Dear JOhn,

It feels like January 2020 was two years ago, not 12 months. So some might have forgotten that it was the month of the trial and sentencing of Harvey Weinstein. The destruction he caused is a story rooted not just in his abuse of power, but in the culture and systems that are complicit in the sexual abuse of women and girls. 

The #MeToo movement enabled women to break the silence around their abuse.  Yet #MeToo is too high a burden on adolescent girls.  We know from our work under the Adolescent Girls’ Legal Defense Fund (AGLDF) that girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence -- one in ten girls is raped, 28 girls are married as children every minute, and the majority of victims of sex trafficking are women and girls. This exploitation and abuse is allowed to continue as cultures encourage silence and justice systems are ill-equipped at best to meet the specific needs of girls. The AGLDF works to reform laws and systems so that adolescent girls are better protected, and is one of projects that a gift to our year-end appeal will help fund in 2021.

Athlete A – one example amongst many

The Netflix documentary Athlete A tells the story of the young gymnasts who survived abuse by USA Gymnastics Doctor Larry Nasser and shines a harrowing light on his serial sexual abuse and exposes the toxic culture of elite gymnastics.

But it’s not just the abusers who need to be held to account.

The documentary shows the complicity of individuals and institutions who turned a blind eye, putting winning above the welfare of girls. The culture and system allowed abuse to continue for years. We’ve been talking to the filmmakers and survivors about what could be done through the law to prevent it from happening again, and how culture change and legal change must go hand in hand. 

And we know this is not a one-off case. We're in it for the long haul, as shown by our work these past 17 years on 13 year old Makeda’s case of abduction, rape and forced marriage in Ethiopia that is yet to be finalized at the African Court; our work with 16 year old rape and incest survivor Brisa de Angulo in Bolivia, whose case after nearly two decades is finally at the Inter-American Court. But when finalized, these cases will set important precedents for Africa and the Americas and lead to systems change for girls. Our recent report in India on Dalit women who face extraordinary levels of sexual violence and barriers to justice; our work in Eurasia where girls are discouraged from reporting by the police, also underpin our reform work in these regions.

Each example shows that fundamental reform, starting with the law and legal systems, is needed to change the cultures and systems that allow the abuse of women and girls. 2021 is a chance to put an end to it.

Together we can stand up against systemic abuse and do our part to make a change.

Every girl in the US and around the world should have the support system to protest abuses and access justice. No teenage girl should be accused of ‘tempting’ older men. No-one should be blamed for their own abuse. 

If you agree, then please do give to our year-end appeal. It is critical that girls who are victims of abuse know they are not alone and are never to blame for what happened to them.

Your gift today will help rectify violations of rights through precedent setting cases; campaigns to reform criminal justice systems; and a team of human rights lawyers writing critical best practice laws.

Please give what you can. Together we can make 2021 a break-through year in the fight for equality.

In solidarity, 

Bryna Subherwal
Advocacy Campaign Manager

P.S. Show abusers like Weinstein and Nasser that we won’t stand by. Make a gift today to say ‘enough is enough’. Together we can stand up for the rights of women and girls across the world. Our hearts would swell with pride to have your support this holiday season.