A focus on women's issues: VAWA

You know I consider integrity and truth telling along with the major economic crisis we are in to be critical life issues... but lets get to those another day, hopefully soon. I want to to focus on women's issues since i started that research a few weeks ago. I didnt get as much done on this as I wanted. Life is a little out of control for me these days so I will only look at two issues:

1. Violence against women

2. Equal pay for equal work (on the next post, hopefully tomorrow)

For the record, I dont claim objectivity. Yes, the voting records below stand for themselves, but I have only pulled a few instances which I know are politically charged. So I stand guilty on that account. Also, I am not going to take up a woman's right to her own reproductive freedom (which should include a focus  on  health care coverage of birth control, medically accurate sex ed, financial support for pregnant teens or for the reduction in teen pregnancy). I don't want to side track the discussion of these other critical issues because of the often times polemic nature of the debate.

Violence Against Women

25% of all women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime. Approximately 1,400 women a year - four every day - die in the United States as a result of domestic violence.  (For an explanation of this and other facts, see the information available at the National Institutes of Health ).

These numbers are surprisingly high -- and yet the topic gets such little air time or resources.  In 1994 The Violence Against Women Act [VAWA] was passed and signed into law. It was reauthorized by Congress in 2000 and 2005. As most people now know, this legislation was drafted and sponsored by Joe Biden. John McCain voted against VAWA in 1994 and 2000.  Biden, as sponsor of the legislation voted in favor.

VAWA created new penalties for gender-related violence and new grant programs encouraging states to address domestic violence and sexual assault such as the  the National Domestic Violence Hotline and grants to battered women's shelters. Since VAWA was passed the number of cases of domestic violence in the US has dropped by 25%.

There are many other issues that are covered in VAWA -- one of which is the requirement that rape victims should not have to pay for their own rape kits.  Rape kits are those kits that provide the items necessary for forensic and medical experts to gather and preserve physical evidence following a sexual assault. They also contain emergency contraceptives to prevent rape induced pregnancy.

In the US, when an on offense is committed against person or property crime scene investigation is paid for by the city. Why should rape be any different? It is a brutal offense against the individual involved, in most, but not all cases women. It is also notable then that the then Mayor Sarah Palin went against Alaska state law (instituted as part of VAWA) to require rape victims in her city to pay for their own rape kits (about $500 to $1200). Alaska state law made it illegal for any law enforcement agency to bill victims or victims' insurance companies for the costs of examinations to collect evidence of a sexual assault or determine if a sexual assault actually occurred.

This is slightly off topic... but whether you think Palin will make a good VP or not, you've gotta agree that she has been treated in a sexist and chauvinistic manner by John McCain. Its rare that I agree with CNN's analysis on things (they tend to be fairly conservative), CNN's Campbell Brown finally called a spade a spade earlier this week. Free Sarah Palin. Honestly, I want to know what she knows and thinks. Its a bit jarring to me that a candidate for the second highest office in our land has not held a single press conference since accepting the nomination. I think the American people and Sarah deserve better treatment than that!

"Tonight I call on the McCain campaign to stop treating Sarah Palin like she is a delicate flower that will wilt at any moment," said Brown. "This woman is from Alaska from crying out loud. She is strong. She is tough. She is competent. And you claim she is ready to be one heart beat away form the presidency. If that is the case, then end this chauvinistic treatment of her now. Allow her to show her stuff. Allow her to face down those pesky reporters... Let her have a real news conference with real questions. By treating Sarah Palin different from the other candidates in this race, you are not showing her the respect she deserves. Free Sarah Palin. Free her from the chauvinistic chain you are binding her with. Sexism in this campaign must come to an end. Sarah Palin has just as much a right to be a real candidate in this race as the men do. So let her act like one."

FREE SARAH PALIN!

Since Ive taken so long to post this, Palin has done an interview with Katie Couric (although still doesnt freely Q and A as the other candidates do) to add to her interviews with Gibson and Hannity. Watch that interview here and tell me what you think!

If you are interested in foreign policy you might want to watch this clip.

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