1 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:12,973 Every two minutes, someone in this country 2 00:00:12,973 --> 00:00:14,580 is sexually assaulted. 3 00:00:15,679 --> 00:00:17,879 By the time I finish my opening remarks today, 4 00:00:17,879 --> 00:00:20,518 that will be three more people. 5 00:00:20,518 --> 00:00:23,027 Now, I wish I could stand here and tell you 6 00:00:23,027 --> 00:00:25,079 that in my lifetime, we turned a corner, 7 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:29,199 that the powerful are finally being held to account. 8 00:00:30,338 --> 00:00:32,700 But look at what we've seen. 9 00:00:32,700 --> 00:00:35,060 Jeffrey Epstein's survivors have spent decades 10 00:00:35,060 --> 00:00:37,630 fighting to be heard while powerful men 11 00:00:37,630 --> 00:00:39,320 protect each other. 12 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:41,798 At Cornell, Jane Doe reported two years ago 13 00:00:41,798 --> 00:00:44,628 that seven fraternity brothers assaulted her 14 00:00:44,628 --> 00:00:46,875 over several hours, and she is still 15 00:00:46,875 --> 00:00:48,280 waiting for justice. 16 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,234 And just this weekend, a comedian stood on a national 17 00:00:52,234 --> 00:00:57,368 stage, called women in shorts at the gym whores, and waited for 18 00:00:57,368 --> 00:00:59,859 the world to laugh with him. 19 00:00:59,859 --> 00:01:03,722 Three stories, one clear message to survivors: 20 00:01:03,722 --> 00:01:05,459 We don't believe you. 21 00:01:05,459 --> 00:01:07,120 It doesn't matter. 22 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,140 Our fear and pain is just a joke. 23 00:01:11,799 --> 00:01:13,876 Now, we're here today to sound the alarm that 24 00:01:13,876 --> 00:01:16,120 the federal government is turning that message 25 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,019 into policy. 26 00:01:18,019 --> 00:01:21,635 The administration has proposed cutting the Office of 27 00:01:21,635 --> 00:01:23,680 Violence Against Women by 29%. 28 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,593 It has moved to terminate billions of dollars 29 00:01:26,593 --> 00:01:29,739 in federal grants to hundreds of organizations. 30 00:01:30,739 --> 00:01:32,200 It has cut housing assistance. 31 00:01:33,500 --> 00:01:36,224 It is forcing immigrant survivors to choose 32 00:01:36,224 --> 00:01:39,099 between being unsafe at home and deportation. 33 00:01:40,620 --> 00:01:44,296 Every one of those cuts has an address and too many of 34 00:01:44,296 --> 00:01:47,340 those addresses are right here in Seattle. 35 00:01:48,938 --> 00:01:51,938 Clinics cutting hours, transitional housing, 36 00:01:51,938 --> 00:01:54,938 emergency shelter for survivors at risk, legal 37 00:01:54,938 --> 00:01:58,959 help for refugee and immigrant survivors is drying up. 38 00:02:00,159 --> 00:02:01,500 These aren't distant stories. 39 00:02:01,500 --> 00:02:04,500 These are our neighbors. 40 00:02:04,500 --> 00:02:07,215 And in King County, more than a third of families 41 00:02:07,215 --> 00:02:10,000 seeking emergency shelter are fleeing domestic 42 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:10,620 violence. 43 00:02:11,717 --> 00:02:14,800 Domestic violence makes up nearly one in three cases 44 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,877 Seattle police refer to the city attorney's office. 45 00:02:17,877 --> 00:02:21,437 And in 2019, Seattle has had more cases of missing and 46 00:02:21,437 --> 00:02:25,399 murdered indigenous women and girls than almost any other 47 00:02:25,399 --> 00:02:27,340 city studied in the country. 48 00:02:27,340 --> 00:02:31,156 We know that domestic violence is the single greatest predictor 49 00:02:31,156 --> 00:02:32,639 of future violent crime. 50 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,436 When an abuser has a gun, a woman is six, five times 51 00:02:36,436 --> 00:02:38,377 more likely to be killed. 52 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,514 We cannot be serious about public safety in this city 53 00:02:44,514 --> 00:02:48,520 without also being serious about gender-based violence. 