We are now up to 61 co-sponsors. Senators Heller and Ayotte signed on last
week. As of now, Senator Hutchison from Texas is the only female Senator
not supporting the bill. Is there a possibility any of us could do targeted
outreach to Texas folks asking them to contact her and urge her to support
the Leahy/Crapo bill, S. 1925?
Thanks, Anju
** **
****
*March 26, 2012*
Please forward to everyone you know who cares about ending domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking!****
*The time to act is NOW for upcoming Senate vote on VAWA!*
VAWA (S. 1925) now has *61 sponsors* – be sure and thank senators *Heller,
Dean * <http://www.heller.senate.gov/>*- (R – NV) - *(202) 224-6244
and *Ayotte,
Kelly * <http://www.ayotte.senate.gov>*- (R – NH) *(202) 224-3324 for
adding their names to the bill last week.* *****
*Our goal was 60 sponsors by the first day of spring and WE MADE IT THANKS
TO YOUR EFFORTS!*
TAKE ACTION:****
1. Call Senator Reid’s office to tell him to file for cloture and bring
VAWA to the floor.****
2. Write a letter to the editor to get VAWA to the Senate floor (tips
below!).****
3. Call the Senators who are NOT sponsoring VAWA and urge them to sign on!**
**
*Action 1: Call Senator Reid’s office with this message:* “Please bring
VAWA to the floor THIS week, and if you cannot do that, please file a
cloture petition before the Senate goes home at the end of the week so
Senators can vote on VAWA as soon as you get back April 16.”*
*
If you are not from Nevada, call 202-224-3542 (D.C. office).
If you are from Nevada, call 775-686-5750 (Reno office).****
*Action 2: Write a letter to the editor to get VAWA to the Senate Floor!*
Find suggested language below which you should feel free to edit and
personalize. Find media contacts in your area:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/media****
To The Editor:****
The Violence Against Women Act, S. 1925, has 61 bipartisan sponsors
including [your state and sponsoring Senators]. There are fewer than a
dozen bills in Congress right now that have this type of bipartisan
support. In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was a giant step
forward for our nation and the Act is overdue for reauthorization. Yet,
Senator Reid has yet to call it to the floor. We hope this is simply an
oversight.****
** **
Domestic violence and sexual assault are pervasive social problems that
must end. In fact, domestic violence and sexual assault affect
everyone in [name
of local community] in some way. VAWA’s passage meant that our federal
government finally acknowledged the tremendous harm caused by these crimes
and provided a critical investment to help victims. Evidence shows that
this legislation works to stop violence and millions of families are better
off as a result. We need to keep these provisions in place. As a society,
we cannot go backwards. ****
** **
In fact, we must go forward and protect all victims of violence – and S.
1925 does this. Many victims, women and men, have not been able to get
help in the past and it is important to extend protections to victims of
crime including immigrant victims who assist law enforcement, victims on
tribal lands regardless of who assaults them, and all individuals
regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The time has come to
again reauthorize this critical legislation. ****
Sincerely,****
[Name, Title, Organization, Contact Info]****
If you want to write you own Op Ed or Letter to the Editor, here are some
tips from NTF:****
*Tips on Writing a Successful Op-ed Piece on VAWA Reauthorization*
Most daily and weekly newspapers accept op-ed submissions for publication.
They are called op-ed articles because they commonly appear on the opposite
page from the editorial page. Longer than letters to the editor, op-ed
pieces generally are between 500 and 700 words. Most newspapers publish
op-ed guidelines, including maximum length and methods of submission, on
their websites. Be sure to include contact information for the op-ed’s
author or signatory on any submission. If a paper decides to publish an
op-ed, they typically contact the submitter to verify its authenticity and
to secure permission to print it. Note that papers usually reserve the
right to edit any submission before publishing it. ****
** **
Here are some tips on writing an op-ed:****
- Use short, simple sentences. Be simple without being simplistic.****
- Avoid jargon or terms that only advocates would be familiar with. ****
- Avoid using acronyms and abbreviations (e.g. VAWA). Instead, spell it
out or use terms like “legislation” or “Act.”****
- Use colorful language, clichés, metaphors and/or analogies. ****
- Use absolute terms like “first-ever,” “never before,” and “second to
none.”****
- Explicitly support VAWA’s swift reauthorization.****
- Consider a call to action. What can readers do should they feel
compelled to take action after reading your op-ed?****
- Without compromising confidentiality or safety, personalize the op-ed
with a specific anecdote about how VAWA has helped an individual or group.
