Your turn: Together, we can end gender-based violence

Kris Machajewski
·3 min read
2

Everyone deserves to be safe and free from violence, abuse, and threats.

However, gender-based violence continues to impact the lives of countless women within our community and across the country. Women and girls of all ages, income levels, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identitiesexperience violence daily; 1 in 3 girls is a victim of physical, verbal, or emotional abuse in the United States.

In Rockford, the rate of domestic violence has risen by almost 12% over the last five years, according to the mayor’s office on domestic and community violence. It is the most prevalent crime plaguing families and women are often on the receiving end of this violence.

This week, October 17-22, the YWCA Northwestern Illinois is participating in the annual global initiative, Week Without Violence. This awareness week was started to demand action and advocate for renewed and/or enhanced support for bills that have or are about to expire to safeguard the women and children around us.

Nationally, gender-based violence continues to be a pervasive problem with far-reaching consequences:

  • 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence within her lifetime—and four women are murdered by their partners each day.

  • Intimate partner violence is the immediate cause of homelessness for almost half of homeless women, and over 90% of homeless mothers have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse

  • 81% of all women have experienced street harassment.

  • Among all women, 49% have been sexually touched, 27% have been followed, and 23% have survived sexual assault.

  • 1 in 5 women has been raped in her lifetime; every two minutes another American is sexually assaulted.

The statistics surrounding gender-based violence are uncomfortable, emotional, and impactful. They give us a glimpse into the real-life horror millions of women face every day; an epidemic hidden behind closed doors.

They need to change.

We must be better as a community and as a country. Together, we can end gender-based violence, but it takes a commitment from all of us.

YWCA is the largest network of gender-based violence service providers in the country. We know the women and girls impacted by this violence. Survivors have shared their stories and experiences with us, helping us to develop strategies to address the multiple challenges that they face.

What can you do?

  • Learn about gender-based violence. You started by reading this article, but don’t let this be the end of your journey. Share what you’ve learned today with others.

  • Urge your political representatives to identify polices and efforts to end violence against women and girls.

  • Go to the polls and vote on nonpartisan issue education for voters, candidates, and elected officials who will determine public policy on major issues that impact the lives of women, girls, and people of color.

  • Ensure our local and state officials support survivors of gender-based violence.

  • Participate in Week Without Violence activities. YWCA and community leaders will spend the week raising awareness and advocating for survivors by writing encouraging messages in chalk outside of community buildings and posting online why they support survivors. Community members are encouraged to participate.

At YWCA, we imagine a world without violence. We believe that collective efforts can root out injustice, transform institutions, and create a world that sees women, girls, and people of color the say we see them: Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable.

YWCA has been on the frontlines of the most critical social movements for more than 160 years — from women’s empowerment and civil rights. We will continue to be at the forefront of the most pressing social issues, including action to prevent and address gender-based violence.

Kris Machajewski is CEO of the YWCA Northwestern Illinois.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Your turn: Together, we can end gender-based violence