54 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:51,442 And I stand here as your Seattle City Council 55 00:02:51,442 --> 00:02:54,520 member representing the Office of Position 8, 56 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,180 and as a survivor myself. 57 00:02:56,180 --> 00:02:59,377 I know what it costs to say those words out loud, but I 58 00:02:59,377 --> 00:03:03,324 know what it means when someone believes you and when someone is 59 00:03:03,324 --> 00:03:05,258 there to walk alongside of you. 60 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,360 Every survivor in Seattle deserves that. 61 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,038 That means not only the ones with the right lawyer, the right 62 00:03:13,038 --> 00:03:14,877 zip code, or the right papers. 63 00:03:14,877 --> 00:03:16,460 It means every survivor. 64 00:03:17,860 --> 00:03:19,280 Washington, D.C. 65 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,836 may be walking away, but Seattle 66 00:03:21,836 --> 00:03:23,538 will walk alongside. 67 00:03:23,538 --> 00:03:26,960 And that's why this coalition is here today. 68 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,098 Advocates, providers, and survivors standing 69 00:03:30,098 --> 00:03:33,157 together against domestic violence, against 70 00:03:33,157 --> 00:03:36,300 sexual assault, and against sex trafficking. 71 00:03:36,300 --> 00:03:38,686 So today, we launch Seattle Stands with 72 00:03:38,686 --> 00:03:40,060 Survivors Every Step. 73 00:03:41,460 --> 00:03:45,941 We are asking for $8 million in ongoing funding in the 2027-2028 74 00:03:45,941 --> 00:03:49,560 budget for survivor services, accountability and justice, 75 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:50,979 and prevention investments. 76 00:03:50,979 --> 00:03:54,538 And because we know that this budget year is tighter than 77 00:03:54,538 --> 00:03:58,268 ever, whatever we do not win this year, we will be back 78 00:03:58,268 --> 00:04:01,866 next year and the following year until we win. 79 00:04:01,866 --> 00:04:03,580 Let's talk a little bit about 80 00:04:03,580 --> 00:04:05,937 what kind of investments we're looking at. 81 00:04:05,937 --> 00:04:08,484 First for survivor services. 82 00:04:08,484 --> 00:04:11,818 What survivors need most is often 83 00:04:11,818 --> 00:04:15,781 simple: a deposit on an apartment, a bus pass, 84 00:04:15,781 --> 00:04:17,841 childcare for a court date. 85 00:04:17,841 --> 00:04:21,622 Mobile advocacy and flexible financial assistance, meet 86 00:04:21,622 --> 00:04:24,319 survivors where they are, and trust them to decide 87 00:04:24,319 --> 00:04:25,439 what they need. 88 00:04:25,439 --> 00:04:27,504 That trust is the difference 89 00:04:27,504 --> 00:04:29,798 between a program and a lifeline. 90 00:04:29,798 --> 00:04:32,574 We'll invest in counseling for survivors and 91 00:04:32,574 --> 00:04:36,588 their children, medical care and support groups, and where 92 00:04:36,588 --> 00:04:38,514 people can heal together. 93 00:04:38,514 --> 00:04:42,259 And as federal funding for housing vouchers and survivor 94 00:04:42,259 --> 00:04:45,060 shelters gets clawed back, we'll expand rental 95 00:04:45,060 --> 00:04:47,774 assistance and rapid rehousing because no one should 96 00:04:47,774 --> 00:04:50,923 have to choose between an abusive home and no home 97 00:04:50,923 --> 00:04:51,487 at all. 98 00:04:51,487 --> 00:04:55,160 We need programming for Native survivors, for 99 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,144 queer and trans survivors, and for immigrant survivors. 100 00:04:58,144 --> 00:05:00,233 Last year alone our hotlines funded through 101 00:05:00,233 --> 00:05:02,579 the Seattle Human Services Department answered more 102 00:05:02,579 --> 00:05:06,555 than 1,700 calls from survivors with limited English 103 00:05:06,555 --> 00:05:10,600 proficiency. Every one of them deserves someone who 104 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,225 speaks their language picking up that phone. 105 00:05:14,225 --> 00:05:16,742 Now our second bucket is accountability 106 00:05:16,742 --> 00:05:17,504 and justice. 107 00:05:17,504 --> 00:05:19,240 Too often when survivors come 108 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,838 forward the system meets them with doubts. 