Urge US Senators to pass a COVID-19 response package that supports sexual assault survivors

Jun 18th, 2020

Urge Senator Cardin and Senator Van Hollen to help lead the way and pass a COVID-19 response package that supports sexual assault survivors


COVID-19 has disproportionately affected survivors of sexual and domestic violence, and in BIPOC communities, that impact is compounded by systemic racism.  Congress must act to support survivors and address their needs.

While the House’s HEROES Act contains vital funding for domestic violence programs through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, it fails to provide adequate funding for sexual assault services.  Instead of focusing solely on victim services, it funds law enforcement and prosecutors out of scarce VAWA grants, despite the existence of ample funding for law enforcement elsewhere.  It also fails to provide critical funding for tribal sexual assault and domestic violence programs and important protections for immigrant survivors

Senator Cardin and Senator Van Hollen have helped lead the way in ending violence against women.  Please contact them and ask thank them for their past support and ask  them to include the needs of sexual assault survivors in the next COVID relief package:

  • Address the needs of survivors by funding sexual assault services;
  • Provide dedicated funding for culturally-specific organizations that provide domestic violence and sexual assault services; 
  • Provide funding for tribal governments to provide domestic violence and sexual assault services;
  • Provide more funding for domestic and sexual violence programs through a VAWA formula grant directly to victim service programs;
  • Ensure that access to safety for immigrant survivors is not compromised by immigration enforcement;
  • Allow states to make survivors eligible for unemployment insurance if they leave their jobs due to domestic or sexual violence.

Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence are particularly vulnerable during the pandemic.  The Senate must build on the HEROES Act to address the needs of all survivors of violence.

Contact our US Senators today to ask them to include all survivors in their COVID response.

Senator Ben Cardin

@SenatorCardin
(202) 224-4524
Email Senator Cardin

Senator Chris Van Hollen

@ChrisVanHollen
(202) 224-4654
Email Senator Van Hollen

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