We need you to act NOW! We have an unprecedented opportunity to secure a significant increase of funding for survivors of sexual and domestic violence in the City of Seattle, but we only have until 3:00 PM tomorrow (Thursday 10/19) to keep these proposals alive!
CALL SEATTLE CITY COUNCILMEMBERS NOW!! If you live in, work in, and/or provide services to survivors from Seattle, please call!!
CM Gonzales has submitted 4 recommendations to preserve and expand services for survivors of sexual and domestic violence.
+ Survivor-centered mobile advocates with flexible funds for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Our 2018 recommendation for 15 FTEs, necessitated by rapidly expanding needs due to local and national “events” as well as the homelessness crisis and changes to the homeless service system. The mayor funded approximately 2 FTEs, so CM Gonzales is recommending the remaining $1,800,000. CM Sawant has also proposed this addition, we need one more co-sponsor by tomorrow at 3:00 PM!
+ A significant increase in the pool of funding for domestic violence, sexual assault, and commercially sexually exploited survivor services that will be RFP’d this spring. This will allow the human services department to fund new services to meet emerging and expanding needs, especially in marginalized communities, while also maintaining existing services, so new areas of unmet need are not created.
+ Two attorneys for sexual assault survivors – $300,000 – a greatly needed service the City of Seattle does not currently fund
+ Preserving DV Survivor Shelter Units Downtown – $200,00 – CM’s Johnson and Sawant have signed on to this.
In addition, CM Juarez has proposed $60,000 additional funding for survivors of commercial sexual exploitation (especially along Aurora Ave N.) – and this is clearly a greatly needed service.
Please urge councilmembers to commit to co-sponsoring ALL of these things! Given how much attention is being focused on sexual assault and domestic violence, in this city as well as nationally, (as well as how survivors of DV are being impacted by the homelessness/affordability crisis in Seattle) – NOW IS THE TIME for the City of Seattle to make a significant investment to stand with survivors of sexual and domestic violence and ensure help is there when they need it!
NOTE – don’t let them take the easy route and only commit to the lower cost items. Get them to commit to at least one, preferably both, of the top two big ones! This is not the time to throw pennies at the problem – this amount is still significantly lower than the City is currently spending on most other services areas – homelessness, youth services, mental health, etc. despite the fact that the trauma from gender-based violence is at the root of many of these problems for so many people! Please let the Coalition know if you get a commitment from any of them!
Here is their contact info – really we can make this happen but only if everyone calls NOW!!
Sally Bagshaw, (206) 684-8801, sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov
Bruce Harrell, (206) 684-8804, bruce.harrell@seattle.gov
Lisa Herbold, (206) 684-8803, lisa.herbold@seattle.gov
Rob Johnson, (206) 684-8808, rob.johnson@seattle.gov
Debora Juarez, (206) 684-8805, debora.juarez@seattle.gov
Mike O’Brien, (206) 684-8800, mike.obrien@seattle.gov
Kshama Sawant, (206) 684-8016, kshama.sawant@seattle.gov
Kirsten Harris-Talley, (206) 684-8806; kirsten.harristalley@seattle.gov
Lorena Gonzalez, (206) 684-8802, lorena.gonzalez@seattle.gov
(Call her and thank her for her leadership on this issue!!)