Ascend Justice

Today, we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) creates and supports comprehensive, cost-effective responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. Up for renewal every five years, each VAWA reauthorization has built on existing protections and programs to better meet the needs of survivors. As we honor this milestone, we also reaffirm our commitment to continue the work to provide essential tools and support to help survivors of domestic violence so they can live their lives free of abuse. Read more: https://bit.ly/4eo8eMa #VAWA #EndDV #TheHotline #SurvivorSupport

Not all forms of abuse are physical. Economic abuse is extremely common and can severely limit a survivor’s ability to rent an apartment, find work, establish bills in their name, or even leave their abuser.

Do you like trivia AND want to help survivors of gender-based violence? We’ve got an event for you! Join us for Trivia Night on October 16! Our Young Professionals Board’s annual fundraiser is a fun way to unwind with friends while helping Ascend Justice maintain high-quality legal and holistic support for survivors in our community. Whether you bring a team of 6, or sign up solo and get paired with a team, come help us raise $7,500 in one night for survivors as you go head-to-head against your peers in a battle of wits, memory, and luck. Team slots are selling out fast, so don’t wait - register today! https://lnkd.in/gRJPxDZt

We are excited to announce that Nia Crosley has just started a fellowship year as Ascend Justice's Economic Justice Staff Attorney. In this role, Nia will assist clients with a variety of economic issues, including challenging identity theft and consumer debt, advocating for employment benefits and crime victims compensation, tax guidance, and securing safe housing. Nia will also be compiling an organization-wide survey of economic needs faced by Ascend Justice clients, with an eye toward expanding Ascend Justice's holistic services model to include more robust economic justice services. Welcome to the Ascend Justice community, Nia! #TogetherWeAscend

Domestic Violence Awareness Month is just around the corner in October, so now is the perfect time to plan your own DVAM fundraising event to help Ascend Justice raise money for survivors! Check out our Community Fundraising page and start planning your fundraising party today! https://lnkd.in/gcpcmvaJ

Many people are trapped in abusive situations because of financial dependence, especially people with children. And yet, parents seeking Orders of Protection to help them leave abusive situations were routinely being told by OP judges that they would need to file separate cases in different courts to get child support. Despite having explicit authorization from the Illinois Domestic Violence Act to require temporary child support from respondents in OP cases, OP judges have taken a more “we don’t do that here” approach, forcing abuse victims into an entirely separate court system to get help. So we are thrilled to report a HUGE development for parents in abusive situations: an Illinois appeals court ruled that because financial security is imperative to safety, OP judges must decide the issue of child support - no separate case needs to be filed by the survivor! Ascend Justice signed onto the amicus brief in this case, and we are thrilled with the outcome. Read the full decision: https://lnkd.in/gDFC2tDh This is such a relief for OP petitioners, who will now be able to get the financial independence they need much earlier in the process. Huge congratulations to Legal Aid Chicago, Dentons (pro bono counsel), Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC)'s DV LEAP, and our fellow amici!

Thanks to the generous support of our incredible community, one of our clients can breathe a little easier today. After we sent out the call yesterday to help a client who is going through a really hard time, you all showed up, and our client got the school supplies and diapers she desperately needed for her kids! We are so thankful to every single person who purchased supplies and liked, shared, and spread our message. It really does take a village. #TogetherWeAscend

If you made a purchase from our Amazon wishlist today, PLEASE double check the address. All items should be sent to 177 N State St, Chicago, 60601. (There was a problem with our Amazon account that was temporarily sending somewhere in Indiana. It's fixed now, but please double check the address before you send!)

URGENT: We have a client who has left a horrible situation, is currently living in a shelter, has almost nothing, and is barely surviving. She urgently needs school supplies for a boy entering kindergarten and diapers (size 4 and 5). Please help today! You can either purchase school supplies/diapers and send them directly to us, or you can purchase a Visa gift card for her from our Amazon wishlist: https://lnkd.in/gtWYb4Nh #TogetherWeAscend

Our client, Dominique Ward, has been the victim of relentless cyberstalking and harassment for more than three years. We are glad to report that today, Dominique can breathe a little easier because her abusive ex has been arrested in Florida. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gkKd4wnk While we are thrilled for the relief his arrest provides Dominique and her children, we still have much more work to do to get law enforcement and social media companies to take cyberstalking and online harassment seriously. What happened to Dominique should never happen to anyone, and we are looking forward to the upcoming Aldermanic hearing to discuss how law enforcement can do better for victims of technological abuse.