| WASHINGTON
- October 23 - Activists in the Green Party
of the United States warned that, as rape and
domestic violence programs remain underfunded,
policies enacted by the Clinton and Bush
administrations place women at greater risk of
abuse.
"President Bush proclaimed October 'National
Domestic Violence Awareness Month,' but his tax
cuts, combined with a record deficit, will
prevent necessary funding for many programs that
support women at risk of violence," said Vivian
Houghton, 2002 Green candidate for Delaware
Attorney General and former president of NOW
Delaware. "These include programs that combat
violence, provide legal assistance for victims,
and address domestic and sexual violence on
college campuses. State deficits will further
reduce essential funding."
Welfare reform laws signed by President Clinton
and President Bush, especially the Parental
Responsibility Act and Bush's initiative to push
women into marriage, approved by the House last
February, have left millions of women more
financially dependent on partners and therefore
more vulnerable to abuse, say Greens.
Furthermore, Clinton's 1996 Defense of Marriage
Act and Bush's marriage legislation place
financially stable home lives further out of
reach for many lesbians, pushing some into
unwanted, unhappy, and potentially abusive
marriages.
"In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Green Party members
are participating in a series of 'Take Back the
Night' events in conjunction with YWCA Week
Without Violence," noted Annie Goeke, co-chair of
the party's International Committee. The events
take place throughout the week of October 19 to
25, with Wednesday, October 22 devoted to
Confronting Violence Against Women.
Forcible rapes in the US increased by 4% in 2003.
In 2002, women experienced an estimated 494,570 rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated
assault, and simple assault victimizations at the
hands of partners. Many more cases go unreported
out of fear of retaliation and humiliation.
"Women and girls are at risk at home, at school,
and in the street," said Jane Hunter, candidate
for the New Jersey State Assembly and chair of
the Green Party of New Jersey. "We need a real
financial commitment from the Bush Administration
to fund the necessary programs to protect us.
Rape shield laws, confidentiality requirements,
and restraining orders support women who press
charges against their attackers, but these legal
protections must be backed by funding for
education, prevention, counseling, support and
shelters."
"To walk wherever we want, say whatever we like,
associate with anyone we wish, dress as we please
-- these are the fundamental rights of a free
person," said Ann Link, member of the State
Committee of the Green Party of New York State."We demand a full financial commitment from Bush,
not just empty words and a photo op."
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