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Posts tagged as “domestic violence”

Tamron Hall Creates Fund to Support Domestic Violence Survivors in Honor of Late Sister

By goodblacknews on November 6, 2016
Today Show co-host Tamron Hall (photo via today.com)
Today Show co-host Tamron Hall (photo via today.com)
article by Ashley Monaé via madamenoire.com
It’s been nearly 12 years since Tamron Hall lost her sister Renate to an act of domestic violence. Found beaten and floating face down in a pool in Houston, Hall has since devoted her time to advocating for domestic violence victims and speaking out of the issue.
To honor Renate and take help others dealing with the same issue, the Today co-host decided to partner with non-profit Safe Horizon, launching “The Tamron ♥ Renate Fund” in October, which is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Aimed at providing support for victims, the fund educates their friends and family members so they can learn how to become a strong support system.
In addition to the fund offering educational courses and offering resources like shelter and legal expenses for victims, families can call Safe Horizon’s 24-hour hotline (1-800-621-HOPE (4673)) as another alternative to learning how they can help victims.

 To read more, go to: http://madamenoire.com/724828/tamron-hall-domestic-violence-fund/

Detroit Lions Linebacker DeAndre Levy Raises Money to Test Rape Kits

By goodblacknews on October 9, 2016

Linebacker DeAndre Levy #54 of the Detroit Lions watches the action from the side lines on Oct. 11, 2015, at Ford Field in Detroit. (LEON HALIP/GETTY IMAGES)

article by Angela Bronner Helm via theroot.com
Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy has put his money where his heart is. The outspoken advocate against domestic violence and rape is partnering with the Detroit Hustles Harder clothing line to sell “Our Issue” T-shirts.  All of the proceeds from the shirts will go to the Enough SAID program in Detroit. Enough SAID is a collaboration between multiple organizations and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office—run by the indomitable Kym Worthy—and is raising money to test more 11,000 rape kits found in a warehouse in the motor city in 2009.
In a recent Instagram post, Levy said in part that “#DomesticViolence and #SexualAssault aren’t just women’s issues. They’re #OurIssue.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLJrtkThwe7/?taken-by=dre_levy
 
To read more, go to: Detroit Lions DeAndre Levy Raises Money to Test Rape Kits

Meathead Movers Offers Services for Free to Victims of Domestic Abuse

By goodblacknews on December 12, 2015
Aaron Steed remembers helping a woman move items out of her home years ago so she could flee an abusive relationship.  Steed and his moving company had moved many women in similar situations, but this time things turned scary.
He remembers the woman’s abusive boyfriend coming home, flinging a toaster toward the wall and accusing Steed of taking his items, leading Steed to call 911.  Looking back, the company owner says it was all worth it. His Meathead Movers helps victims of domestic violence get away from their abusers by moving their belongings for free.
“To our unfortunate surprise, during the first two or three years running the company, I’d be the one who would pick up the calls,” said Steed, 35, of Avila Beach, in San Luis Obispo County. “I’d periodically get calls from someone — usually a woman — fleeing an abusive relationship. There were a lot of intense moments and crying.
“I remember the conversations pretty vividly and feeling a tremendous amount of panic and sadness. Handling those phone calls made it very real very quick. As the jobs went on, we realized we were potentially saving lives.”
He felt bad taking money in these situations, so shortly after the company was created 18 years ago, that became company policy — free moving services to people fleeing violent situations.
The company, which Steed and his brother started in San Luis Obispo while both were still in high school, now has four offices in California, including a Santa Ana location that opened in January 2014.

Marissa Alexander Finally Released From Jail

By goodblacknews on January 27, 2015
Marissa Alexander walks by her dad Raoul Jenkins and surrounded by her legal team and supporters after her sentencing in Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 27, 2015. (Photo by Bob Mack/Florida Times-Union/AP)
Marissa Alexander walks by her dad Raoul Jenkins and surrounded by her legal team and supporters after her sentencing in Jacksonville, Fla., Jan. 27, 2015. (Photo by Bob Mack/Florida Times-Union/AP)

Marissa Alexander, the Florida mother whose case became a rallying cry for anti-racism activists and survivors of domestic violence, was released today after three years of incarceration.