****
- Link the op-ed to a current news story – local, regional or national.**
**
- If you use statistics or dollar amounts, make them meaningful. Large
or small numbers are more meaningful when readers can connect them to
something they already know. For example, “enough people to fill Valley
High School’s football stadium,” or “the same amount of money the
government spent on one dump truck.”****
- Give VAWA a human face. Rather than getting into too many legislative
details, it’s important for readers to understand that VAWA is more than
words on a page; it affects people’s lives every day. ****
Suggested Outline for an Op-ed:****
**· **Start with a short anecdote or a current news story
commentary. The first few sentences are critical to catching a reader’s
interest and compelling them to read more. ****
**· **Make your most important point in the first or second
paragraph.****
**· **Describe two or three supporting points in the following
paragraphs. Use meaningful facts, statistics, and studies to support your
points. ****
**· **Conclude with a paragraph that draws the piece together and
links to your opening anecdote or current events commentary.**
*Action 3: Senators will be home for two weeks starting this Friday. ** If
your Senator is one of the 39 who is NOT a sponsor of VAWA, find out where
they will be during the break and/or call their office today (**
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm*<http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm>
*) and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1925. **If they are unable or unwilling to
add their name as a co-sponsor, ask them to at least vote for cloture
(needs 60 votes) so that the bill can come to the Senate floor for
amendments, debate and a final vote for passage.* * ***
*Here is your message: **“A lot of misinformation is being circulated by
the bills detractors about S. 1925, the real VAWA. I want to set the
record straight:
1.** **Since VAWA first passed, the number of individuals killed by an
intimate partner has decreased by 34% for women and 57% for men. VAWA has
saved lives while saving money, saving $12.6 billion in its first 6 years
alone.
2. ** **S. 1925** saves money by consolidating and repealing more than 15
programs, ensuring more funding will go directly to needed victim services
rather than grant administration.
3. ** **S. 1925** adopts almost word-for-word the accountability measures
developed by Senator Grassley for the Trafficking Victims Reauthorization
Act.
4. ** **S. 1925** does not create “new victims” or support “special
interests.” The real VAWA protects all victims of these crimes, regardless
of their age, gender, race, citizenship, sexuality, or faith.
5. Our nation must not say, "There are too many victims” or “You are not
the ‘right’ kind of victim.” All victims of domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking deserve help. That’s what S. 1925,
the real VAWA, does. Please support VAWA’s reauthorization. Thank you.” *
Please contact these senators – they are either former sponsors* or have
expressed interest or support for VAWA currently or in the past:****
* *Cochran, Thad * <http://www.cochran.senate.gov>*- (R - MS) **(202)
224-5054* Judiciary LA: Carlisle Clarke, Women's Issues LA: Elyse Marcellino
**
* *Cornyn, John * <http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/>*- (R - TX) **202) 224-2934
* Judiciary LA: Matt Johnson, Women's Issues LA: Michelle Chin ****
* *Hutchison, Kay Bailey * <http://www.hutchison.senate.gov/>*- (R -
TX) **(202)
224-5922** *Judiciary and Women’s issues LA: Jenifer Healy****
*Alexander, Lamar * <http://www.alexander.senate.gov/>*- (R – TN **(202)
224-4944* Judiciary LA: Peter Oppenheim, Women's Issues LA: Mary-Sumpter
Lapinski ****
*Enzi, Michael B. * <http://www.enzi.senate.gov>*- (R - WY) **(202) 224-3424