109 00:05:21,838 --> 00:05:23,860 They get blamed, questioned, and 110 00:05:23,860 --> 00:05:25,778 sometimes even prosecuted. 111 00:05:25,778 --> 00:05:29,220 Survivors deserve an advocate beside them at every 112 00:05:29,220 --> 00:05:32,610 step. That means more sexual assault nurse examiners 113 00:05:32,610 --> 00:05:35,802 so no one waits for hours for care after the worst 114 00:05:35,802 --> 00:05:39,680 night of their life and someone who's calling to check in 115 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:41,040 weeks later. 116 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,500 It means legal aid and legal advocacy across 117 00:05:43,500 --> 00:05:46,360 criminal, civil, and family court where survivors 118 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,459 fight for custody, protection orders, and their futures. 119 00:05:50,519 --> 00:05:53,898 I do want to be very clear that not every survivor will pursue 120 00:05:53,898 --> 00:05:57,095 justice and accountability through the criminal legal 121 00:05:57,095 --> 00:06:00,040 system. So investment into culturally responsive 122 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,161 restorative justice alternatives is a part of this 123 00:06:03,161 --> 00:06:06,100 strategy. But as it stands right now, our system is 124 00:06:06,100 --> 00:06:08,920 simply not resourced enough to give survivors the 125 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,415 dignity of having a choice on how they want to pursue 126 00:06:12,415 --> 00:06:13,391 that justice. 127 00:06:13,391 --> 00:06:15,701 And our third area is prevention. 128 00:06:15,701 --> 00:06:18,685 Gender-based violence is not inevitable. 129 00:06:18,685 --> 00:06:21,932 It is learned, which means it can be unlearned, 130 00:06:21,932 --> 00:06:25,519 and it also means it can be stopped before it starts. 131 00:06:25,519 --> 00:06:27,980 So we'll work with the Department of Education 132 00:06:27,980 --> 00:06:30,439 and Early Learning and Seattle Public Schools 133 00:06:30,439 --> 00:06:33,435 to bring healthy relationship and consent education 134 00:06:33,435 --> 00:06:35,899 into classrooms and sports teams and clubs. 135 00:06:35,899 --> 00:06:39,012 We'll fund bystander intervention training so all 136 00:06:39,012 --> 00:06:41,831 of us know how to step in, and we'll fund public awareness 137 00:06:41,831 --> 00:06:44,420 campaigns so every survivor in this city knows where to turn. 138 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,769 If we want a generation that doesn't laugh along 139 00:06:48,769 --> 00:06:51,740 when someone makes jokes punching down at women 140 00:06:51,740 --> 00:06:54,843 and girls, whether it be on national TV or in a 141 00:06:54,843 --> 00:06:57,360 locker room, we'll have to teach it. 142 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,278 So whatever we don't win in this 143 00:06:59,278 --> 00:07:01,567 year's budget, we will be back next year. 144 00:07:01,567 --> 00:07:03,319 And I want to also announce that 145 00:07:03,319 --> 00:07:06,560 I will be sponsoring a statement of legislative 146 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,800 intent to coordinate and align this work across 147 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:11,216 the city over the next year. 148 00:07:11,216 --> 00:07:13,064 And as chair over the Human Services 149 00:07:13,064 --> 00:07:15,903 Committee, I will make sure this gets the sustained 150 00:07:15,903 --> 00:07:17,610 attention that it deserves. 151 00:07:17,610 --> 00:07:20,100 I want to be clear that this is a multi-year 152 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:23,526 campaign and I am committed to this work through the 153 00:07:23,526 --> 00:07:27,057 end of my term on Seattle City Council and for the 154 00:07:27,057 --> 00:07:29,963 time that will continue after that. 155 00:07:29,963 --> 00:07:32,490 And I want to also uplift that we did not 156 00:07:32,490 --> 00:07:33,468 build this alone. 