This blog post was written by Jane Ni, Policy and Community Engagement Coordinator and Joan Gerhardt, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence for our 2018 PowHer The Vote campaign.

Voting is one of the most important and powerful rights that we, as citizens, can exercise. It is how we can choose the leaders who best represent our values and advocate for the issues that are important to us. By voting, we are making our voices heard. That is why it is so important for every citizen to participate in every election — local, state, and federal – because all levels of government impact our lives in different ways.

There are just days until the 2018 November mid-term elections. The choices we make are going to dictate what happens in the future.  Therefore, it is essential that we ask questions and gather information to help us and others to make an informed decision.

As advocates and allies, we are experts in the field of domestic violence. It is our responsibility to give voice to the reality that many survivors live in, to provide information on statistics, and to highlight the gaps in services for survivors and their families. We advocate for more funding and work with state and federal elected officials to champion legislative and regulatory changes that will help us move forward in the work we do. It is critically important for us to have representatives who champion issues that are important to us and for us to make sure that they stay informed and aware during their terms in office.

If you would like to support candidates that view domestic violence initiatives and funding as a priority, find out where they stand on increased state funding for domestic violence programs. New York State leads the country in its demand for domestic violence services– for the third year in a row! Yet, state funding for domestic violence programs has been flat since the early 2000s, which means that domestic violence programs have been forced to do more with less. This leaves far too many victims and survivors without the help they need.  

Another consideration is a candidate’s support for increases in federal funding for domestic violence programs. Two cornerstones of our nation’s efforts to address domestic violence, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Reauthorization Act (FVPSA), are both up for reauthorization. It is vital that both VAWA and FVPSA are maintained to ensure that victims in every community can access the resources that they need. VAWA and the programs that it has established help prevent victimization and meet the needs of survivors and their families. FVPSA enables local domestic violence programs to provide safe shelter, children’s services and advocacy for survivors fleeing violence. Without these critical funding streams, domestic violence programs across the country would not be able to keep their doors open and to provide needed services.

Finally, there’s primary prevention.  Primary prevention education is the best tool we have to stop violence before it begins.  This means going into schools and communities to teach youth about healthy relationships and ways to identify the warning signs before violence occurs. It is critical for all elected officials to support efforts to fund both intervention and primary prevention programs in their communities.

Before you head into the voter booth this November, 6th, ask the candidates running in your district if they support increased state and federal funding for domestic violence. Ask them if they support the reauthorization of VAWA and FVPSA. And finally, ask if they’ve been in touch with the local domestic violence services provider, and if they understand the challenges and hardships of survivors and their families. And vote for the candidates that will represent you and champion your issues. Let’s make our voices heard by voting!