Hello Friend,


Happy June! June is dedicated to recognizing and appreciating several different and important issues. We have a lot to celebrate and uplift this month and every month. At POV, we work to embrace and embody inclusion and acceptance as part of our core values.

June is Pride


We stand with the LGBTQIA+ community in celebrating love, diversity, and the power of unity. At POV, we are committed to creating a world where everyone can live authentically, free from violence and discrimination. We are dedicated to providing inclusive support services for survivors of any sexuality or gender identity and educating our community on acceptance and respect.


Did you know?

🔹 LGBTQIA+ individuals are nearly 4X more likely than non-LGBTQIA+ individuals to experience sexual or violent assault

🔹 More than half of trans and nonbinary people have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime


Join us in honoring the courage and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community. Together, we can build a future where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered.

Juneteenth


On June 19th, we celebrate #Juneteenth, marking the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans in 1865. At Peace Over Violence, we stand with the Black community in honoring this day of freedom and resilience. ✊🏿


Let's honor this day all year by learning about the history of oppression and resilience, supporting Black-owned businesses, and advocating for racial justice.

Gun Violence Awareness Month


June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. Gun violence prevention has long been a part of POV’s work, and last year we launched a Gun Violence Awareness campaign as a part of a new grant and partnership with CPEDV and other organzations. Gun violence is pervasive; gun violence is preventable. Gun violence and domestic violence are inextricably linked. Together we must work together to end gun violence in our communities.


Watch POV’s video and check out CPEDV’s Ending Gun Violence website with updated stats and resources.



We won: VOCA lives!


Earlier this month, six POV staff and survivors mobilized with hundreds of advocates and activists to rally on the steps of the California Capitol, urging Governor Newsom and legislators to include funding in the upcoming state budget to support critical services for victims of crime (VOCA), in particular sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. Standing together, they made their voices heard and demanded that elected leadership support victim/survivors by supporting our critical services with funding to replace the federal cuts.


Watch the coverage video.


We are doing everything we can to try to maintain our funding. The California Legislature has included $103 million in ongoing funding in their budget - and the Governor just this weekend has officially included this in the budget! This one-time funding will temporarily help provide necessary services for victim/survivors in California. This comes as a result of advocacy efforts across the state - it worked! This will directly and significantly impact POV - and secure some funding back into our budget. This does not solve all of the funding issues, but it does help us keep going to keep fighting to support our work. There are still many holes in victim services budgets across the state. We remain vigilant and are stepping up our fundraising to make sure our services remain as whole as possible. This is a victory for all of us including victim/survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse and sex trafficking. Take action and support POV and survivors now - stretch your dollars with a donation today.

Join us tomorrow!


Mujeres Fuertes/Strong Women Documentary Screening

Co-hosted by Mujeres Fuertes Autodefensa (Women Empowered Self-Defense) & Peace Over Violence


Wednesday, June 26, 2024

6:30PM—8:30PM

@ Peace Over Violence Metro Headquarters: 1541 Wilshire Blvd, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90017


In Mujeres Fuertes, learn about empowerment self-defense in an inspiring and uplifting documentary set in the beaches and jungles of Costa Rica. Follow along as the four protagonists drive across the country to deliver a dozen training sessions in just two weeks, and learn about sisterhood, transformation and healing through self-defense through their eyes and the stories of the women they meet along the way. View the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bqwAruE86s


The screening will be followed by a Q&A and Empowerment Self-Defense demonstration. Mujeres Fuertes is in Spanish with English subtitles. 


Tickets are free and require RSVPs. Donations are welcomed and will jointly support Mujeres Fuertes Autodefensa and POV’s fundraising efforts. Click the link below to secure your spot today.

Shop POV Pride


Proceeds from each purchase provide critical unrestricted funding as needed, including direct services to LGBTQIA+ survivors, and allowing us to build upon our support by listening and working with our LGBTQIA+ siblings in fighting for liberation.

 

These products reaffirm our support for domestic and sexual violence survivors of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. We know that LGBTQIA+ people experience similar or higher rates of sexual violence compared to cishet people. Transgender people face disproportionate rates of domestic and sexual violence as compared to cisgender people. LGBTQIA+ survivors face heightened barriers when it comes to disclosing their experiences or getting support.

Congratulations to our new Counselor Advocate graduates!


Big congratulations to our Spring 2024 Counselor Advocate graduates! We had a total of 7 Volunteers, 2 Interns, and 1 Professional trainee graduate from this extensive training. They committed to meeting 3 times a week and immersing themselves in various topics ranging from Sexual Assault 101 to Safety Planning with Survivors of Domestic Violence.


Without our volunteers, we are unable to meet the demands of the 24/7 Los Angeles Rape and Battery Hotline and SART Accompaniments. They courageously meet with survivors to provide trauma-informed services and become beacons of hope in their community. If you are interested in supporting survivors in the community, please consider donating your time to many of our volunteer opportunities. For more information please visit https://www.peaceoverviolence.org/volunteer



POV Reads

Our Queerest Century

by the Los Angeles Times

LGBTQ+ people have made tremendous contributions to this country. They cannot be erased. Our Queerest Century explores these 100 years of history and exceptional contributions by LGBTQ+ people through six personal essays by queer writers and a groundbreaking poll gauging the views of adults in California and throughout the country.

Supreme Court upholds law barring domestic abusers from owning guns in major Second Amendment ruling

by John Fritze, CNN

The Supreme Court upheld a federal law [last week] that bars guns for domestic abusers, rejecting an argument pressed by gun rights groups that the prohibition violated the Second Amendment.

Final budget agreement temporarily keeps safety net for crime victims intact

by ValorUS & CPEDV

Last year, Congress tore survivors’ safety net in half with their failure to prevent a 44.7% reduction in crime victims’ services. Governor Newsom and the legislature have temporarily stitched it back together with their commitment to one-time backfill funding, ensuring that for now, victims will receive support during the most traumatic and dangerous times of their lives. 


Reverend James Lawson, Jr.


Lawson was a civil rights warrior, promoter of peace and nonviolent resistance, and an icon for justice. Read more here.


2023 Annual Report


POV’s 2023 Annual Report is now live and available on our website. Check it out today for a full recap and highlights from last year.


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