* Judiciary LA: Wendy Gnehm, Women's Issues LA: Travis Jordan **
*Graham, Lindsey * <http://www.lgraham.senate.gov/>*- (R - SC) **(202)
224-5972* Judiciary and Women’s Issues LA: Walt Kuhn**
*Kyl, Jon * <http://www.kyl.senate.gov/>*- (R - AZ) **(202) 224-4521**
*Judiciary
LA: Stephen Higgins, Women's Issues LA: Elizabeth Maier **
*Lugar, Richard G. * <http://www.lugar.senate.gov/>*- (R – IN) **(202)
224-4814* Judiciary and Women’s Issues LA: Joe O'Donnell****
*McConnell, Mitch <http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/>*- (R - KY)
Minority Leader
(202) 224-2541 Judiciary LA: Russell Coleman, Women’s, Native American and*
***
Child/Family Issues LA: Sarah Arbes ****
*Moran, Jerry* <http://www.moran.senate.gov>- (R - KS) (202) 224-6521
Judiciary
LA: Darby O'Donnell, Women: Brian Perkins, Native American Affairs: Jesse
Rundle ****
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQMRubScHvs****
*Portman, Rob** **- (R - OH) * *(202) 224-3353* Judiciary and Women’s
Issues LA: Aja Brooks, Native American Affairs LA: Stephen Kittredge ****
*Risch, James E. <http://www.risch.senate.gov>- (R – ID **(202)
224-2752** *Judiciary
LA: Brianne Miller,Women LA: Rebecca Cotton, Native American LA: Darren
Parker ****
*Toomey, Patrick J. <http://www.toomey.senate.gov/>- (R - PA)* *(202)
224-4254* Judiciary & Women LA: Tessie Abraham, Native American Affairs LA:
Mitch Vidovich ****
Check our website for fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and
updates: *www.4vawa.org* <http://www.4vawa.org>****
Check out and “like” our Facebook page where you can find a toolkit and
other action and information items: http://on.fb.me/NTF_Facebook_page****
Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA and
#VAWA.****
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.****
regional ecumenical, interfaith, and advocacy organizations to renew a call
to Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA).
Click here for our press
release<https://docs.google.com/a/hinduamericanseva.org/file/d/0Bwlxj5pIr0I-Y...>.
VAWA impacts us all, women and men. Please get to get your Dharmic voice
of compassion heard. We urge you to get your Senators to sign the bill. Below
is the most recent alert sent out by the National Task Force.
We are now up to 61 co-sponsors. Senators Heller and Ayotte signed on last
week. As of now, Senator Hutchison from Texas is the only female Senator
not supporting the bill. Is there a possibility any of us could do targeted
outreach to Texas folks asking them to contact her and urge her to support
the Leahy/Crapo bill, S. 1925?
Thanks, Anju
** **
****
*March 26, 2012*
Please forward to everyone you know who cares about ending domestic
violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking!****
*The time to act is NOW for upcoming Senate vote on VAWA!*
VAWA (S. 1925) now has *61 sponsors* – be sure and thank senators *Heller,
Dean * <http://www.heller.senate.gov/>*- (R – NV) - *(202) 224-6244
and *Ayotte,
Kelly * <http://www.ayotte.senate.gov>*- (R – NH) *(202) 224-3324 for
adding their names to the bill last week.* *****
*Our goal was 60 sponsors by the first day of spring and WE MADE IT THANKS
TO YOUR EFFORTS!*
TAKE ACTION:****
1. Call Senator Reid’s office to tell him to file for cloture and bring
VAWA to the floor.****
2. Write a letter to the editor to get VAWA to the Senate floor (tips
below!).****
3. Call the Senators who are NOT sponsoring VAWA and urge them to sign on!**
**
*Action 1: Call Senator Reid’s office with this message:* “Please bring
VAWA to the floor THIS week, and if you cannot do that, please file a
cloture petition before the Senate goes home at the end of the week so
Senators can vote on VAWA as soon as you get back April 16.”*
*
If you are not from Nevada, call 202-224-3542 (D.C. office).