157 00:07:33,468 --> 00:07:35,420 The Coalition Ending Gender-Based 158 00:07:35,420 --> 00:07:38,274 Violence who is here today, a membership organization 159 00:07:38,274 --> 00:07:40,997 representing more than 30 organizations doing the 160 00:07:40,997 --> 00:07:43,519 work day in and day out, has built this campaign 161 00:07:43,519 --> 00:07:44,334 alongside us. 162 00:07:44,334 --> 00:07:46,571 These are the people who walk alongside 163 00:07:46,571 --> 00:07:48,447 and answer the phone at 2:00 a.m. 164 00:07:48,447 --> 00:07:50,939 I want to thank the elected officials who 165 00:07:50,939 --> 00:07:54,079 are here standing with us today, my colleagues on 166 00:07:54,079 --> 00:07:57,838 Seattle City Council, Councilmember Foster who is also 167 00:07:57,838 --> 00:08:00,187 vice chair of the Human Services Committee, 168 00:08:00,187 --> 00:08:02,841 Councilmember Eddie Lin representing District 2 169 00:08:02,841 --> 00:08:05,420 where the majority of these organizations doing 170 00:08:05,420 --> 00:08:08,595 the work are as well as public safety chair Kettle thank 171 00:08:08,595 --> 00:08:10,319 you for standing with us today 172 00:08:11,939 --> 00:08:15,286 I would like to thank also King County council member 173 00:08:15,286 --> 00:08:18,249 Jorge Barón for being here school board member Topp 174 00:08:18,249 --> 00:08:19,860 wherever you are there you are 175 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:25,899 as well as state representative Farivar and city attorney Evans 176 00:08:27,860 --> 00:08:32,115 Every survivor who comes forward takes the risk of not 177 00:08:32,115 --> 00:08:36,750 being believed, and Seattle's answer has to be, we believe 178 00:08:36,750 --> 00:08:39,019 you, and we're there for you. 179 00:08:39,019 --> 00:08:42,038 Seattle stands with survivors every step. 180 00:08:42,038 --> 00:08:45,480 And so now I want to make sure that you hear today from 181 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,000 the organizations that are doing this work day in and 182 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,759 day out, our key partners. 183 00:08:50,759 --> 00:08:53,821 Survivors don't experience the city, county, state, or 184 00:08:53,821 --> 00:08:56,879 our schools separately, so we need to, we can't fix those 185 00:08:56,879 --> 00:08:59,812 systems separately, which is why I'm so proud there's 186 00:08:59,812 --> 00:09:01,440 a strong coalition together. 187 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,950 So our speakers today represent the broad swath of people 188 00:09:04,950 --> 00:09:08,312 engaged in this work, and they will speak to the current 189 00:09:08,312 --> 00:09:11,822 status of the system, what is facing our system, and where 190 00:09:11,822 --> 00:09:13,360 we'd like to go together. 191 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:15,725 Now at this point, I would like to hand it over to 192 00:09:15,725 --> 00:09:17,793 our Seattle City Attorney, Erika Evans. 193 00:09:17,793 --> 00:09:18,340 Thank you. 194 00:09:20,658 --> 00:09:27,778 Thank you, Council Member Rinck. 195 00:09:30,259 --> 00:09:33,562 Hi everyone, my name is Erika Evans and I'm your elected 196 00:09:33,562 --> 00:09:35,000 Seattle City Attorney. 197 00:09:36,798 --> 00:09:41,960 A year ago when I was campaigning for this role, I was 198 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,788 very clear, very clear that to the survivors of 199 00:09:45,788 --> 00:09:46,620 domestic violence 200 00:09:47,658 --> 00:09:51,798 that they deserve to be heard and to be seen. 201 00:09:51,798 --> 00:09:56,240 And so when I took this role at the beginning of January, 202 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:59,038 frankly, I was sad. 203 00:09:59,038 --> 00:10:02,860 Sad to learn that I inherited a 5,000 case backlog 204 00:10:04,158 --> 00:10:06,480 and that out of those 5,000 cases, 205 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:10,057 1,700 of them were domestic violence cases. 206 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:16,798 That's 1,700 survivors and families, 207 00:10:16,798 --> 00:10:19,820 1,700 lives awaiting justice. 208 00:10:21,759 --> 00:10:24,171 Since taking office, I've restructured our 209 00:10:24,171 --> 00:10:25,538 domestic violence unit. 210 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,200 We've assigned an additional prosecutor on the team, 211 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,057 and they have switched slowly to a vertical model, 212 00:10:33,057 --> 00:10:36,115 meaning that those prosecutors are the ones to have the 213 00:10:36,115 --> 00:10:39,379 case from start to finish, from filing to trying 214 00:10:39,379 --> 00:10:40,879 the case in court. 