Safety

Help decide where we invest $5,000!

Posted on by Lisa Kays

It’s that time again–for the Leadership Awards online vote!

A committed group of volunteers has selected the 10 outstanding Leadership Awardees for 2009, who are doing innovative, effective work serving the health and safety of women and girls in our region.  Each awardee has received $10,000 to help fuel their work.

Now, it’s your turn to get involved!

Vote today for one of these 10 organizations and the one with the most votes by 5 p.m. on March 30, 2009 will win an additional $5,000!

What do you think is the most important strategy supporting the health and safety of our region’s women and girls? 

After-school programs for at-risk girls?  Advocacy for domestic violence survivors?  Support and assistance for elderly women?  Fighting human trafficking?  Job training programs that teach not only the skills for employment but how to cook healthy, nutritious meals?

Each of these strategies, and more, is represented by the 2009 Leadership Awardees.  Learn more about them and then cast your ballot here! 

Then, stop back by this blog and let us know who you voted for and why.  Help make the case for the organization and strategies that you think are best serving our region’s women and girls!

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Almost half of Boston teens blame Rihanna, not Chris, for her attack.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

As a follow-on to my colleague Gwen’s thoughtful post on the Rihanna domestic violence situation and the way it’s being handled in the media, I thought I’d throw in this piece from Feministing, about the reactions of some Boston teens to the story.

Sadly, it would appear that almost half of those Boston teens surveyed blame Rihanna for the attack.  More than half felt that both parties were equally responsible for the attack.

Jessica at Feministing sums it up well, saying, "Ah, victim-blaming. It’s always with us. What particularly depresses me about this statistic is that the victim-blaming is coming from young people. There’s this optimistic part of me that likes to believe sexist attitudes and hating women will lessen with new generations. Articles like these snap me back into reality."

Then there is Gwen, saying, "And just once, I would like to read a story that focused on how men have the power to stop this violence."

This wish seems particularly poingnant given what these surveys revealed about how young people view violence against women. 

And, in my opinion, helping further draw the connection that how domestic violence and women’s issues are portrayed in the media do get reflected back to us in the voices and actions of our young people.

As a silver lining, there are some amazing groups doing work to combat these perceptions and domestic violence itself, as well as to advocate for victims (rather than blame them).  Many of these groups are our Grantee Partners, and a few are 2009 Leadership Awardees. 

As of tomorrow, check back to our site to vote for your favorite Leadership Awardee, help them earn an extra $5,000 to fuel their work, and raise your voice for productive solutions and better, healthier, safer communities for women and girls.

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Coverage of Rihanna fails to take advantage of an otherwise teachable moment.

Posted on by Gwen Rubinstein

As a 40-something (and a late one at that), I never thought I’d be blogging, let alone blogging about the young pop star Rihanna. But the news is full of stories about her assault, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend.

If only the stories were less gossipy and voyeuristic and more informative.

Unless the focus of the reporting changes suddenly, this will be a missed opportunity to shed needed light on the reality of violence against women in the United States, especially for her younger fans.

The hard truth is that violence against women is common, has known risk factors (including a pattern of when it escalates from injury to homicide), and carries significant emotional and economic costs.

All of us, including the media, have an obligation to do more to lead our society toward more effective strategies for preventing it.

Here are some of the facts, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
• Each year, women in the U.S. experience 4.8 million intimate partner-related physical assaults and rapes;
• In 2004, these assaults resulted in 1,544 deaths, of which 75 percent of which were women; and,
• The annual cost of this violence has been estimated at $8.3 billion in 2003 dollars – not to mention the emotional costs to the women and children who experience and witness it.

Stories questioning “why she doesn’t leave” miss the mark.

First of all, it assumes a feeling of power on the part of the victim that the violence against her was intended to – and undoubtedly did – undermine. 

Second, staying may actually be self-protective, at least in the short-term. A little known fact is that women are actually at higher risk for injury and homicide after they leave an abuser. According to U.S. Department of Justice data, separated women experience violence intimate partner violence at rates significantly higher than single or married women.

Just once, I would like to read a story that framed this incident (or, sadly, the next one) within the larger context of the reality of violence against women in our society and its epidemiology.

