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What's On Our Mind ...
The summer has barely begun and it is already proving to be a violent one. Violent crime typically goes up during the warm weather months. This summer will be no different. The availability of guns and weak gun violence protection bills means all of us in will be less safe.
But now our country has to also contend with political violence as we brace for the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v Wade. According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo, there were threats that followed the leak of the SCOTUS draft on Roe, targeting Supreme Court Justices, lawmakers and other public officials, as well as clergy and health care providers. DHS said it is “likely to persist and may increase leading up to and following” the Court's eventual ruling.
Abortion providers and health care workers are already facing danger. Women seeking abortions in states that have passed arduous restrictions also feel threatened. Reports of assault and battery increased 125 percent compared to 2019. Death threats against abortion providers has more than doubled.
Violence is also targeted at women seeking abortions, especially if they are involved in an abusive relationship. Intimate partner violence is common among women having abortions, with between 6% and 22% reporting recent violence from an intimate partner. Every month, an average of 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner. In more than half of mass shootings over the past decade, the perpetrator shot a current or former intimate partner.
Today is National Gun Violence Awareness Day to remember survivors and victims of gun violence. There are events across the country (click here for information). Get involved and pledge to do your part to end gun violence — for our children, for women, for abortion providers, and for the future of our country.
We must change Congress if we are to keep women safe, abortion legal, and end gun violence. Remember, every elected official votes on every issue you care about. Support JAC candidates across the country who will pass common sense gun laws. Get involved with JAC. Do something. Together we can make a difference.
JAC directly supports candidates. DONATE to JAC today.
Source: National Institutes of Health, Everytown for Gun Safety
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