215 00:10:40,879 --> 00:10:44,240 But what is very clear that when we see administration 216 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,187 after administration of the city attorney's 217 00:10:47,187 --> 00:10:50,513 office carrying backlogs, there is an absolute need 218 00:10:50,513 --> 00:10:53,600 for more prosecutors in the city attorney's office. 219 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:59,379 A few months ago, I sat down with a survivor 220 00:10:59,379 --> 00:11:01,240 of domestic violence. 221 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,500 And to protect her identity, I will call her Sarah. 222 00:11:07,278 --> 00:11:11,855 And in Sarah's case, my administration charged domestic 223 00:11:11,855 --> 00:11:14,240 violence against her abuser. 224 00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,850 And what Sarah said sitting across from me in my office, 225 00:11:17,850 --> 00:11:21,538 she asked me why it took almost two years for her case to be 226 00:11:21,538 --> 00:11:23,499 filed and for it to go to trial. 227 00:11:24,557 --> 00:11:28,182 She said waiting two years made her feel as if Seattle didn't 228 00:11:28,182 --> 00:11:30,139 care about what happened to her. 229 00:11:32,177 --> 00:11:36,793 Another thing as I listened to Sarah is I heard how she 230 00:11:36,793 --> 00:11:39,100 felt through the process. 231 00:11:39,100 --> 00:11:43,120 There was so many resources being given to the abuser. 232 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:47,182 As she showed me the scar across her forehead from him, she 233 00:11:47,182 --> 00:11:50,644 said there was an attorney for He was getting the 234 00:11:50,644 --> 00:11:54,320 ability to get counseling and anger management. 235 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,278 But what about her? 236 00:11:56,278 --> 00:11:59,850 What services were available for her as she was going through 237 00:11:59,850 --> 00:12:03,700 the process being the one that was abused and traumatized. 238 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,754 I knew I needed to come speak with you all today 239 00:12:16,754 --> 00:12:19,000 and stand with these leaders 240 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,605 to tell Sarah that her story mattered, that she 241 00:12:23,605 --> 00:12:25,980 mattered, and that her voice mattered. 242 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,062 With the federal cuts that Councilmember Rinck has said 243 00:12:35,062 --> 00:12:38,836 are clear that are coming and have already cut survivor 244 00:12:38,836 --> 00:12:42,639 services, it is incumbent on us to making sure we 245 00:12:42,639 --> 00:12:45,812 are standing up and doing everything we can for 246 00:12:45,812 --> 00:12:47,980 survivors of domestic violence. 247 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,431 So to Council Members Foster, Council Member Lin, Council 248 00:12:54,431 --> 00:12:58,628 Member Rinck, and Council Member Kettle and the other leaders 249 00:12:58,628 --> 00:13:02,519 and our partners that are here today, I'm grateful that each 250 00:13:02,519 --> 00:13:05,465 one of you is recognizing the need for meaningful 251 00:13:05,465 --> 00:13:07,620 interventions in survivor safety. 252 00:13:09,658 --> 00:13:12,759 Because when we work together, there is hope. 253 00:13:14,677 --> 00:13:17,216 And I'm optimistic about the great things 254 00:13:17,216 --> 00:13:20,120 that we can accomplish together as a coalition. 255 00:13:21,620 --> 00:13:26,916 And so on that very note, I am so excited to turn things over 256 00:13:26,916 --> 00:13:32,211 to Councilmember Dionne Foster, who has some breaking news 257 00:13:32,211 --> 00:13:34,639 to share with us all today. 258 00:13:34,639 --> 00:13:35,620 Councilmember Foster. 259 00:13:40,740 --> 00:13:42,139 Good morning, everyone. 