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On January 21, 2017, San Francisco SafeHouse participated in the Women’s March. We stood alongside our sisters to show that women’s rights are essential. Today, we are concerned about the executive orders that President Trump has signed since taking the oath of office. These executive orders have a direct impact on SafeHouse’s work and the women we serve. The President has said he would ban funding for “sanctuary cities” (which includes San Francisco) and repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). An immigration ban was instituted. There are discussions about ending the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women programs. These programs grant funding to non-profit organizations (like SafeHouse) that are committed to ending domestic violence, sexual assault, and dating violence. All of these actions have or will have a profound impact on the women that SafeHouse serves.
Last year, 100% of SafeHouse women were survivors of sexual assault, and 70% also survived domestic violence. Approximately 20% of SafeHouse women were immigrants who were forced into sex work in California. The ACA provided 80% of SafeHouse women with better access to health care. This included women who are members of the LGBTQ community and those who have HIV. The ACA prevents discrimination and expands health care access to those living with HIV. “Thanks to Obamacare [officially known as the ACA], I didn’t have to worry about whether I could get treatment because of my HIV status. Now, I worry”, says a SafeHouse woman. We oppose these executive orders that negatively impact a SafeHouse woman’s ability to recover and to heal. We ask that the President reconsider his positions. We will continue to support all SafeHouse women who are impacted. At the same time, we also ask that you contact your legislators to let them know how these actions are affecting women. As always, thank you for your support! Sincerely, Jessica Li Executive Director San Francisco SafeHouse |