Alexander had faced up to 60 years behind bars for firing a single shot near her abusive husband, unable to convince a jury she had feared for her life. A hearing Tuesday confirmed the terms: Having pleaded guilty to assault in exchange for credit for time served, she will be subject to two years of electronic monitoring and house arrest, except for approved appointments and employment.
Circuit Court Judge James Daniel acknowledged that the case had drawn national attention but claimed his decision was “not based on any public opinion of any larger issue of public interest or social concern, but on the specific facts of the case.”
Alexander’s case has long sparked outrage about the unequal application of the law for both black Americans and women. Alexander was prosecuted by Angela Corey, who was also the prosecutor in the trial of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the February 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin. Corey did not appear at Tuesday’s hearing.
“We are thrilled that Marissa will finally be reunited with her children, her family, and her community,” said Sumayya Coleman, co-lead of the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign. “Today’s hearing revealed that Alexander intends to attend school to become a paralegal and she is a wonderful mother to her children who urgently need her. Amazingly, the State continued their campaign of punishment by trying to add two more years of probation.” But the state didn’t get its way.
In November, Alexander pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault with a weapon in exchange for credit for time served. A second trial had been planned for December, when Corey had planned to seek a 60-year sentence, triple the 20-year sentence Alexander got in her first trial.
The Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign and The Monument Quilt wrote on Facebook that “350 quilt squares containing stories from survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault will blanket the Duval County Courthouse lawn to let Jacksonville and the world know Marissa is NOT ALONE.” A fundraiser on Alexander’s behalf exceeded its goals, raising $58,297 from 1,122 backers on the site GoGetFunding.
“We have always believed that forcing Marissa to serve even one day in prison represents a profound and systemic attack on black women’s right to exist and all women’s right to self-defense,” the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign said in a statement after Alexander’s plea deal.
The incident in question took place in 2010, nine days after Alexander, now 34, gave birth to a daughter. Alexander testified that her estranged husband, Rico Gray, had physically abused her several times and that on that day, he threatened to kill her. No one was injured, but a jury convicted her in about 12 minutes.
article by Irin Carmon via msnbc.com

Kerry Washington Stars in "Purple Purse" PSA to Help Victims of Domestic and Financial Abuse (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on September 21, 2014

Women In Film 2014 Crystal + Lucy Awards Presented By MaxMara, BMW, Perrier-Jouet And South Coast Plaza - Show
Olivia Pope may strike fear in the hearts of corrupt politicians in D.C., but it’s Kerry Washington who is the gladiator in real life. This week, she’s bringing attention to the important issue of financial abuse.
What’s financial abuse, you ask? As Love is Respect explains, it is a form of dating abuse and domestic violence that can often be very subtle. This, however, is what you really need to know: “At no point does someone you are dating have the right to use money or [dictate] how you spend it to control you.”
In her PSA for the initiative, Washington notes how “one in four women will be a victim of domestic violence.” She goes on to explain how finances are often “a weapon of choice.” This can include taking away access to cash or destroying someone’s credit.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yy7d3uf7qw&w=560&h=315]
As an Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Ambassador, Washington designed a bag for the “Purple Purse” initiative. Why purple? It’s the color often associated with domestic violence awareness. And why design a purse? Washington said the purse is symbolic because that’s where you keep everything that is important to you.
According to the Purple Purse website, Washington says she is “extremely proud to wear it (her purse) and to know that it will increase awareness and create conversations around this important issue.”
So how can you help Kerry and her cause? When you donate at least $10 to any organization in the Purple Purse Challenge, you’ll have a chance at winning one of the purses Washington designed.
article by Claire Biggs via act.mtv.com

Estelle Teams Up with Face Forward Foundation to Sing Out Against Domestic Violence

