Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

The Washington Post is reporting that the Humane Society of the United States is resisting making broader changes in the wake of the resignation of CEO Wayne Pacelle, who’s been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women. After a law firm was hired to investigate the claims, the board of directors shut down the inquiry without taking any action, falsely claiming that the probe found “no credible evidence” of harassment. Two hours after that statement was issued, Pacelle resigned.

Now, donors are asking new CEO Kitty Block to replace the board chair, Eric Bernthal, launch a new investigation into past complaints of harassment, and apologize to the women who felt unsafe at work. These are all good steps, but they should be only the beginning.

The Humane Society has said it will consider another inquiry, and has committed to “a comprehensive culture change initiative” and a “board governance review” to be conducted by outside experts. These are promising words, but they need to be followed by concrete actions.

Here’s a suggestion. Instead of hiring more lawyers and management consultants, why not go to the experts on sexual harassment and workplace culture. There are many groups hard at work today to transform the culture of sexual harassment and assault to one that respects women and values them as equals. If the Humane Society really wants to bring about change for women, they should invite women’s groups who have professional expertise in this area to be part of the transformation.

Contact

Dee Donavanik, press@now.org, 951-547-1241

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt Welcoming the March For Our Lives:

The National Organization for Women welcomes the students from Parkland, Florida–and around the country–who are coming to Washington, DC for the March For Our Lives.

NOW applauds your focus on grassroots activism, voter registration and getting out the vote to elect lawmakers who will support common-sense policies to end gun violence. We know that mass actions can move public policy, and lead to new laws that address old wrongs.

About 4.5 million living American women have been threatened with a gun by an intimate partner. Further 55 percent of the nearly 1,700 women killed in 2015, single victim, single offender incidents were killed with a gun.It has long been noted that numerous instances of mass shooting involve a perpetrator’s history of domestic violence. NOW is working to elect candidates who support stricter gun controls and will stand up to the NRA.

NOW joins you in “calling BS” on the gun culture, and its enablers. Welcome to Washington. You are marching into history.

Contact

Emily Imhoff, press@now.org, 951-547-1241

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in the case of National Institute of Family Life Advocates v. Becerra, a challenge to the California FACT Act, a commonsense law that provides women and their families with access to full and accurate information about their reproductive healthcare options. NOW has signed an amicus brief supporting the state of California in its quest to stop what should be an unlawful practice of undermining a woman’s decision as to whether or not to terminate a pregnancy with false information and harmful manipulation.

The law requires state health centers to give their clients notice that the state has public programs that provide free or low-cost access to reproductive health care services, including abortion.

NIFLA is part of a scourge of so-called “crisis pregnancy centers,” or fake clinics run by anti-abortion activists that trick people into coming in for comprehensive medical care, and then convince them to carry a pregnancy to term they may not actually want. These centers are even manipulating Google Maps so they rank high in searches for terms like “abortion clinics near me.”

The California law is about freedom of information, but the radical right is afraid of truth. The Supreme Court must tell fake women’s health centers to comply with the law and disclose information women need to protect their reproductive rights.

California NOW grassroots and the National Action Center stand with the state of California and thank them for the foresight and courage to finally take on these harmful tools of the radical right.

Contact

Emily Imhoff, press@now.org, (951) 547-1241