Today, August 26, 2020 we celebrate Women’s Equality Day, a powerful reminder of the importance of gender equality, and the harmful impacts of inequality. This date marks the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the United States. Looking back over the last 100 years, there is so much that we can be proud of; so many achievements to celebrate as women and as those who champion women’s equality. But as far as we have come, there is still so much work to be done.
For some, this day will be a day of celebration; for others it will be a day filled with pain. Today:
- At least 3 women will be killed by their husbands or boyfriends
- 680 women will be sexually assaulted
- 4 children will die as a result of child abuse and neglect
- Over 16,000 children will be living in a shelter to escape family violence
The unfinished business of Women’s Equality Day is that women represent over half of the nation’s population but are still disproportionally victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. Nine out of 10 victims of rape are women and 84% of the time, victims of intimate partner violence are women. Women’s equality needs to go beyond gender equality in the voting booth and the workplace and must be a movement to end violence against women.
There is still much work we must do; I have to believe that there will be a day – maybe not in my lifetime – that we will see an end to violence against women and girls as we know it in this country. Each and every person we touch, every message we deliver, every project you undertake, every penny you donate collectively brings us closer to that day.
With Gratitude,
Tay
