Advocacy in DC

I had the privilege of going to DC this past month with a group of advocates from across Missouri. We make an annual trek to DC to meet with our elected officials and continue our discussion of domestic violence and how it is impacting the residents in the state of Missouri.

We spend a day with other advocates from across the country learning what is new and what is needed. We then head to the Hill where we meet with all of the Missouri delegation. The mood in DC has varied from year to year depending on what is going on in the country and the pressing needs going on at the time of our visit. We were fortunate this year to go when the weather was beautiful and there was some hope in the air. There is such division in our country right now on so many issues, but the one thing that we know is domestic violence is not a partisan issue. It impacts everyone.  It’s something that everyone should be concerned about. Everyone can have a part to play in impacting it and bringing it to an end.

We do have a group of elected officials that are concerned about this issue and the impact it is having on the citizens of Missouri. They listened intently and heard our concerns and our fears for the immediate future.

Our message was clear and precise: things are dire in Missouri, people are being turned away from services at an alarming rate and something must be done. Programs serving victims are struggling under the weight of the need and the lack of resources there are to address those needs. More people are turned away from services than are able to be served. This is unacceptable. We must create a plan to address this and it needs to be done immediately.

Our proposal was pretty straightforward in theory, but much harder to actually accomplish. We had discussions about it with each member and all agreed it was reasonable and presented a win/win for everyone. They assured us that they would help and, since our meeting, progress has been made.

I am ever hopeful that progress will continue and, with the help of our Representatives and Senators, we’ll be able to bring more resources to all of the programs across Missouri and the country—programs that are fighting to meet the need and provide services to the ever increasing number of people seeking assistance.

National Advocacy Day

I had the privilege of traveling to Washington DC in June to attend National Advocacy Day, sponsored by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). Advocacy Day brings together domestic violence advocates from across the country to discuss the latest news, trends and legislation that impacts the services we provide.

Advocates from across the state of Missouri were there. We had a very productive day meeting with all of the Congressmen/women and Senators from Missouri. The topic of conversation throughout the day was the controversy that has arisen surrounding the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

This is the first time the reauthorization has become controversial. The House and Senate each passed very different versions of the bill. We spent the day discussing the “hot button” issues, and strategies for the two sides to come together. 

As always, the Missouri delegation welcomed us and listened to our concerns. Everyone continues to be supportive of VAWA overall, but no one was really sure how to bridge the differences. Discussion continues and everyone voiced hope that a resolution could be reached.

If you would like more information about the reauthorization of VAWA, the NNEDV website has accurate and up to date information regarding the process and the “hot button” issues. 

Advocacy Days in Washington D.C.

I recently had the privilege to participate in the annual Advocacy Days sponsored by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) in Washington, D.C.

NNEDV organizes this annual event to educate advocates on new legislation and the needs across the country. We then carry a common message to Capitol Hill when we meet with our elected officials.

Our message was simple: programs are in dire need. More money is needed to meet the ever increasing needs of those impacted by domestic violence. People are being hurt and killed every day and we must do something to help those programs that are working with the survivors.

In Missouri, more women were turned away than were served last year. For every two women served, three were turned away. The demand for services is increasing and the resources to serve them are decreasing. We shared many stories and the frustration of not being able to do more to help those in need.

There was much discussion about how we can increase the money in such a very tight economy, when so many are suffering. This fact is clearly understood by those of us working with survivors. Thanks to NNEDV’s work, we were able to clearly talk about strategies and ways that this can be done.

I left D.C. with appreciation for the hard decisions that our elected officials have to make every day in prioritizing needs. I hope that we will be able to have the necessary resources to do our work and to help the thousands of people that are impacted by domestic violence every year.