EMILYs List Recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In observation of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, EMILYs List President Laphonza Butler released the following statement:

“During this month, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month and acknowledge the devastating effects of sexual violence.. Sexual assault is an abuse of power and violation of human dignity. It is a public health crisis and women are disproportionately affected – one in six women are the victim of rape or attempted rape during their lifetime. We must also recognize that survivors of historically marginalized groups face additional barriers to accessing resources to help them heal. 

EMILYs List stands with all survivors of sexual assault. The nation must work to bring offenders to justice, eliminate the harmful environments that permit sexual harassment and assault, and expand access to services and health care for survivors. Access to reproductive health care is crucial for survivors to reclaim autonomy over their body. At this critical time when abortion rights are under attack, it is even more important to elect Democratic pro-choice women who will work to protect survivors and ensure access to the services that are critical to their healing.”

EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, works to elect Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot and across the country with a goal of fighting for our rights and our communities. Our work is centered around a fundamental vision: Run. Win. Change the World. EMILYs List has raised $850 million in service to that vision and has helped Democratic women win competitive elections by recruiting and training candidates, supporting and helping build strong campaigns, researching the issues that impact women and families, running one of the largest independent expenditure operations for Democrats, and turning out women voters to the polls. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect the country’s first woman as vice president, 175 women to the House, 26 to the Senate, 20 governors, and over 1,500 women to state and local office. More than 40% of the candidates EMILYs List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Visit www.emilyslist.org for more information.