In 1989, Congress passed legislation designating October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This month and always, the California Women’s Law Center supports victims of abuse and we continue to work to end domestic violence in California and across the country. Domestic violence can be physical, verbal, sexual, emotional or economical, and often involves intimidation.
Read more…
On Wednesday, October 25, 2017, join the California Women’s Law Center and our sponsor Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP as we host a Speaker Series with Sue Enquist, Lauren Fendrick, Gwendolyn Oxenham and Violet Palmer titled “Women in Sports: Challenges & Opportunities.”
Yesterday, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos signaled her intention to roll back protections for campus sexual assault victims put in place by the Obama Administration in 2011. The Department of Education’s actions are likely to discourage survivors from reporting sexual assaults and could prevent rapists from being held accountable.
CWLC’s Senior Staff Attorney Amy Poyer was interviewed by local NPR station KPCC to discuss the release of CWLC and BreastfeedLA’s “Lactation 101: Lactation Accommodations in Los Angeles County Higher Education” and the importance of accessible lactation accommodation policies in schools. Listen to the audio and read the article here!
CWLC, along with 342 other organizations from more than 40 states, signed this letter urging congress to stand with working families across the nation supporting paid family leave. Read the group letter to congress in support of real paid leave here.
Access to lactation accommodations is an issue at all levels of educational instruction. Thus, Lactation 101 adds to our previous work at the K-12 level, broadening our coverage to 107 colleges, universities and institutes of higher learning in Los Angeles County. Of the 107 institutions evaluated, only 4 schools met four or more of the
Read more…
Supervisor Hilda Solis recognized the Pico Union Project (PUP) at the Board of Supervisors meeting led on May 24, 2017. Betsy Butler, CWLC Executive Director, was proud to help introduce PUP and acknowledge the inter-faith, multicultural jewel they are and to thank them for their commitment and generosity to the community. Support and learn more
Read more…
The California Women’s Law Center was honored to recognize amazing leaders and champions who are pursuing justice for women and girls: The Actors’ Gang Prison Project, California State Senator Connie M. Leyva, and the Los Angeles Sparks. Sponsorship opportunities available.
Please join the California Women’s Law Center in supporting the City of West Hollywood’s 11th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference & Network on Saturday, May 13, 2017. The Women’s Leadership Conference features a day of dynamic speakers, panel discussions, trainings and workshops.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). Please join CWLC and our allies in raising our collective voices to support survivors and increase awareness about the fact that sexual violence is never acceptable. #SAAM2017 #SAAM
Today is National Equal Pay Day, recognized this year on April 4th which represents how far into the new year women on average must work to earn what men did the previous year. Overcoming the wage gap is difficult for all women but particularly for the vast majority of women of color.
CWLC joined thirteen other women’s rights organizations in an amicus brief opposing an attempt by seven states (Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina and Texas) to evade their Title IX responsibilities at state schools by claiming there is governmental immunity against such actions.
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a collective day of global celebration but also a call for gender parity. IWD honors the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. But the unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to their male counterparts, women are still not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and physical safety are threatened every day.
Today is Asian American Women’s Equal Pay Day, which means Asian American women’s salaries are just catching up to what white men made in 2016. Compared to their white male counterparts, Asian American women working full time typically are only paid 85 cents for every dollar paid to white men.
March is a month of reflection and appreciation for women, but it is also a month of action. Please join us as we celebrate the gains women have made since our country was founded and know that CWLC will be on the frontlines to stop any attempt to force women backward or diminish our possibilities. Together, we will be successful in our mission to ensure the future is bright and full of opportunity for every woman and every girl in the nation.
The California Women’s Law Center is proud to recognize March as Women’s History Month. Every month, but especially this month, CWLC is proud to recognize the fearless women who shaped our past and whose sturdy shoulders we now stand in our ongoing fight for fairness and equality. Get involved all month long!
The California Women’s Law Center hosted a Distinguished Guest Speaker Series with Erwin Chemerinksy and Michele Goodwin of UCI School of Law on February 22, 2017 at the Feminist Majority Foundation in Beverly Hills. Their presentation titled “Forecasting Reproductive Health and Rights in the Era of President Trump” was incredibly insightful and well-attended. Thank you, Dean Chemerinsky and Professor Goodwin!
Today would have been Susan B. Anthony’s 197th birthday. Ms. Anthony dedicated her life to fighting for women’s rights, traveling across the nation fighting for a woman’s right to vote. She also campaigned for the abolition of slavery, the right for women to own property and retain their earnings, and for women’s labor organizations.
The California Women’s Law Center is honored to recognize amazing leaders and champions who are pursuing justice for women and girls at our 2017 Pursuit of Justice Awards: The Actors’ Gang Prison Project, California State Senator Connie M. Leyva, and the Los Angeles Sparks.
Each year approximately 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner. Every February, advocates join together to raise awareness about teen dating violence, highlight efforts to combat this violence, and encourage others to get involved.
The California Women’s Law Center (CWLC) is proud to celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day, commemorating the extraordinary achievements of women and girls who participate in athletics.
Forty-four years after the enactment of Title IX, however, schools continue to discriminate against female athletes. Female students still have significantly fewer opportunities to participate in sports compared to their male counterparts, and often also have unequal funding, facilities and equipment. CWLC remains committed to fighting for gender equity in California schools. We proudly maintain our role as an expert regarding matters relating to Title IX throughout California and serve as a primary resource center in the state for girls, parents, coaches, school officials, and policymakers.
On January 29, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which ensured that women like Ms. Ledbetter are able to successfully assert their claims by confirming that each discriminatory paycheck rejects the 180-day statute of limitations to file a claim.
