Zonta International is a global organization of individuals dedicated to building a better world for women and girls. The Zonta USA Advocacy Action Center is a tool for our members in the United States and other individuals who share our commitment to gender equality to take action to improve the lives of women and girls. With your help, we can make a difference. In addition to the actions below, click here to support our joint efforts with UNICEF USA to end child marriage in the United States.
The bipartisan Ensuring Representation for Survivors Act (S. 3124), introduced during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, works to ensure that all survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault have access to free legal representation if they need it.
The bill expands and improves the Legal Assistance for Victims grant program, managed by the Office of Violence Against Women. Specifically, it:
- Increases the authorized amount of the grant program to $80 million.
- Allows states to receive and distribute a designated percentage of total grant funding to implement, expand and establish advocacy efforts, including through pro bono representation. The legal support provided can include asserting a victim’s rights in a criminal proceeding, obtaining a protective order, and support in related civil proceedings such as divorce, custody, housing or health care.
“Survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence should never have their voices silenced, but too often, they face significant barriers to legal representation,” said Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA). “Representation is essential; when survivors have access to an attorney, they are more than twice as likely to win their cases.”
Please use our pre-drafted letter to urge your representatives to co-sponsor and support S. 3124, the Ensuring Representation for Survivors Act. If they have already sponsored or co-sponsored the bill, you can send a message of thanks.