MCASA Newsletter : Frontline

The 2023 Maryland Legislative Session has been incredibly busy with important legislation moving through both the House of Delegates and the Senate as we near the end of session on Monday, April 10th. Thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, testified, and advocated to your elected officials to support survivors in Maryland and improve our prevention and response to sexual violence. We encourage you to continue to make your voice heard as final votes are held in Annapolis. We will provide an in depth update in our 2023 Legislative Report in the coming weeks.  April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Looking back on the last year at MCASA, we are so thankful for everyone who has supported our work and for those who will continue to do so this year and beyond. 2023 is off to a busy start at MCASA! The new year brings the start to the 2023 Maryland Legislative Session, which began on January 11th. MCASA will continue to advocate for legislation that promotes justice for survivors of sexual violence, accountability for offenders, and protection for the general public. We hosted our annual Legislative Reception in Annapolis on January 19th and it was great to see so many supporters

MCASA is 40 years old! Last month at MCASA’s Call to Action we celebrated our 40th anniversary and reflected on our past, present, and future work for survivors of sexual violence in Maryland. Thank you to everyone who sponsored and recognized this important milestone. Your support is crucial to our work to advocate for survivors statewide, provide comprehensive legal services, and build community connections to offer prevention education.  If you weren’t able to join us, you can check out the recording from our Call to Action here and see messages from Senator Van Hollen, Senator Ben

This summer is off to a turbulent and troubling start with national news impacting rights and legal protections for survivors. The overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24th is detrimental for the rights of women, pregnant people, and survivors of sexual assault. 13 states with automatic ‘trigger’ laws have already severely restricted or outlawed abortion altogether. Abortion access is a crucial health care service for survivors that will now have limited or no access depending on their location. Although here in Maryland abortion protections are written into state law, pregnant people and survivors nationwide do not have this

Over the past three months, MCASA has been busy advocating for legislation to support survivors in the 2022 Maryland Legislative Session. We are so grateful for everyone who has already called, emailed, testified, and advocated to improve Maryland laws and policies to end sexual violence and support survivors. Thank you for your support. As we approach the conclusion of this year’s session on April 11th, MCASA is still advocating for funding for rape crisis centers, repeal of the law making marriage a defense to some types of rape and other sex crimes, and improvements to Maryland’s sexual

2021 proved to be another challenging year as we continue to navigate a global pandemic, funding cuts for service providers, and manage the overarching uncertainty these threats may bring. These challenges have also highlighted the importance of the work of Maryland’s Rape Crisis Centers and service providers to support survivors through these difficult times. As we reflect on the past year, we are incredibly grateful for the work of all our partners in the fight to end sexual violence. We turn this gratitude into renewed energy and strength for the work of the year to come, beginning with the 2022

Fall 2021 has been a busy time for MCASA as we continue to adjust to a ‘new normal’ with ongoing pandemic and public health concerns. MCASA continues to be here to serve you through these changing times. This fall MCASA hosted its sexual assault victim advocate training fundamentals online and kicked off another virtual campus training series. An annual highlight of the fall, the Maryland Women of Color Network hosted its 16th Annual Conference on November 19th following the theme Truth, Transformation, and Healing: Supporting Survivors & Rebuilding Our Communities.  This season has also brought challenges

Summer 2021 is a time of continuing change.  Many people who have been teleworking are slowly returning to in-person work or school, while others may be visiting friends and family, traveling, or enjoying activities likes movies or dinner out for the first time in over a year. This is a transitional time, and one where we must keep our efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence on the forefront. Returning to in-person spaces increases or changes some risks for sexual violence, and many survivors may be continuing to struggle from the combined trauma of COVID-19 and sexual violence.