Domestic Violence

[Erica]

URGENT ACTION ALERT -- Please Forward

Funding for domestic violence programs is at a crucial juncture!

Tomorrow at 2pm, the Senate Appropriations Committee will be debating the Health
and Human Services (HHS) appropriations bill, which includes funding for
shelters and direct services through the Family Violence Prevention and Services
Act (FVPSA), and the Commerce, Justice, State (CJS) appropriations bill, which
includes the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) cap. YOU MUST CALL TODAY OR TOMORROW.

The Senate is keeping all information about these bills out of public view!! We
need to call NOW to ensure that the needs of battered women and their children
will be met in the fiscal year 2003 appropriations process.

Everyone, no matter where you live, should call the following Senators about
VOCA: Senator Hollings (D-SC), Senator Gregg (R-NH), Senator Harkin (D-IA),
Senator Specter (R-PA), Senator Byrd (D-WV), and Senator Stevens (R-AK).

If you have a Senator on the appropriations committee (names and phone numbers
listed below), call your Senator's office and tell them:

-- Your name, your organization's name (if applicable), and your city and state.

-- Shelters are in crisis across the nation, Congress must increase FVPSA
funding by at LEAST $20 million to keep shelters open and functioning.

-- It is URGENT for victims of domestic violence that the VOCA cap be raised.
Congress must raise the VOCA cap by $125 million over the president's requestto
$750 million total. If Congress does not increase the cap this year, EVERY state
will face a funding cut. California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Texas will lose more than $2 million.

-- Any personal anecdotes or information about the need for increased funding in
your community.

YOUR CALLS ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE. This is a great opportunity to influence
Congress and stand up for the rights of victims of domestic violence in your
community!!

Senate Appropriations Committee Member by State
(You can also call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121.)

Alabama: Richard Shelby (202) 224-5744

Alaska: Ted Stevens (202) 224-3004

California: Diane Feinstein (202) 224-3841

Colorado: Ben Nighthorse Campbell (202) 224-5852

Hawaii: Daniel Inouye (202) 224-3934

Idaho: Larry Craig (202) 224-2752

Illinois: Richard Durbin (202) 224-2152

Iowa: Tom Harkin (202) 224-3254

Kentucky: Mitch McConnell, Jr. (202) 224-2541

Louisiana: Mary Landrieu (202) 224-5824

Maryland: Barbara Mikulski (202) 224-4654

Mississippi: Thad Cochran (202) 224-5054

Missouri: Christopher Bond (202) 224-5721

Montana: Conrad Burns (202) 224-2644

Nevada: Harry Reid (202) 224-3542

New Hampshire: Judd Gregg (202) 224-3324

New Mexico: Pete Domenici (202) 224-6621

North Dakota: Byron Dorgan (202) 224-2551

Ohio: Mike DeWine (202) 224-2315

Pennsylvania: Arlen Specter (202) 224-4254

Rhode Island: Jack Reed (202) 224-4642

South Carolina: Ernest Hollings (202) 224-6121

South Dakota: Tim Johnson (202) 224-5842

Texas: Kay Bailey Hutchison (202) 224-5922

Utah: Robert Bennett (202) 224-5444

Vermont: Patrick Leahy (202) 224-4242

Washington: Patty Murray (202) 224-2621

West Virginia: Robert Byrd (202) 224-3954

Wisconsin: Herbert Kohl (202) 224-5653



Allison Randall, Public Policy Associate/Outreach Coordinator
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
1532 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-745-1211 (ph)
202-745-0088 (fax)
arandall@ncadv.org
www.ncadv.org

[Erica]

Formerly Battered Women Answer: Why We Stayed

Optimism: “I thought he’d change when he got a job and quit drinking. I really felt things would get better.”

Denial: “I didn’t believe that this was happening. My partner said I was the problem and my friends did not believe that she was capable of such violence.”

Religious and Family Pressures: “I was taught that I should stay married no matter what -- that I needed a husband, the kids needed a father and any problems could be worked out if I tried hard enough.”

Fear: “He said that if I ever left, he’d find me and kill me -- and if he couldn’t, he’d kill himself.”

Economic Dependence: “He wouldn’t allow me to work. He made all the money and controlled all the money. Who would support me and my kids?”

Legal Dependence: “He threatened to report me -- I am not a legal resident.”

Shame, Embarrassment: “I didn’t ask for help because I felt people would think I was stupid for staying as long as I did. Besides, I considered myself a together, successful person, not battered.”

Love: “When she wasn’t being abusive, she was very kind and gentle...like the woman I fell in love with.”

Desire to Help: “I knew he was abusing me, but I also knew he was in a lot of pain. He was abused as a child. I wanted to help him. I was sure that with time, I could.”

Cultural Isolation: “I had just arrived in this country, didn’t know anyone but my husband, and spoke very little English. My husband was the only one I could turn to. As hard as it was to endure his abuse, I thought it would be harder to leave.”

Lowered Self Esteem: “When I first met him, I liked myself and thought I could have a terrific future. His abuse was subtle at first. Before long, however, he began to humiliate me in front of others. It made me feel I was stupid and worthless. After a while, I began to hate myself and feel like probably all men were like him.”

Opression: “I am a battered African -American lesbian. In this society, people mistreat me because of my gender, my race and my sexual preference. I didn’t think I could find any help.”

Responsibility “I had to take care of the children, the household and even his parents. I didn’t have time to worry about my own needs, much less my safety.”

Survival “I couldn’t leave because it took all the energy I had just to make it through the day.”

“I wonder why people want to know why we stayed. What about him? If he really believed what he said -- that I was ugly, lazy, stupid, and a whore, why didn’t he leave me? Why aren’t you asking him, "Why did you stay?”