If you are from Nevada, call 775-686-5750 (Reno office).****
*Action 2: Write a letter to the editor to get VAWA to the Senate Floor!*
Find suggested language below which you should feel free to edit and
personalize. Find media contacts in your area:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/media****
To The Editor:****
The Violence Against Women Act, S. 1925, has 61 bipartisan sponsors
including [your state and sponsoring Senators]. There are fewer than a
dozen bills in Congress right now that have this type of bipartisan
support. In 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was a giant step
forward for our nation and the Act is overdue for reauthorization. Yet,
Senator Reid has yet to call it to the floor. We hope this is simply an
oversight.****
** **
Domestic violence and sexual assault are pervasive social problems that
must end. In fact, domestic violence and sexual assault affect
everyone in [name
of local community] in some way. VAWA’s passage meant that our federal
government finally acknowledged the tremendous harm caused by these crimes
and provided a critical investment to help victims. Evidence shows that
this legislation works to stop violence and millions of families are better
off as a result. We need to keep these provisions in place. As a society,
we cannot go backwards. ****
** **
In fact, we must go forward and protect all victims of violence – and S.
1925 does this. Many victims, women and men, have not been able to get
help in the past and it is important to extend protections to victims of
crime including immigrant victims who assist law enforcement, victims on
tribal lands regardless of who assaults them, and all individuals
regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The time has come to
again reauthorize this critical legislation. ****
Sincerely,****
[Name, Title, Organization, Contact Info]****
If you want to write you own Op Ed or Letter to the Editor, here are some
tips from NTF:****
*Tips on Writing a Successful Op-ed Piece on VAWA Reauthorization*
Most daily and weekly newspapers accept op-ed submissions for publication.
They are called op-ed articles because they commonly appear on the opposite
page from the editorial page. Longer than letters to the editor, op-ed
pieces generally are between 500 and 700 words. Most newspapers publish
op-ed guidelines, including maximum length and methods of submission, on
their websites. Be sure to include contact information for the op-ed’s
author or signatory on any submission. If a paper decides to publish an
op-ed, they typically contact the submitter to verify its authenticity and
to secure permission to print it. Note that papers usually reserve the
right to edit any submission before publishing it. ****
** **
Here are some tips on writing an op-ed:****
- Use short, simple sentences. Be simple without being simplistic.****
- Avoid jargon or terms that only advocates would be familiar with. ****
- Avoid using acronyms and abbreviations (e.g. VAWA). Instead, spell it
out or use terms like “legislation” or “Act.”****
- Use colorful language, clichés, metaphors and/or analogies. ****
- Use absolute terms like “first-ever,” “never before,” and “second to
none.”****
- Explicitly support VAWA’s swift reauthorization.****
- Consider a call to action. What can readers do should they feel
compelled to take action after reading your op-ed?****
- Without compromising confidentiality or safety, personalize the op-ed
with a specific anecdote about how VAWA has helped an individual or group.
****
- Link the op-ed to a current news story – local, regional or national.**
**
- If you use statistics or dollar amounts, make them meaningful. Large
or small numbers are more meaningful when readers can connect them to
something they already know. For example, “enough people to fill Valley
High School’s football stadium,” or “the same amount of money the
government spent on one dump truck.”****
- Give VAWA a human face. Rather than getting into too many legislative
details, it’s important for readers to understand that VAWA is more than
words on a page; it affects people’s lives every day. ****
Suggested Outline for an Op-ed:****
**· **Start with a short anecdote or a current news story
commentary. The first few sentences are critical to catching a reader’s
interest and compelling them to read more. ****
**· **Make your most important point in the first or second
paragraph.****
**· **Describe two or three supporting points in the following
paragraphs. Use meaningful facts, statistics, and studies to support your
points. ****
**· **Conclude with a paragraph that draws the piece together and
links to your opening anecdote or current events commentary.**
*Action 3: Senators will be home for two weeks starting this Friday. ** If
your Senator is one of the 39 who is NOT a sponsor of VAWA, find out where
they will be during the break and/or call their office today (**
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm*<http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm>
*) and ask them to co-sponsor S. 1925. **If they are unable or unwilling to
add their name as a co-sponsor, ask them to at least vote for cloture
(needs 60 votes) so that the bill can come to the Senate floor for
amendments, debate and a final vote for passage.* * ***
*Here is your message: **“A lot of misinformation is being circulated by
the bills detractors about S. 1925, the real VAWA. I want to set the
record straight:
1.** **Since VAWA first passed, the number of individuals killed by an
intimate partner has decreased by 34% for women and 57% for men. VAWA has
saved lives while saving money, saving $12.6 billion in its first 6 years
alone.
