Women's Movements & the Law

As homicides surged across the US last year, the number of Black females killed increased sharply as well

Let us begin with an image: a naked white man pursuing a low-wage Black female asylum seeker down the corridors of an expensive Manhattan hotel in order to force her to have sex with him. The man, of...

The Phoenix Act extends the California statute of limitations on domestic violence by two years.

"The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions," Giuffre said in a statement.

The bipartisan bill bans employers from inserting provisions in contracts that require individuals who allege claims of sexual assault or harassment to go through a secretive process.

The Schlesinger Library’s #MeToo archive, which opened to researchers on July 1, captures the tweets, websites, and online articles that powered the movement.

Bill Cosby was freed from prison and returned home on Wednesday, less than two hours after Pennsylvania's highest court overturned his sexual assault conviction, saying he never should have faced charges after striking a non-prosecution deal with a previous district attorney more than 15 years ago.

I am not proposing that sexual violence and domestic violence will no longer exist. I am proposing that we create a world where so many people are walking around with the skills and knowledge to support someone that there is no longer a need for anonymous hotlines. I am proposing that we break through the shame of survivors (a result of rape culture) and the victim-blaming ideology of all of us (also a result of rape culture), so that survivors can gain support from the people already in their lives. I am proposing that we create a society where community members care enough to hold anabuser accountable so that a survivor does not have to flee their home. I am proposing that all of the folks that have been disappointed by systems work together to create alternative systems. I am proposing that we organize. Rebecca Farr, CARA member

Founded in 2010 by and for survivors, FORCE is an art and activist collective dedicated to end sexual violence and build a culture of consent, widely known for creating public art to disrupt rape culture. FORCE is an intersectional, LGBTQ focused, multicultural, pro-black and anti-white supremacist collective, who did our deepest organizing work in Baltimore and Mexico City, and planted seeds globally. We strove for our visual imagery, language, resources, and organizing strategies to have a local and global impact in our efforts to end sexual and intimate partner violence by changing social attitudes and connecting these shifts to policy change. In 2021, for the health of FORCE’s Collective and to best serve the community, FORCE ceased active programming. Today, FORCE’s efforts are totally focused on the archiving of the Monument Quilt our collection of 3000 quilted stories sewn into 750 8’x8′ blocks from survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence from around the world. FORCE seeks to find a home for every single piece of the Monument Quilt, spreading its expressive power. For more information and to become a part of this historic project, please contact us at archiving@themonumentquilt.org!

(GBV-ENV Center)This Center is a platform for gathering resources and tools, mobilizing learning, and forging action, together. Ending gender-based violence and securing environmental sustainability are each global priorities. These two issues are linked in many ways, across contexts, countries and communities. While seldom addressed together, understanding and addressing these linkages may be key to meeting … Gender-Based Violence and Environment Linkages Read More »

Nothing about addressing the issue of violence against women and girls should be passive. Our work is about creating a safer world for women, girls, and

If you're asking yourself: How do I heal from sexual violence? Who do I turn to in a crisis? How can I support survivors? You're not alone. We can help you.

A survior and student led campaign focused on issues of sexual harassment and violence experienced by those in Higher Education.

Rights4Girls continues to be a leading voice on safety and justice for young women and girls. Our advocacy and programs have received national attention with our work being featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Today Show, ABC News, NBC News, NPR, PBS NewsHour, The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald, among other outlets. For more, see our achievements below.

As an activist, community organizer, and executive, Tarana Burke has made quite an impact.

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday to send the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act to President Joe Biden’s desk.

She Safe, We Safe, our current national campaign, is a transformative movement campaign to put an end to the different forms of gender violence that Black women, girls, femmes and gender non-conforming people face everyday.

Art Against Assault is a grassroots organization established to grant survivors a platform for creating artwork which speaks out against sexual assault and domestic violence to raise awareness and funds for survivor resources. Founded in 2011 by survivor artist and …

Our new in-depth guide is for frontline documenters utilizing video as evidence in cases involving sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Different places, same evil.

The United Nations is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from 25 November to 10 December 2021, under the global theme set by the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”

Vithai Zaraunkar Once my professor at Goa University said to me that I had changed a lot. “You were so quiet, seated on the last bench in the class, afraid to be noticed by teachers. You are not the same Vithai I met five years ago. Do you think you have changed?” I thought for a bit and replied

This blog post highlights community-led approaches to data collection on sexual and gender-based violence in the United States.

"This edition strives to give a comprehensive view of the entire subject of abortion-safety, morality, legality, accessibility, human rights and freedoms, reproductive justice, and a host of other issues as it relates to ongoing public policy"--

From a decidedly left-of-center perspective, the author discusses how law and public policy grapple with the differences between genders while simultaneously struggling to maintain a commitment to equal treatment under the law. The book consists of previously published general audience articles that are both provocative and newsworthy.

In January 1973, the Supreme Court's opinion in Roe v. Wade struck down most of the country's abortion laws, and held for the first time that women had a constitutional right to safe and legal abortions. Three decades later, Roe v. Wade remains one of the Supreme Court's most controversial decisions, and political struggles over abortion rights still divide American politics. Roe has emerged as a central issue in federal judicial nominations, becoming a powerful symbol in debates about judicial restraint, judicial activism, and the proper role of courts in a democratic society. In What Roe v. Wade Should Have Said, eleven distinguished constitutional scholars rewrite the opinions in this landmark case in light of thirty years of experience but making use only of sources available at the time of the original decision. Taking positions both for and against the constitutional right to abortion, the contributors offer novel and illuminating arguments that get to the heart of this fascinating case. In addition, Jack Balkin gives a detailed introduction to Roe v. Wade, chronicling the history of the Roe litigation, the constitutional and political clashes that followed it, and the state of abortion rights in the U.S. today. Contributing their versions of Roe are: Anita Allen, Akhil Amar, Jack M. Balkin, Teresa Stanton Collett, Michael Stokes Paulsen, Jeffrey Rosen, Jed Rubenfeld, Reva Siegel, Cass Sunstein, Mark Tushnet, and Robin West.

"At the turn of the twentieth century, American women began to reject Victorian propriety in favor of passion and livelihood outside the home. This alarmed authorities, who feared certain "over-sexed" women could destroy civilization if allowed to reproduce and pass on their defects. Set against this backdrop, THE UNFIT HEIRESS chronicles the fight for inheritance, both genetic and monetary, between Ann Cooper Hewitt and her mother Maryon. In 1934, aided by a California eugenics law, the socialite Maryon Cooper Hewitt had her "promiscuous" daughter declared feebleminded and sterilized without her knowledge. She did this to deprive Ann of millions of dollars from her father's estate, which contained a child-bearing stipulation. When a sensational court case ensued, the American public was captivated. So were eugenicists, who saw an opportunity to restrict reproductive rights in America for decades to come. This riveting story unfolds through the brilliant research of Audrey Clare Farley, who captures the interior lives of these women on the pages and poses questions that remain relevant today: What does it mean to be "unfit" for motherhood? In the battle for reproductive rights, can we forgive the women who side against us? And can we forgive our mothers if they are the ones who inflict the deepest wounds?"--

Using historical research, original organizational case studies, and personal interviews, the authors illuminate how women of color have led the fight to control their own bodies and reproductive destinies.