260 00:13:42,139 --> 00:13:45,701 And first, let me just express my immense gratitude to 261 00:13:45,701 --> 00:13:48,870 you, Councilmember Rinck, for your leadership, for your 262 00:13:48,870 --> 00:13:51,418 commitment, and to all of the survivors who are here with 263 00:13:51,418 --> 00:13:54,072 us today, all of the community groups who have been fighting 264 00:13:54,072 --> 00:13:56,620 for justice for people for so long. 265 00:13:56,620 --> 00:14:00,720 We stand here with you, but we also stand here because of you. 266 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:02,615 And thank you so much City Attorney Evans 267 00:14:02,615 --> 00:14:03,620 for your leadership. 268 00:14:04,658 --> 00:14:07,013 As we've heard today and as we'll hear more from 269 00:14:07,013 --> 00:14:09,725 speakers this morning, survivors of all forms of 270 00:14:09,725 --> 00:14:12,879 gender-based violence are facing an uphill battle, 271 00:14:12,879 --> 00:14:15,918 not just here in Seattle but across the country. 272 00:14:15,918 --> 00:14:20,230 And whether that violence takes the form of assault, stalking, 273 00:14:20,230 --> 00:14:23,149 rape, or any other crime, it has no place 274 00:14:23,149 --> 00:14:24,658 in our community. 275 00:14:24,658 --> 00:14:26,950 And our approach to addressing this violence 276 00:14:26,950 --> 00:14:29,298 has to be multifaceted, as Councilmember Rinck 277 00:14:29,298 --> 00:14:30,620 already spoke to. 278 00:14:30,620 --> 00:14:33,591 That means we need strong investments in prevention, 279 00:14:33,591 --> 00:14:36,100 in victim services, transitional housing to 280 00:14:36,100 --> 00:14:37,538 support survivors. 281 00:14:37,538 --> 00:14:42,274 And it also means that we need to have a comprehensive approach 282 00:14:42,274 --> 00:14:44,278 when a crime is committed. 283 00:14:44,278 --> 00:14:47,311 We need to make sure that when someone is referred 284 00:14:47,311 --> 00:14:50,639 for prosecution, victims aren't waiting months for a 285 00:14:50,639 --> 00:14:54,038 decision about whether or not their case will proceed. 286 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,913 To have a comprehensive approach means that victims 287 00:14:58,913 --> 00:15:01,899 know that when they've experienced domestic violence, 288 00:15:01,899 --> 00:15:05,495 when they've called somebody for help, that their case 289 00:15:05,495 --> 00:15:08,014 is going to be reviewed, that their case is going 290 00:15:08,014 --> 00:15:09,639 to have the opportunity to move forward, 291 00:15:09,639 --> 00:15:12,820 and that it won't sit and wait two years to see justice. 292 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:16,538 There are real consequences for that wait. 293 00:15:16,538 --> 00:15:19,552 When a case is filed 14 months after the fact, that means 294 00:15:19,552 --> 00:15:22,701 survivors are left to try to keep themselves safe without 295 00:15:22,701 --> 00:15:25,979 the tools that the criminal legal system provides for them. 296 00:15:27,057 --> 00:15:28,798 And that's not justice. 297 00:15:28,798 --> 00:15:31,451 But unfortunately, that is what's happening today with 298 00:15:31,451 --> 00:15:34,220 the case backlog that City Attorney Evans just described. 299 00:15:35,340 --> 00:15:38,652 And I believe we have a responsibility to address 300 00:15:38,652 --> 00:15:42,447 this and to ensure that these cases, as well as the almost 301 00:15:42,447 --> 00:15:46,163 5,000 other cases that are sitting in this backlog, are 302 00:15:46,163 --> 00:15:49,961 reviewed and a thoughtful decision is made to determine 303 00:15:49,961 --> 00:15:51,740 how to proceed with those. 304 00:15:51,740 --> 00:15:54,620 That's why this fall I'll be proposing a one-time 305 00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:57,360 budget add in the budget process to help address 306 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,514 this backlog and ensure that these cases are reviewed in a 307 00:16:00,514 --> 00:16:03,778 timely manner so that they can proceed and that victims can 308 00:16:03,778 --> 00:16:07,557 actually receive accountability and justice through our system. 309 00:16:07,557 --> 00:16:08,399 Each one of those cases... 310 00:16:09,418 --> 00:16:10,700 I heard the Erika clap. 311 00:16:14,259 --> 00:16:17,399 Each one of those cases is a person, and each one 312 00:16:17,399 --> 00:16:20,220 of those cases deserves a person to review 313 00:16:20,220 --> 00:16:23,360 the evidence, determine the appropriate action, and make a 314 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,700 thoughtful referral decision in a timely manner. 