By goodblacknews on August 20, 2014

estelle (at mic)
Grammy Award-winning artist Estelle will perform at Face Forward Foundation’s Fifth Annual Gala, “A Venetian Masquerade” September 13, at The Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
When Estelle first burst onto the scene in 2008 with the #1, double-platinum hit song “American Boy” featuring Kanye West, she quickly became an R&B sweetheart. Now slated to release her highly anticipated fourth studio album, “True Romance” on November 4, the international singer teams up with Face Forward in their mission to spread awareness and mend the physical and emotional wounds of domestic violence.
Founded by Deborah Alessi, Face Forward Foundation provides pro-bono reconstructive surgery for victims of domestic violence. As its most important fundraising and awareness-building event of the year, The Fifth Annual Gala, “A Venetian Masquerade” will raise funds with a goal of $500,000 for 2015 to support their patients and celebrate the lives and accomplishments of survivors.
Alongside the special performance, the star-studded event will be masquerade-themed, with celebrity guests, a silent auction and an honorary awards ceremony dedicated to raising funds and awareness for this increasing epidemic. Face Forward Foundation will honor celebrity and community leaders for their inspirational work and on-going efforts to draw awareness to domestic violence. Confirmed guests include: Missy Piles (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Artist), Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, Legally Blonde), Shohreh Aghdashloo (24), Bonnie Sommerville (Ugly Truth), Shaun Toub (Iron Man). To purchase tickets, visit http://faceforward.nbblticketing.com/
face forward
Since its creation in 2007, Face Forward has worked with advocates around the nation to identify victims of domestic violence who are working towards recovery, yet carry the physical evidence of past abuse. Face Forward does more than just provide pro bono reconstructive surgery to adults and children who have suffered from traumatic and physical abuse; they also create a welcoming and safe environment for the victims to start a new life and reclaim their confidence.
Deborah Alessi, Founder of Face Forward Foundation says “The work that we do turns our victims of abuse into victors in life and we have been fortunate to impact many lives with profoundly life changing results. Changing the outward appearance gives them the confidence to address the scars on the inside and move beyond their past to obtain fulfilling futures. ”
With domestic violence occurring every 15 seconds in the United States, Face Forward Foundation strives to alleviate the internal and external scars of victims and those affected. Ninety percent of all rape and abuse cases lead to physical disfigurement and Face Forward provides treatment to victims who are not able to afford medical assistance.
Read more at http://www.eurweb.com/2014/08/estelle-teams-up-with-face-forward-foundation-to-sing-out-against-domestic-violence/#G4Y6cLsiFPjUS7x5.99

Obama Signs Expanded Violence Against Women Act

By goodblacknews on March 7, 2013
President Barack Obama (C), joined by Vice President Joseph Biden (L), House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (3rd L), Sen. Michael Crapo (R-ID) (4th L), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) (5th L), House Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) (5th R), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) (4th R), women's organizations members, law enforcement officials, tribal leaders, survivors, advocates and members of Congress, signs the Violence Against Women Act into law at the Department of the Interior March 7, 2013 in Washington, DC. The law expands protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

President Barack Obama (C), joined by Vice President Joseph Biden (L), House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (3rd L), Sen. Michael Crapo (R-ID) (4th L), Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) (5th L), House Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) (5th R), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) (4th R), women’s organizations members, law enforcement officials, tribal leaders, survivors, advocates and members of Congress, signs the Violence Against Women Act into law at the Department of the Interior March 7, 2013 in Washington, DC. The law expands protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and trafficking. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama signed a law Thursday expanding protections for victims of domestic violence, renewing a measure credited with curbing violence against women a year and a half after it lapsed amid partisan bickering.  The revitalized Violence Against Women Act marked an important win for gay rights advocates and Native Americans, who will see new protections under the law, and for Obama, whose attempts to push for a renewal failed last year after they became entangled in gender politics and the presidential election.
“This is your day. This is the day of the advocates, the day of the survivors. This is your victory,” Obama said. “This victory shows that when the American people make their voices heard, Washington listens.”  As Obama prepared to put his pen to the new law, new government data underscored both the progress that has been made and the enduring need to do more.