And just once, I would like to read a story that focused on how men have the power to stop this violence.

I hope you will tell me about the stories you want to read.

Gwen Rubinstein is a Program Officer at The Women’s Foundation.

Announcing the 2009 Leadership Awardees!

Posted on by WAWF

What do you get when you combine 58 volunteers, 66 nominations, 54 phone calls, 33 site visits, 20 presentations and hours of deliberation and due diligence?

You get the 2009 Leadership Awardees, of course!

Someone really wise once said, if you want to know how something began, look at how it ended.  As I reflect on that statement, and my experience with the Leadership Awards, I am still undecided about whether or not I agree.

As I was recruiting volunteers for the Leadership Awards this year, I blogged about my experience at the Leadership Awards Reception in March 2008.  The reception, that year’s “ending,” did indeed tell me a lot about the Leadership Awards Program – the inspiration, the passion, the dedication, the diligence of these organizations working so hard on behalf of women and girls.

That said, even as I stood in awe of those eight recipients, there was no way of knowing what an amazing journey it would be to the selection of the 2009 Leadership Awardees!

Among the recipients, we have representation from all over the Washington metropolitan area, including Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Washington, DC.  All are doing innovative, effective work on behalf of women and girls in our region in the area of safety and health.

We have organizations working with youth, and organizations working with the elderly. 

We have organizations providing basic needs of shelter to victims of domestic violence, and those helping survivors of domestic violence get a second chance in life by find new and sustainable careers.

We have an organization providing activities and infrastructure to girls during the after-school hours when they are most vulnerable, and an organization providing transitional housing for female ex-offenders.

So, who are these 10 exciting, inspiring organizations, you ask.  Click here to see the press release announcing the recipients!

As I sit in anticipation of what my second Leadership Awards reception experience will be like, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the tremendous job done by our outstanding volunteers this year in making this extremely difficult selection.

Because the reality is, while we can only give 10 awards this year, there are many wonderful organizations doing really important work in our community on behalf of women and girls.

So, please join me in congratulating our stellar slate of 2009 Leadership Awardees. 

And stay tuned for our second annual online vote to help your favorite awardee receive an additional $5,000!

Nicole Cozier is The Women’s Foundation’s Philanthropic Education Officer.

Teen writes book with goal of transforming the lives of 200,000 young women.

Posted on by Anna Leung

Picture this:  A 14-year-old girl with a camera and a burning desire to touch the lives of others.  She conducts five years of interviews and a journey of discovery into the hearts and minds of teenage girls from all over the globe. 

The result: Young Sisters, a collection of handwritten testimonies, photographs, and transcripts of recorded interviews of young women.

That young woman was me.  And today I’ve published these stories in book form and had them performed on stage at Talent Unlimited High School in New York City.

Young Sisters strips away the mass media facade that promotes looks, materialism and sexual promiscuity as all that young women are, and instead presents real life.

This one-of-a-kind documentary book takes a genuine look at teenage girls’ thoughts, trials, and accomplishments.  It is both a celebration of budding womanhood and a lament of the loss of innocence. 

Readers connect with these girls as they share their testimonies and relive the greatest struggles of their lives—in their own words and their own handwriting.

The media overwhelms our senses with images of sex and beauty that devours our culture.  Ultimately, the victims are females.

The social pressure to match impossible standards of physical beauty often destroys their ability to look at themselves realistically and appreciate their attractive features and inner beauty. 

I wanted to help young women recognize this influence and to celebrate being themselves. The dynamic of Young Sisters therefore entertains, inspires, and empowers young adult audiences with this timely and explosive subject.

Anna Leung is the author of Young Sisters.  Her goal for the book is to uplift at least 200,000 teenage girls by 2010 and donate a portion of the proceeds from the book to programs that elevate young women’s lives.

For more information on how to preview or purchase Young Sisters, visit www.AnnaLeung.org/store.  Or, to be part of Young Sister’s vision of uplifting 200,000 teenage girls, host a Young Sisters’ performance or gallery show.  For more information or to invite Anna Leung to speak at your school, event, workshop or conference, email AnnaLeung1@gmail.com.

Call for presenters: 2009 Stepping Stones Research Briefing!

