Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON – Congress has finally passed legislation to reform the way sexual harassment cases are handled in the House and Senate. Members will now be held liable for all forms of harassment as well as retaliation against whistleblowers, and they will also be required to reimburse the Treasury for harassment settlements. Finally, members of Congress will be held accountable for their actions—they will no longer be able to use their enormous power to silence survivors and avoid transparency.

But there’s more work to be done. NOW supports Rep. Jackie Speier’s (D-CA) legislation to strengthen this new policy to protect against discrimination as well as harassment, and to require members to pay judgments and settlements out of their personal funds, not through the taxpayer.

A provision in the original House bill that required Members to be held personally liable for discrimination claims as defined by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was removed by the Senate, which also struck language requiring an investigation by an independent third party when a victim comes forward. Additionally, the Senate did not agree to adopt the House rule that passed in February and provides House staff with legal representation.

It’s important to remember that every step towards reform of workplace harassment and discrimination policy is an interim step. This work will not be finished overnight. What’s needed is nothing less than a change in the culture of men protecting men, of survivors being marginalized and of abusers escaping justice.  This is a change that’s urgently needed on Capitol Hill—and in every workplace in America.

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NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON — Justice has failed Cyntoia Brown so many times. At the age of two, Brown was put up for adoption, and when she was 16 she was sold as a sex slave to a 43-year old Nashville man. This perpetrator held a gun on her and hit, choked and dragged her during her captivity. Fearing for her life, she shot the man when she thought he was reaching for a gun.

Although she was still 16, Brown was tried as an adult, and a jury convicted her of first-degree murder, with a sentence of life in prison. Under the then-Tennessee law, she would only be eligible for release after serving 51 years of her sentence.

The law in Tennessee has since changed—in part because Cyntoia Brown’s case so horrified the public and lawmakers. Now, anyone 18 or younger cannot even be charged with prostitution.  But Cyntoia Brown is imprisoned with no hope of release for the next half-century.

It’s time for justice for Cyntoia Brown. NOW supports her appeal and also the lawsuit challenging her sentence as unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court’s challenge to mandatory life sentences without the chance of parole for juvenile offenders.

NOW further supports Cyntoia Brown’s bid for clemency from Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.  It shames us as a society if we are to consign a life that has known nothing but abuse to a life sentence in prison—all before she was even old enough to vote.

We must end the criminalization of trauma.  Cyntoia Brown inspires us to push even harder for justice, fairness and healing—but first, Cyntoia Brown must be heard.

Contact

NOW Press, press@now.org , 202-628-8669

Statement by NOW President Toni Van Pelt:

WASHINGTON – As we wind down the month-long observation of November’s Native American Heritage Month, the National Organization for Women celebrates the history and legacy of the first American feminists. Native American women were more than just mothers of the tribes’ children—they were builders, warriors, farmers, and craftswomen. Many Native American tribes believed that women had more healing power and a deeper connection to the spirit world. And in many tribes, the families were matrilineal—instead of women leaving their families to join their husbands, it was the opposite. Men joined the families of the women they married and their sons left to join their wives’ families.

It’s only fitting that the first two Native American women were elected to Congress during this year’s Native American Heritage Month. NOW honors the rich culture, traditions, and accomplishments of indigenous people, and we recommit ourselves to working with Native people to meet the challenges and overcome the obstacles faced by this vibrant, diverse community. We are all enriched by Native American heritage—this month, and every month.

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NOW Press, press@now.org, 202-628-8669