Calling upon elected officials to address sexual and domestic violence was the focus of 4th Annual Safe Homes, Safe Streets events.
"Currently, only about 40% of Kansas counties have sexual or domestic violence advocacy services for victims," said Sandy Barnett, executive director of KCSDV. "We call upon the Kansas Legislature to step up and address the gaps in services and to provide funding for service expansion across the state."
Many state legislators attended the morning press conference and three legislators spoke during it - Rep. Bob Bethell, R-Alden, Sen. Vicki Schmidt, R-Topeka, and Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence.
"We have to realize we have to come to some kind of a solution," Bethell said, noting what he called "sobering" statistics about sexual and domestic violence in Kansas.
"Sexual and domestic violence are public safety issues," Schmidt said. "We have to do what it takes to keep Kansans safe."
"We cannot just stand by and watch Kansans, women and children especially, being abused," Ballard said. "It's not just a woman thing. Everyone is affected by it."
The evening reception featured opening comments from the new Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison.
"I'm happy to tell you that you have a friend and ally in the Attorney Generals Office," Morrison said. "These [sexual and domestic violence] are very big issues, these are very real issues, and these are issues I'm most passionate about."
The reception featured a keynote address by Loretta Ross, long-time advocate and human rights activist. She was the founder and former executive director of the National Center for Human Rights Education in Atlanta, Georgia. Ross was also one of the first African American women to direct a rape crisis center in the 1970s.
"The whole violence against women movement just started in 1972," Ross said. "In that short period of time, we have rocked the world. We're the most globalized movement that ever was."
More than 300 people participated in the day's events.
Safe Homes, Safe Streets was made possible by the Shumaker Family Foundation, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, Community National Bank, Dwight D. Menke Insurance, Al Langton Insurance, Sunflower State Bakery, and the Kansas Department of Corrections Victims Services.
The following provided support for the event:
- Loretta Ross
- Shumaker Family Foundation
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas
- Community National Bank
- Dwight D. Menke Insurance
- Al Langton Insurance
- Sunflower State Bakery
- KS Department of Corrections Victims Services
Visit www.kcsdv.org/pkshss06.html for information on last year's event.
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