Barefoot and Pregnant Act

Violence against woman remains consistent with history. While there are laws in place for abuse on woman the consequences are inconsistent with the crimes committed. The advocacy for survivors of violence is limited. The grants and funding for these Google savvy "advocates" are out of control. Technology has progressed, but the mindset has not. In order to really help a survivor we need to address the holes within the system.

Survivors need real avocation. A real act that protects them from continued abuse.

1. Providing justice to the survivor by having fines that line up with the crime committed. (It is unjust that a speeding ticket can exceed $400 or a drug charge $350, but a man that assaults a woman, is fined only $50 on a conviction. Bail set at $60 and is able to walk away the same night and bailed out by another police officer.)

1B. No other officer shall have the ability to bail out a perpetrator of violence against another person. (sexual, domestic etc)

2. Automatic sentencing. Men and woman have been learning since grade school, we keep our hands to ourselves. Conditioning of this idea amounts to years. The physical crimes against anyone found guilty of abusing their partner, especially in which those who physically over power an individual, leaving a victim unable to protect them self in an assault situation, shall receive appropriate jail time for the crime committed. In addition to probation, counseling and monies due to the survivor appropraite as relative to the crime.

3. Survivors have been long known to be forced to abandon their homes to flee abusers. The mind set is that she is to "just" go to a shelter. This is what we tell survivors subjected to domestic violence. The actual answer is to call the police and have a protective order issued. ON EVERY CALL. (It is far too overwhelming for a woman to comprehend that her husband is abusing her, then to collect items, child's items and find a shelter all to leave everything behind. This misunderstanding is what keeps woman in their abusive situations.)

3B. There needs to be a plan if the police are involved in the intimidation and harassment of a survivor. That the State Police may take over jurisdiction in the case without authorization of the attorney general's office.

4. Domestic violence advocacy centers need to have the power to call shelters and set up placement in the area in which a survivor may need to go. (It is far too overwhelming for a woman, scared, subjected to violence to call around shelters, pack her and her child's things and make an unimaginable amount of phone calls, she, more than likely will not go.)

5. This act shall provide a survivor with automatic unemployment due to loss of job or relocation due to domestic/sexual violence.

6. This act shall provide a survivor with automatic DHS assistance with the loss of job due to domestic/sexual violence.

7. Consolidation with criminal and divorce cases when parties of married due to the continued abuse a survivor is subjected to through family court by her abuser. Survivor granted automatic annulment of marriage*.

8. This act will provide survivors protection under OSHA and other agencies alike for discrimination advocacy in survivors employment due to domestic violence. (Loss time from work associated with assualt, hospitalization and court dates that result in discriminatory acts and *wrongful termination)

9. There needs to be a PLAN for woman that have been abused by a family heavily involved in law enforcement. Any conflict of interest found in the court or law enforcement that may experience bias as human nature, requires an immediate move to another jurisdiction or overseen by the state police.
10. Public defenders are made available for crimes made onto survivors to assist perpetrators in the ability of getting out of jail time. In balance, federal survivor funds need to be allocated to allow survivors of domestic/sexual violence the same favor as it is just and due.

11. Woman of domestic/sexual violence need to be referred to SURVIVORS of domestic/sexual violence. They have survived something horrific.

12. We are survivors. We finally have a voice. If a survivor is stopped from providing a survivor impact statement or uneducated of their rights, (perpetrators are read their rights) the state shall be held accountable. (The survivor usually has hidden the abuse for an extended period of time. Preventing the survivor from speaking once they are finally ready to voice their experiences, shall be seen as a crime, in and of itself with the availability of *sanctions tied to it.)

13. All survivor advocacy centers are to have the survivors rights available, and out in the open, as well as a list of services provided.

13B. If the victim's rights are violated, the advocate will assist the survivor in climbing the chain of command to ensure the proper channels are notified, *sanctions in place.

14. Law enforcement is to not to threaten a survivor in any way or they will be held accountable with *sanctions in place.

15. Civil standby: If a survivor maintains a protective order the survivor holds the right to the ability to give officer all perpetrators items. If the perpetrator feels there is an item missing, the officer shall collect the item. If the item is not in agreement to be turned over, the perpetrator shall wait until court to address the matter.

16. The department of human services must provide a through out investigation without causing further conflict to the survivor and the children involved. If the case is unfounded, it shall be a right of the survivor to exercise the right to appeal the decision as it directly impacts the survivor and children involved. *Sanctions if failed the survivor.

17. The survivor is to be made aware of any and all court date proceedings and times. *Sanctions tied to failing the survivor.

18. The police are to investigate the entire relationship involved in a domestic or sexual violence. Charges and convictions shall reflect the power and control wheel with evidence supporting the allegations: Examples follow: financial control to keep survivor financially unable to leave the perpetrator, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, mental abuse, control, stalking and cyber stalking. All acts shall be compiled in to one charge *(outlined by a new law) and perpetrator shall be held to the highest jail sentence for the level of confinement he had subjected the survivor to.

19. Talk therapy is not for all people and religions. People have their own form of therapy and those involved in their avocation shall seek what is personally best for survivor and find accommodations.

20. Massage therapy shall be a known source of alleviating stress for the survivor as well as assisting the injuries sustained.

21. When a survivor asks the court for an order of protection, it shall not be denied without serious understanding of the situation. (Survivors are subjected to a higher level of violence once they come forth with the truth they have been force to silence. If a person is in fear, they shall never be subjected to the fear or an act of being harmed.)

22. Every court shall have a survivor's advocate on duty that assists the survivor in filling out the correct forms. This advocate may also speak for the survivor at the clerks window and with the judge in assisting the survivors safety measures.

23. Any known person to take advantage for personal gain over another person shall be found in contempt of court.

24. This act shall be coupled with the woman's equal right amendment and shall protect woman and men of all races, nations and sexual orientation.

*The writer of this act has been subjected to a serious amount of disservice and has found the United States has failed her. The "liberty and justice for all" statement saddened her as she feels her case fell through the cracks of the court and was subjected to being further abused by her perpetrator, but also retaliated against by an UN-imaginable amount of people involved in power. The goal of this act is to not only spread awareness, but to STOP violence against all; and most especially to stop the mindset and activity of men working to still keep her "barefoot and pregnant".

Please sign and keep in mind, I could be your daughter. Woman need men, to stand against violence against woman. We need woman, to stand against violence against men; And all genders in-between. WE need to find protection for each other. Sign this petition today, if you believe this act shall be enforced immediately.