315 00:16:26,700 --> 00:16:29,326 That decision should be made by a skilled professional, and 316 00:16:29,326 --> 00:16:32,644 we shouldn't risk the statute of limitations running 317 00:16:32,644 --> 00:16:36,139 out on very serious public safety cases, the things that 318 00:16:36,139 --> 00:16:38,831 are some of the most important decisions that we make at the 319 00:16:38,831 --> 00:16:41,500 local level, domestic violence and DUIs. 320 00:16:41,500 --> 00:16:44,730 So I'm really looking forward to this budget action this fall, 321 00:16:44,730 --> 00:16:47,302 but also the long-term work and the collaboration 322 00:16:47,302 --> 00:16:49,413 that's going to be needed to ensure that we 323 00:16:49,413 --> 00:16:51,884 receive and we have a full and a comprehensive 324 00:16:51,884 --> 00:16:53,019 vision of justice. 325 00:16:53,019 --> 00:16:53,298 Thank you. 326 00:16:55,340 --> 00:17:01,980 Thank you so much, Councilmember Foster. 327 00:17:01,980 --> 00:17:04,824 And now at this time, I'd like to invite up some of our 328 00:17:04,824 --> 00:17:08,125 key partners in this work, Amaranthia Torres and Leah 329 00:17:08,125 --> 00:17:12,057 Aroman from the Coalition Ending Gender-Based Violence. 330 00:17:21,740 --> 00:17:22,355 Thank you. 331 00:17:22,355 --> 00:17:23,592 It's great to be here. 332 00:17:23,592 --> 00:17:26,199 Thank you Councilmember Rinck so much for your 333 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,423 leadership in Standing with Survivors and your 334 00:17:28,423 --> 00:17:31,884 partnership on this exciting Thank you to Council Member 335 00:17:31,884 --> 00:17:36,019 Foster and to City Attorney Evans for standing with us. 336 00:17:36,019 --> 00:17:37,140 Oh, you can't hear. 337 00:17:37,140 --> 00:17:38,617 Oh, the mic is off. 338 00:17:38,617 --> 00:17:39,857 Thank you, Kira. 339 00:17:39,857 --> 00:17:40,380 How about now? 340 00:17:40,380 --> 00:17:41,136 Can you hear me now? 341 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:46,680 Technical difficulties. 342 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:47,380 Bear with us. 343 00:17:48,700 --> 00:17:51,038 This is why you need advocates in the audience. 344 00:17:51,038 --> 00:17:52,019 Just need to talk louder. 345 00:17:53,057 --> 00:17:55,107 This is why you need advocates in the room with 346 00:17:55,107 --> 00:17:57,105 you, is they can flag what's going on and help 347 00:17:57,105 --> 00:17:58,401 you understand and guide us. 348 00:17:58,401 --> 00:17:58,977 Thank you. 349 00:17:58,977 --> 00:18:00,131 Okay, I'll try again. 350 00:18:00,131 --> 00:18:03,076 Thank you, Councilmember Rinck, for your leadership in 351 00:18:03,077 --> 00:18:05,384 standing with survivors and your partnership on 352 00:18:05,384 --> 00:18:06,566 this exciting campaign. 353 00:18:06,566 --> 00:18:09,559 Thank you to Councilmember Foster and City Attorney Evans 354 00:18:09,559 --> 00:18:12,900 for standing with us, and thank you to all the elected leaders 355 00:18:12,900 --> 00:18:15,872 and member programs here today for your support. 356 00:18:15,872 --> 00:18:18,700 It will take all of us working together to truly 357 00:18:18,700 --> 00:18:21,500 end gender-based violence in our communities and 358 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:24,519 your presence here today is meaningful to us in 359 00:18:24,519 --> 00:18:25,509 that effort. 360 00:18:25,509 --> 00:18:28,298 In the book Truth and Repair renowned 361 00:18:28,298 --> 00:18:31,249 trauma expert Judith Herman states survivors 362 00:18:31,249 --> 00:18:33,778 want the truth to be recognized and the crime to 363 00:18:33,778 --> 00:18:36,357 be denounced by those in their communities who matter 364 00:18:36,357 --> 00:18:39,529 to them but this means that survivors must actually 365 00:18:39,529 --> 00:18:42,096 matter to their wider communities. 366 00:18:42,096 --> 00:18:45,191 Our work as a coalition is to care for 367 00:18:45,191 --> 00:18:49,298 and mobilize over 30 local programs who build communities, 368 00:18:49,298 --> 00:18:52,057 who work to build communities where survivors and 369 00:18:52,057 --> 00:18:54,346 their experiences actually matter. 