{"id":38440,"date":"2023-03-14T12:09:21","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T16:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.janedoe.org\/?p=38440"},"modified":"2023-03-14T19:23:23","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T23:23:23","slug":"2023-2024-legislative-advocacy-kickoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.janedoe.org\/2023-2024-legislative-advocacy-kickoff\/","title":{"rendered":"2023-2024 Legislative Advocacy Kickoff"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sexual and Domestic Violence Advocates Gather (Virtually!) to Launch
2023-2024 Legislative Advocacy Season<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., Jane Doe Inc. (JDI), the Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, will officially kick-off its advocacy efforts for the current state legislative cycle. JDI will present the intersectional framework driving its advocacy approach and announce its legislative priorities.<\/p>\n

Hema Sarang \u2013Sieminski, Policy Director at JDI, explained that JDI\u2019s policy and system advocacy reflect the Coalition\u2019s values of recognizing the intersection of racial equity and gender-based violence. Sarang-Sieminski said, \u201cOur approach is centered on the belief that it makes us stronger as a coalition and as advocates to acknowledge that our work to end sexual assault and domestic violence must go hand in hand with our work to end all forms of oppression within our hearts and minds, our programs, the institutions that represent us, and our communities at large.\u201d<\/p>\n

On a practical level that means that JDI considers how proposed legislation improves survivor access to safety and justice, advances racial equity, reflects fundmantal protections of human rights and bodily autonomy, supports economic justice, and uplifts the role of education and prevention. In upholding its commitment to racial equity and the dignity and human rights of all people, JDI assesses the impact of public policy on communities of color who are disproportionately represented in and harmed by the criminal legal system and challenges policies that contribute to mass incarceration. In keeping with this analysis and philosophy, JDI does not support increasing penalties for offenses that are already criminalized in Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

Nithya Badrinath, Policy Manager at JDI, said, \u201cBy shifting the focus away from carceral systems as a primary response to gender-based violence, Instead, the Coalition offers the possibility that investing in survivors will bring about more sustainable and effective change.\u201d<\/p>\n

JDI also acknowledges its partner organizations who are taking the lead on several of these pieces of legislation. \u201cWorking on coalition has helped us expand and deepen our own understanding of the needs of survivors in connection to punitive systems, housing insecurity, immigrant experiences, and so much more,\u201d added Badrinath.<\/p>\n

One hundred advocates and survivors are expected for the \u201cJDI Legislative Priorities Framework and Overview\u201d session on March 15. Sarang-Sieminski and Badrinath will provide an overview of JDI\u2019s nine priority bills:<\/p>\n

HD1844\/SD1975: An Act to improve protections relative to domestic violence<\/span> (Lead Sponsors Reps. Natalie Higgins and Tram Nguyen and Sen. Michael Moore<\/p>\n