Public Policy
We lead on policy and systems change efforts that improve responses to gender-based violence and promote safe, just communities for all.
What We Do
Engaging in public policy at the city and county level is an important way the Coalition supports community-based, member programs and survivors of gender-based violence.
A few examples of our public policy efforts include:
- Legal, employment and eocnomic protections of survivors of gender based violence
- Reforms and alternatives to criminal/legal responses to gender based violence
- Increasing funding for the wide array of gender based violence services and supports that member programs provide to our community such as prevention, survivor-driven advocacy, and housing support.
- Supporting a sustainable and robust community care and human services sector.
Why we do this work
We believe that it is critical for elected leaders, decision makers, and the broader public to understand how various policies may impact the unique needs of survivors of gender-based violence and the community-based programs that survivors turn to for support. We connect, educate, and mobilize our community on relevant policy efforts so as to better advocate for policies that support the safety, well-being, and self-determination of survivors of gender-based violence.
Additionally, we know policy is improved when we work together, so we build strong collaborations with other coalitions working in the areas of racial and social justice, ending homelessness, community care and human services, immigrant rights, reproductive justice, and much more.
Projects
Ensure Stable & Robust Funding for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence
Survivors deserve to have their courageous disclosure of abuse met with a robust network of well-resourced advocates they can call upon when they need support. Meaningful investments in services for survivors of gender-based violence is essential to this goal.
Unfortunately, our field and this work has been chronically underfunded and under-invested in and making matters worse, we are currently facing a perfect storm of significant budget cuts at all levels of government-federal, state, and local.
To try and reduce the harm these budget cuts would have on survivors, we are in support of several bills that focus on progressive revenue in the state of WA. See below for more info.
Senate Bills on Progressive Revenue We Support
Engaging in Public Policy
Are you curious about what is happening at the local level and what decisions are being made by your representatives? Do you feel nervous about giving public comments to elected officials or don’t quite know how to get connected to this work?
You’re not alone and it can be confusing! We would love to connect and help support your engagement with local efforts to end gender-based violence.
Want to know more?
If you’d like to know more about our public policy efforts, want to get more involved, or just feel curious about what we’re working on in the policy space, please reach out!
Amarinthia Torres, Co-Executive Director of Policy amarinthia@endgv.org.
Related Upcoming Events
There are currently no upcoming events. You can see other events on our events calendar.
Additional Resources
Partner Organizations
- Transformation is Possible: Community Responses to Domestic Violence – Recommendations from a workgroup we participated in that discussed alternatives to the criminal legal system
- Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV)
- Seattle Human Services Coalition
- King County Alliance for Human Services
Helpful Links
- Meet your Seattle City Councilmember
- Meet your King County Councilmember
- Watch the Seattle Channel and King County TV for a livestream of council meetings.