Women's Advocacy Initiative

We have a new initiative joining our WAI family: MyHooha! Founded by our fearless Board Director, Maura Deegan, MyHooha is making it easier for individuals with female reproductive organs to access trauma-informed gynecologists. For more information on our new program, please see https://www.myhooha.org/ !

With one month left until election day in the US, the stakes are higher than ever. Make sure you’re registered to vote at https://lnkd.in/ee6-9bc

Today marks the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), a time where we reflect on the impact domestic violence makes not just in the life of a woman experiencing it, but in the community as a whole. In acknowledgment of DVAM, our CEO Jan Edgar Langbein recently spoke with The Dallas Morning News about the pervasiveness of this issue, how abuse can leave seen & unseen scars in its wake of destruction and what we can do to help. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g4dYF9g9

for Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re highlighting the struggles often faced by Hispanic/Latinx survivors of sexual assault. resources: esperanza united - https://lnkd.in/dq4F_j-H rainn - https://lnkd.in/gMTxym6e. mujeres latinas en acción - https://lnkd.in/gc8bvMYN #hispanicheritagemonth #believesurvivors #endsexualviolence

Each year, Chalk Back runs a Back to School campaign addressing school-related gender-based violence. Here's a snapshot of the narratives we've encountered: - Gender Stereotypes at a Young Age: Girls are often discouraged from pursuing STEM fields and pressured to conform to traditional gender roles in the classroom. - Excusing Inappropriate Behavior: Teachers frequently overlook boys' inappropriate behavior, normalizing it instead of addressing the harm it causes. - Perpetuating Slut Shaming: Dress codes are enforced more strictly on girls and gender non-conforming students, reinforcing harmful stereotypes about body image and modesty. - LGBTQIA+ Ostracization: Queer students face severe bullying due to rigid gender norms enforced by both peers and educators. Share your experiences with us, and together, let's raise awareness and advocate for a safer and more inclusive school environment. #ChalkBack #GenderEquality #BackToSchoolCampaign

In this episode of the Maitri Podcast, we bring you the story of Nazeehah Khan — a survivor turned activist, and founder of Restraining Orders Without Borders. Nazeehah courageously opens up about her harrowing experience, the battle for justice, and the inner strength that transformed her pain into power. In conversation with our host Nandini Ray, she reveals her journey from survival to activism, offering hope to those still fighting their own battles. This is more than a podcast episode — a message of resilience, and a testament to the power of speaking out. Listen now and let Nazeehah’s story remind you of the strength within us all. YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g8-v2HWF SoundCloud: https://lnkd.in/gxuQEB-U... Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gyV3aDim... #maitribayarea #maitripodcast #nazeehahkhan #SupportSurvivors #EndGenderBasedViolence #endsexualviolence #nandiniray #maitribayarea #MaitriPodcast #SurvivorToWarrior #NazeehahKhan #ROWB #Resilience #Healing #Empowerment

This month, we are highlighting the overlap between medical malpractice and sexual assault. In part I of this series, we cover definitions, statistics, and the barriers patients often face to reporting. #endsexualviolence?#believesurvivors?#medicalmalpractice

I am thrilled to share that my article, “Femicide on a Global Scale" has been published on the Women's Advocacy Initiative website! In this piece, I dive into the extensive issue of femicide—the gender-based killing of women—across various countries. My article highlights staggering statistics, explores underlying factors like gender inequality and cultural norms, and presents case studies from different regions. I also emphasize the urgent need for legal reforms and societal change to address and prevent femicide worldwide. A huge thank you to Vic Overdorf, PhD for encouraging me to explore this topic in my final paper in their “Rights and Resistance: Global Women” course at Butler University this past spring. I also want to thank Sheerin Gryloo for publishing this work on a topic we both deem important to eradicate. Though femicide is a deeply concerning issue, it is crucial that we discuss it openly. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read my article and consider the steps we can take to eliminate this injustice towards women worldwide. https://lnkd.in/gT-mJbBf

Our eighth and final installment of Title IX Tuesdays covers how Title IX addresses de minimis, in relation to gender identity. To read more, go to https://lnkd.in/epkrhQsW where you can find the current unofficial version of the final regulations and the DOE’s summary and fact sheet. #titleix #endrapeoncampus #believesurvivors

?? "NOBODY'S RIGHT, IF EVERYBODY'S WRONG." - Buffalo Springfield Title IX departments never asked to be administrative law specialists, to parse through injunctions or to wait for Supreme Court guidance on how to do their jobs. But that's where we are...and everybody loses...our students most of all. THE "BARE MINIMUM" ISN'T THE GOAL? While we all wait for the government to tell us what Title IX requires, we need to take a step back and remember that Title IX regulations are a FLOOR not a CEILING. Meaning that there's nothing preventing us from affording more protections for students, except our belief that the goal is simply to "meet compliance." FALSE DICHOTOMY: DUE PROCESS vs. SURVIVOR SUPPORT The Title IX debate goes something like....Republicans want due process protections to make sure accused students get a fair shake - hearings, cross-examination, and so on. And democrats want more support for survivors - better reporting, less retraumatizing processes, etc... Our politicians treat these like opposing priorities. THEY'RE NOT, and we need to stop treating them like they are. Building the tools to help schools do both is what Student Ally, and me personally, have been working on for nearly a decade. EMBRACE THE "WIN/WIN" - DELIVER FOR EVERYONE Improved reporting helps survivors. Improved compliance tech ensures fairness for respondents. Improved training helps prevention, which helps everyone. Evidence preservation tech helps survivors support their claims, and it also helps respondents support their defense. Integrated safety tech helps prevention and deterrence, which means safer campuses and communities. Put it all together and schools can improve results for everyone, while reducing costs, and avoiding liabilities. Drop a like or a comment if you're interested in seeing how we do it. #safety #prevention #titleIX #riskmitigation #liability #compliance #sexualassault #sexualassaultprevention #studentally #metoo #metoomovement https://lnkd.in/e34XwF-a