Current Actions
A WALK IN HER SHOES
Sexual assault affects individuals at their most intimate level. In
California alone, law enforcement reports there is one forcible rape committed every 54 minutes; 477 were reported right here in our own backyard. (Santa Clara County, 2002)! However, researchers indicate that only one in ten cases are ever reported to authorities and only 2% of rapists are convicted and imprisoned in the United States! As a community, we need to respond to this alarming issue.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness month!
On Thursday, April 29, the YWCA Rape Crisis Center of Santa Clara Valley will be sponsoring its 10th annual awareness event, again titled "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes". In a light-hearted approach to an otherwise serious subject matter, prominent men throughout the community are invited to literally wear women's high-heeled shoes and walk from Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose to the YWCA Villa Nueva center...not quite a mile away.
The purpose?
To raise awareness and encourage men to consider the experiences of women with respect to sexual violence and what they can do to participate in existing rape prevention and intervention movements.
Walker sign-in and waivers will begin in the park at 4:30pm, with the walk commencing at 5pm. Once walkers arrive at Villa Nueva, there will be a hosted reception, which will conclude the event. You will be among many who you know for a cause that you might not know. This event will be a precursor to the YWCA's big Centennial Celebration next year, so walkers.
Ending sexual violence is a community issue. So we hope that you will carve out the time on your calendar to join us. If you are a male who is willng to do this, please contact klinton@ywca-scv.org so we can count you in as one of our walkers! More details will follow upon contact. If you are female go out and support this event.
Santa Clara coutny YWCA web site : http://www.ywca-scv.org
Equity California
Equality California and its sister organizations, Equality California Institute and Equality California PAC, share a common mission to ensure and promote dignity, safety and equality for all of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Californians. Equality California, formerly known as California Alliance for Pride and Equality (CAPE), was founded in 1998.
Info about this organization : http://www.calcape.org
Bills in action around this issue:
Please contact Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and ask him to sign Assembly Bill 2651, groundbreaking legislation that would prohibit discrimination and harassment against LGBT youth in foster care. This bill will make a real difference in the lives of foster youth, foster parents, and foster system staff.
For more background on the bill, click here <http://hrc.grassroots.com/california/background2651/> .
DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
Eight states and 105 city and county governments provide health insurance benefits to their employees' domestic partners. Similarly, 145 Fortune 500 companies have made domestic partner benefits a standard practice. Isn't it time that the federal government does thesame?
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has introduced the "Domestic Partnership and
Obligations Act" (H.R. 638). Under this important legislation, the domestic partner of a federal employee would be eligible for benefits in a similar manner and to a similar extent as the spouse of a federal employee. This eligibility would extend to retirement benefits, life insurance, health insurance and compensation for work injuries.
Take Action! You can read more about this bill and send a FREE FAX urging Congress to afford the same privileges and protections to all federal employees in committed relationships from our action alert at:
http://www.aclu.org/action/dompartner107.html
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