Controversy Surrounding the Safe Campus Act

For some horrifying reason, a bill (the Safe Campus Act) is being considered in the House which would limit colleges’ abilities to punish students found in violation of their sexual misconduct policy. If passed, this policy would only allow colleges to sanction perpetrators if survivors also file a complaint with police. This is in direct violation of Title IX, the gender equity law that allows survivors the option of of choosing to whom they want to report. For more information on the bill, click here.

Lawmakers Pledge $80 Million to Help End the Rape Kit Backlog

This week, Vice President Joe Biden was joined by US Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance to announce a new plan to process the estimated 70,000 untested rape kits in the United States– a pledge of $80 million worth of federal funds. This marks a huge step for the government towards the prosecution of rapists and protection of survivors. For more information about the announcement, click here.

Woman Highlight’s India’s Acid Attack Problem via YouTube “Beauty Tutorials”

Reshma Bano Quershi, Indian acid attack survivor and activist, has garnered a great deal of attention this week for her beauty tutorial on YouTube, spreading awareness for India’s rampant acid attack problem. In her video “How to get perfect red lips”, Qureshi discusses that it is just as easy, and occasionally cheaper, for attackers to purchase concentrated acid as it is for her to buy a tube of lipstick. For more information on Quershi and the Make Love Not Scars campaign, click here.

#WhyIStayed Celebrates One Year of Viral Fame

One year ago last week, Beverly Gooden responded to the massive Ray Rice domestic violence scandal from a different perspective. She created the revolutionary hashtag #WhyIStayed in order to combat the shaming and demoralization of women who choose to stay with their abusive partners. To read Gooden’s one year reflection on #WhyIStayed, click here.

43.083130 -73.784565