NWLC Responds to Allegations of Sexual Violence in the Reproductive Rights, Health and Justice Movement

The following is a statement by Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC):

“We have to talk about sexual assault in every space. Again and again, people we love and admire who have done good in the world are also identified as people who have committed horrendous acts. It’s unsettling and hard to sit with, but we must if we are to truly make progress. Leaders in our movement must take allegations of sexual violence seriously, no matter who is involved – which is true with the allegations against Dr. Willie Parker. It starts with listening closely to the stories of those who have come forward, respecting their voices, making spaces and places for reporting—whether physically at a conference or an event, or virtually within large networks. And it’s not enough to listen and believe. We encourage people to bring their stories forward and seek legal assistance for harassment and assault in the workplace, education, and health care through resources like the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund. We can change the way we respond to assault by prompting institutions to not hide and instead embrace what is hard. We can move towards a world where we all can live and work with safety and dignity.”

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For immediate release: March 28, 2019
Contact: Inés Rénique ([email protected])