On February 22, 2017, the California Women’s Law Center and our sponsors Sleeping Lion, Inc. and Lois & Jim Thompson and co-hosts Cathy Kim & Matthew Kelly and Rasha Gerges Shields hosted a Speaker Series with Erwin Chemerinsky and Michele Goodwin titled “Forecasting Reproductive Health and Rights in the Era of President Trump.”
January 22, 2017 marks the 44th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which recognized a woman’s constitutional right to decide whether to carry a pregnancy to term. On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court issued this historic decision.
Equality and justice were the foundation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life. In 1983, Congress and President Ronald Reagan enacted legislation to honor Dr. King’s legacy by creating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
CWLC has prioritized the specific and devastating effects of poverty on California’s aging population, and particularly its impact on our state’s aging women. In June 2016, CWLC joined the California Commission on Aging and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls to present a ground-breaking forum titled Aging, Women and Poverty In California. The forum brought together policy leaders and experts from around the state to discuss the looming crisis facing California’s older women. Speakers at the forum tackled issues including retirement, elder justice, housing, food insecurity, health care access, and many other pressing matters older Americans face.
#GivingTuesday is a day dedicated to giving back. On this day, non-profit organizations, businesses, community groups and individuals around the world recognize the importance of giving to those in need.
On Veterans Day, the California Women’s Law Center is proud to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of our service members. CWLC is committed to advocating on behalf of our veterans, with a strong focus on serving the rapidly increasing number of female veterans.
On September 28, 2016, Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 813, the Justice for Victims Act. SB 813 eliminates the statute of limitations for rape and other felony sex crimes in California.
November 1st is Latina Equal Pay Day, which marks how many days into 2016 the average Latina must work to make what a non-Latino male did in 2015. That’s right: Latinas had to work 201 days into this year to be paid as much as white men in 2015.
In 1989, the United States Congress designated October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, thereby dedicating the month to victims of domestic violence, as well as celebrating survivors and continuing the national effort to end domestic violence.
Domestic violence can be physical, verbal, sexual or emotional, and often involves intimidation or economic deprivation. It occurs in all cultures and touches people of all races, ethnicities and religions. In the United States, 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner, totaling more than 10 million victims each year. One in three women and one in four men report they have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. More than 20,000 phone calls per day are placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
The Hyde Amendment, first passed on September 30, 1976, bans the use of federal funds for abortion services. A few extremely narrow exceptions have been established to the general ban, including for the life of the mother, the health of the mother, and instances of rape and incest.
Lack of access to reproductive health services, including abortion, disproportionately impacts women of color, young people, immigrants, and individuals in low-income communities. Each year since 1976, the Hyde Amendment has been passed with the federal appropriations bill. As a result, low-income women on Medicaid continue to be denied access to abortion services.
Women’s Health and Fitness Day was created by the Health Information Resource Center (HIRC) to focus on the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for women.
On Wednesday, September 28, 2016, more than 500 groups across the country will host women’s health and fitness events at senior centers, hospitals, health clubs, park and recreation districts, local health and service organizations, schools, retirement communities, houses of worship, and other community locations. An estimated 50,000 to 75,000 women of all ages are expected to participate in these local activities. You can also participate on your own by taking a walk, dancing, going on a run, or joining a gym!
Congress passed The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) on September 13th, 1994, thereby legislatively validating that violence against women is a national crisis and combating it effectively is a national priority. VAWA created a vital network of services for female victims of violence and established specialized training for law enforcement and prosecutors investigating domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. VAWA also established transitional services for victims of violence to allow them to rebuild their lives.
Dear Supporter, In the nearly one hundred years since gaining the right to vote, women have made enormous strides toward achieving greater equality. Trailblazing women including Rosa Parks, Dolores Huerta, Aung Sang Suu Kyi and Pat Summitt–to name a few–have inspired millions to follow in their footsteps and achieve greatness. Today
Read more…
August is National Breastfeeding Month and August 1st – 7th marks World Breastfeeding Week. Breastfeeding is recommended by every major health care organization, including the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
On Tuesday, legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt passed away at the age of 64 after a five-year battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Pat Summitt’s greatness transcends gender: she is the most victorious coach in college basketball, men’s or women’s. She finished her career in 2012 with 1,098 total wins (and a .913 winning percentage) and was the head coach of the University of Tennessee’s Lady Vols for 38 years. She led the team to 22 Final Four appearances, 8 National Championships, and 112 NCAA tournament victories. Every one of the 161 players coached by Summitt graduated, a perfect graduation rate that is unparalleled by any other coach in any sport. When asked what statistic she was most proud of, Coach Summitt always answered “161.”
On June 3rd, the California Women’s Law Center (CWLC) co-hosted a forum entitled Aging, Women and Poverty In California at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. CWLC was honored to partner with the California Commission on Aging (CCoA) and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls (CCSWG) to discuss the priorities and perspectives that community and policy leaders should be planning for as our population ages. With 34,000 Californians turning 65 each month, the Golden State should prepare for a dramatic change in the needs of its citizens.
March is Women’s History Month and the California Women’s Law Center wants you to join us in recognizing the remarkable women Justices of the United States Supreme Court who are safeguarding reproductive rights for women. Unfortunately, the fight to ensure choice is ongoing. We thank our Justices and everyone still fighting for American women’s rights. We must carry on and ensure that women’s voices are heard and that our history is one in which a woman’s choice is hers alone.
The California Women’s Law Center applauds Susan B. Anthony and all the women who began the march toward equality which continues today.