Posted on by Gwen Rubinstein

The fourth annual Washington Area Women’s Foundation Stepping Stones Research Briefing will be held the morning of Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at The Urban Institute in Washington, D.C.

The Women’s Foundation and The Urban Institute co-sponsor the annual research briefing.  This year’s will highlight research on issues relevant to low-income, women-headed families.

Stepping Stones is The Women’s Foundation’s multi-year initiative focused on increasing economic security and financial independence for low-income, women-headed families in the Washington metropolitan area. The Stepping Stones Research Briefing provides an opportunity for The Women’s Foundation and its partners to learn about the latest research that can inform their work supporting this population.

The first three research briefings each drew audiences of over 100, including representatives from community-based organizations, funders, government agencies, and research institutions.

Persons interested in participating in this year’s research briefing should submit an abstract of their research and findings (no more than 1,000 words) to Peter Tatian at The Urban Institute by 5:00 pm on Friday, March 13, 2009.  Abstracts should make clear how the research is relevant to issues facing low-income, women-headed families and those who are working to assist these women.

We are particularly interested in abstracts related to how best to protect women’s economic security in a recession, including submissions on:
• Changing Demographic and Economic Conditions for Women
• Increasing Income, Building and Preserving Assets
• Workforce Development and Emerging Employment Sectors
• Job Retention and Work Supports (including public benefits)
• Early Care and Education
• Health and Safety

Final selection of presenters will be made by March 31, 2009.

Copies of all presentations, as well as audio recordings of the entire event, will be posted on The Urban Institute’s Web site after the event.  Presentations from last year’s research briefing can be found here.  More information on the 2007 and 2008 research briefings is available at The Women’s Foundation.org.

Questions about the research briefing should be addressed to Peter Tatian or Gwen Rubinstein at The Women’s Foundation.

Please share this announcement with anyone who may be interested.

Online tools help service providers help local low-income families.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

This morning, Phyllis introduced a Webinar hosted by one of our Grantee Partners, Wider Opportunities for Women, on a tool they’ve developed to help calculate the true income needed to raise a family in our region.

As Phyllis explained, "With the current economic downturn…families are increasingly focusing on cutting back. And for some families—particularly those headed by single mothers—this means slipping from barely making it to not making it.  But where is the line?  According to the federal poverty standard—which hasn’t changed since 1960—a family of three headed by a single mom isn’t poor if she earns a dollar more than $16,500.  Yet, the real costs of raising that family are far greater…The federal standard is based just on the cost of food and doesn’t include crucial costs to families like child care, health care and transportation."

That’s why WOW’s standard is important, as it shows the the real cost for a single mother to raise an infant and a pre-schooler is $55,000 a year in Prince George’s County, $58,000 in Washington, D.C. and about $70,000 to live in Arlington or Montgomery Counties. 

A bit more realistic.

The Self-Sufficiency Calculator will not only allow a family to calculate what income they’d need to be self-sufficient based on family size, geography, etc., but it also provides information on how to find jobs that would meet that level of income and are attainable even without a college or two-year degree.

The Calculator can be accessed at www.dcmassc.org. 

WOW recently hosted a session featuring two other resources that help direct service providers in our area help heads of low-income families, who are usually women. 

One is the DC Food Finder, produced by So Others Might Eat (SOME), another Grantee Partner.  The Food Finder is an excellent resource that uses Google mapping to show where a variety of food resources exist in relation to a particular neighborhood or address, from food pantries to low-cost groceries to farmer’s markets.

Finally, the District Alliance for Safe Housing developed the Housing Resource Center, which helps identify housing appropriate in various situations, ranging from women fleeing domestic violence with children to affordable homes to purchase.  The resource enables service providers or individuals to input information relevant to them and then to access information particular to their situation.

 Many thanks to WOW, SOME and the District Alliance for Safe Housing for developing, updating and maintaining these tools that provide crucial information to our region’s low-income families as they strive for self-sufficiency.

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Stepping Stones Research Update: November 2008

Posted on by Lisa Kays

As part of our ongoing commitment–in partnership with The Urban Institute–to providing information and resources related to the goals of Stepping Stones, please find below a summary of recent research on issues of economic security and financial independence for women and their families.