2. ** **S. 1925** saves money by consolidating and repealing more than 15
programs, ensuring more funding will go directly to needed victim services
rather than grant administration.
3. ** **S. 1925** adopts almost word-for-word the accountability measures
developed by Senator Grassley for the Trafficking Victims Reauthorization
Act.
4. ** **S. 1925** does not create “new victims” or support “special
interests.” The real VAWA protects all victims of these crimes, regardless
of their age, gender, race, citizenship, sexuality, or faith.
5. Our nation must not say, "There are too many victims” or “You are not
the ‘right’ kind of victim.” All victims of domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking deserve help. That’s what S. 1925,
the real VAWA, does. Please support VAWA’s reauthorization. Thank you.” *
Please contact these senators – they are either former sponsors* or have
expressed interest or support for VAWA currently or in the past:****
* *Cochran, Thad * <http://www.cochran.senate.gov>*- (R - MS) **(202)
224-5054* Judiciary LA: Carlisle Clarke, Women's Issues LA: Elyse Marcellino
**
* *Cornyn, John * <http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/>*- (R - TX) **202) 224-2934
* Judiciary LA: Matt Johnson, Women's Issues LA: Michelle Chin ****
* *Hutchison, Kay Bailey * <http://www.hutchison.senate.gov/>*- (R -
TX) **(202)
224-5922** *Judiciary and Women’s issues LA: Jenifer Healy****
*Alexander, Lamar * <http://www.alexander.senate.gov/>*- (R – TN **(202)
224-4944* Judiciary LA: Peter Oppenheim, Women's Issues LA: Mary-Sumpter
Lapinski ****
*Enzi, Michael B. * <http://www.enzi.senate.gov>*- (R - WY) **(202) 224-3424
* Judiciary LA: Wendy Gnehm, Women's Issues LA: Travis Jordan **
*Graham, Lindsey * <http://www.lgraham.senate.gov/>*- (R - SC) **(202)
224-5972* Judiciary and Women’s Issues LA: Walt Kuhn**
*Kyl, Jon * <http://www.kyl.senate.gov/>*- (R - AZ) **(202) 224-4521**
*Judiciary
LA: Stephen Higgins, Women's Issues LA: Elizabeth Maier **
*Lugar, Richard G. * <http://www.lugar.senate.gov/>*- (R – IN) **(202)
224-4814* Judiciary and Women’s Issues LA: Joe O'Donnell****
*McConnell, Mitch <http://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/>*- (R - KY)
Minority Leader
(202) 224-2541 Judiciary LA: Russell Coleman, Women’s, Native American and*
***
Child/Family Issues LA: Sarah Arbes ****
*Moran, Jerry* <http://www.moran.senate.gov>- (R - KS) (202) 224-6521
Judiciary
LA: Darby O'Donnell, Women: Brian Perkins, Native American Affairs: Jesse
Rundle ****
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQMRubScHvs****
*Portman, Rob** **- (R - OH) * *(202) 224-3353* Judiciary and Women’s
Issues LA: Aja Brooks, Native American Affairs LA: Stephen Kittredge ****
*Risch, James E. <http://www.risch.senate.gov>- (R – ID **(202)
224-2752** *Judiciary
LA: Brianne Miller,Women LA: Rebecca Cotton, Native American LA: Darren
Parker ****
*Toomey, Patrick J. <http://www.toomey.senate.gov/>- (R - PA)* *(202)
224-4254* Judiciary & Women LA: Tessie Abraham, Native American Affairs LA:
Mitch Vidovich ****
Check our website for fact sheets, press coverage, support letters and
updates: *www.4vawa.org* <http://www.4vawa.org>****
Check out and “like” our Facebook page where you can find a toolkit and
other action and information items: http://on.fb.me/NTF_Facebook_page****
Don’t forget to tweet about VAWA using the hashtags #ReauthorizeVAWA and
#VAWA.****
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.****
This is a nice post.
ReplyDeleteKeep up with the good work!
And thanks for sharing......
Jake W.
Find Funds Fundraising