Black Lives Matter.

 

WCADVSA sees the disproportionate impact of domestic and sexual violence on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; exasperated by economic inequities; mass incarceration; harsher prison sentencing; and impoverished access to justice.  We understand how racism and inequality are the root causes of gender based violence. We do not look the other way and will not move on to other issues after protests stop.  

 

We cannot truly undertake the work of ending violence unless we name, target and dismantle the systematic and structural barriers that allow racism and inequality to exist. We commit to examining privilege and power; to naming how our work combating domestic violence, sexual assault, and gender-based violence is inextricably linked to the battle for racial justice. We commit to using our privilege, power, and influence to speak out, and stand up as allies. We commit to listening to communities of color; not just inviting them to our discussion, but bringing the conversations to them to ensure they are given a voice within our organization

 

All forms of violence and oppression are connected, and we cannot fight against one form of injustice and not fight against others.