This research is summarized and compiled for The Women’s Foundation by Liza Getsinger of The Urban Institute, NeighborhoodInfo DC.

Financial Education and Wealth Creation News

The Urban Institute explores whether low wage workers are are destined for low income at retirement.  (Abstract) (Full text)

Jobs and Business Ownership News

Harry Holzer asks whether living wage laws do (and can) matter. (Abstract) (Full text)

Child Care and Early Education News

The National Center for Children and Poverty finds that chronic absences as early as kindergarten have a significant impact on educational performance in first grade. (Abstract) (Full text)

DC could be a more family-friendly city through investments in education, affordable housing and revitalizing neighborhoods. (Abstract) (Full text)

Health and Safety News

The Kaiser Family Foundation releases new fact sheet on women’s insurance coverage.

Other News and Research

A nationational investment in children before they enter public schools would pay off. (Abstract) (Full text)

Washington Post story on local sex trafficking features work of two Grantee Partners.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

Yesterday, Washington Post reporter Robert Pierre’s story, "Anti-Prostitution Initiative Taken to D.C. Schools," explains how children in D.C. are being coerced into prostitution and sex trafficking, and how agencies throughout the area are working together to stop this phenomenon.

Two of the organizations involved in this work are Grantee Partners of The Women’s Foundation: Fair Fund and Polaris Project.

Read the full story in the Washington Post here.

For more on Fair Fund’s work on this issue, and the report they just released on trafficking of youth in D.C. and Boston, or for information on how to get involved, click here.

Lisa Kays is The Women’s Foundation’s Director of Communications.

Sex trafficking strikes in D.C. just as it does in Dakar or Dubai.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

When I lived in Africa and worked on girls’ education and HIV/AIDS prevention issues, I encountered what was known as the Sugar Daddy phenomenon.

In various countries in Africa, girls are the first to be pulled from school when money in a family is tight.  They’re also the last to eat, and the last to receive basic necessities like health care or clothes.  Busy with caring for siblings or fetching water, they also often go without much attention or sense of self-worth.

But Sugar Daddies are more than willing to make up for that. 

Older men, usually with means, they prey on these young women–sometimes as young as 11, 12, 13.  At first, they just show them attention, maybe by paying school fees or purchasing a new uniform.  Then, they might take a young woman out to dinner or pay for her to have her hair done.

All innocent enough.  Until he begins to convince her that she owes him and that her debt can be repaid with sex. 

I got all too used to seeing this in various African cities and villages, where poverty is rampant and there are few social services to assist vulnerable youth who may fall through the cracks into such situations.

Of course, now I’m all too used to hearing about it happening on K Street, in my city’s schools, throughout the region where I live.  In our nation’s capital.

It’s not okay that this happens to children anywhere, but there is something about it happening in one of our country’s wealthiest cities, just blocks and miles from the White House and Capitol Building, that I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to.

Which is why I was so pleased to attend an event on Tuesday evening hosted by Fair Fund–a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation.  The event brought together members of our community to learn more about how human trafficking and sexual exploitation are impacting youth in Washington, D.C.   

About how young men and women in this city are routinely entrapped by pimps who start out as friends or boyfriends and then demand a return on their kindness with sex, first with them, and then with others. 

And thus the cycle of entrapment in sex trafficking continues, here in Washington, D.C. just as it does throughout the world.

Here though, we are fortunate to have a committed coalition of activists, including Fair Fund and a number of other nonprofits and Grantee Partners of The Women’s Foundation (including Polaris Project, WEAVE, Latin American Youth Center, SMYAL, AYUDA, DC Rape Crisis Center, and Ascensions Community Services), who are all working together to break this cycle by advocating for a safe house to take teens to when they are pulled out of dangerous situations and building awareness among teachers, social workers and police officers throughout our community who can help identify, assist and protect young people who fall into this trap.

To learn more about this important work or to get involved:

Fair Fund’s new report documenting these trends locally: Pathways Into and Out of Commercial Sexual Exploitation 

3-minute interview with Fair Fund’s Executive Director Andrea Powell in the DC Examiner

WAMU radio piece on Fair Fund’s work and local sex trafficking

To learn more about how to get involved, visit FairFund.org.

Lisa Kays is Director of Communications at The Women’s Foundation.