Domestic Violence Awareness Month Comes to a Close
This month, Legal Momentum spoke up for survivors by participating in various Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) campaigns on social media. We also created a new DVAM Action Guide to help carry the momentum of DVAM forward for the rest of the year and beyond. While DVAM is only one month out of the year, we can always be working to end domestic violence. A large part of LM’s DVAM 2018 activity was taking part in social media campaigns, in collaboration with organizations like the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the YWCA, to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Through these social media campaigns, we outlined concrete steps for action to change the culture around domestic violence to become more survivor-centered. We also encouraged collective action through changing public discourse and civic engagement, underscoring the need to confront current stigmas and develop more trauma-informed approaches to supporting survivors. Check out tweets from these campaigns and more on our Legal Momentum Twitter account!
Legal Momentum's Advocacy for Domestic Violence Survivors
Our mission is to ensure economic and personal security for all women and girls; a key part of this mission is eradicating gender-based violence, especially domestic violence, and supporting domestic violence survivors. In 2018 specifically, we have worked with other organizations to enact key workplace protections for survivors of gender-based violence. Legal Momentum is now utilizing provisions that were recently enacted in New York City and New York State to represent a domestic violence survivor who was denied a reasonable accommodation and unlawfully terminated by her employer because she took time off to address her abuse.
Another way Legal Momentum works to combat domestic violence is through our Helpline, which provides legal information and referrals to survivors of gender-based violence, sexual harassment, and more. In 2018 to date, our Helpline has responded to more than 170 callsrelated to domestic violence, including employment discrimination, orders of protection, etc. We also have referred clients to partner organizations throughout the country on matters of divorce and child custody.
LM Encourages Women and Girls to #PowHerTheVote!
One of the most important ways that we can all extend support for survivors past DVAM is to fulfill our civic duty on November 6th. To promote this message, Legal Momentum has been participating in #PowHerTheVote social media campaigns to spread the word about the importance of getting to the polls.
From reproductive rights to fair wages and economic empowerment, voters need to be aware of the impact that active civic engagement has on promoting policies and electing candidates that advance the rights of all women and girls. Keep up with our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter) for weekly issue-focused thematic content and join us in our weekly conversations. And remember to vote on November 6!
#GivingTuesday is On the Horizon
Giving Tuesday – November 27th this year – is a global day of giving devoted to getting involved in your community by contributing to the causes you’re most passionate about supporting. As we move past DVAM and into November, donating to Legal Momentum is a powerful way to take part in the fight to end domestic and gender-based violence and to secure equality and opportunity for all women.
Since Giving Tuesday is coming up fast and end of year donation campaigns are beginning, we want to demonstrate just how much of an impact your contributions have on the work that we do. Legal Momentum will soon be launching our Giving Tuesday campaign, highlighting all the work that we’ve accomplished in the past year as well as the concrete objectives that incoming donations will be put toward in the future– from our Rights Now! program to our Women Valued Initiative. As always, we are grateful for your support and generosity.