370 00:18:54,346 --> 00:18:57,000 We are so grateful to be surrounded by those 371 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:01,482 member programs here today and it's what our work 372 00:19:01,482 --> 00:19:02,881 is in this field. 373 00:19:02,881 --> 00:19:05,269 Local programs support survivors 374 00:19:05,269 --> 00:19:08,337 of sexual assault, domestic violence, and trafficking 375 00:19:08,337 --> 00:19:11,576 every step of the way so they aren't alone in their journey 376 00:19:11,576 --> 00:19:14,077 towards safety, justice, and healing. 377 00:19:14,077 --> 00:19:16,298 They go to court and they go to hospitals. 378 00:19:16,298 --> 00:19:19,220 They work with landlords, police, and schools. 379 00:19:19,220 --> 00:19:20,577 They lead support groups. 380 00:19:20,577 --> 00:19:21,920 They safety plan. 381 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,180 They bear witness. 382 00:19:23,180 --> 00:19:24,337 They hold space. 383 00:19:26,960 --> 00:19:30,997 This work, we know that this work is vital, but that the 384 00:19:30,997 --> 00:19:35,053 funding landscape doesn't even come close to meeting 385 00:19:35,053 --> 00:19:36,960 the scale of the problem. 386 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:41,420 And as you'll hear from the speakers today, local providers 387 00:19:41,420 --> 00:19:44,950 are facing unprecedented cuts at a scale we've 388 00:19:44,950 --> 00:19:46,440 never seen before. 389 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:50,824 As programs cut back on staff and core services, it is really 390 00:19:50,824 --> 00:19:54,855 imperative in our field and the survivors who depend on 391 00:19:54,855 --> 00:19:58,979 it to have a long-term and sustainable plan for funding. 392 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,173 So, we're asking, let's invest in gender-based 393 00:20:04,173 --> 00:20:07,817 violence-specific prevention so we can shift 394 00:20:07,817 --> 00:20:10,846 the conditions that allow abuses of power and 395 00:20:10,846 --> 00:20:12,920 objectification to flourish. 396 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,410 Let's invest in legal advocacy so survivors are guided 397 00:20:16,410 --> 00:20:19,534 through the various pathways to justice, whatever that 398 00:20:19,534 --> 00:20:20,337 might be for them. 399 00:20:21,357 --> 00:20:25,739 And let's invest in survivor services so that courageous 400 00:20:25,739 --> 00:20:29,479 disclosure of abuse are met with robust support. 401 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:35,232 These investments equal public safety and meaningful 402 00:20:35,232 --> 00:20:40,057 support to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, 403 00:20:40,057 --> 00:20:43,419 and trafficking is a fundamental responsibility 404 00:20:43,419 --> 00:20:45,019 of a healthy community. 405 00:20:46,117 --> 00:20:49,950 Survivors deserve a wider community where they truly 406 00:20:49,950 --> 00:20:53,097 matter and let's work together to make it so. 407 00:20:53,097 --> 00:20:54,726 Thank you. 408 00:20:54,726 --> 00:20:56,351 Thank you. 409 00:20:56,351 --> 00:20:59,058 Thank you so much. 410 00:20:59,058 --> 00:21:04,298 Next up we will hear from the Sexual 411 00:21:04,298 --> 00:21:05,767 Violence Law Center. 412 00:21:05,767 --> 00:21:08,617 We will have Riddhi Mukhopadhyay join us. 413 00:21:08,617 --> 00:21:09,499 Perfect. Thank you. 414 00:21:09,500 --> 00:21:09,798 Thank you. 415 00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:18,278 Good morning, everyone. 416 00:21:18,278 --> 00:21:19,940 Thank you, council members. 417 00:21:19,940 --> 00:21:21,980 Thank you, city attorney Evans. 418 00:21:21,980 --> 00:21:22,836 Thank you, Rep. 419 00:21:22,837 --> 00:21:25,837 Farivar, for being here and for standing with survivors today 420 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,317 and with the Sexual Violence Law Center, 421 00:21:29,317 --> 00:21:32,659 where we provide free legal services and representation 422 00:21:32,660 --> 00:21:36,519 to survivors of all forms of gender-based violence. 423 00:21:36,519 --> 00:21:40,133 And I want to start my portion of the program 424 00:21:40,133 --> 00:21:41,837 with a number: 19.7. 425 00:21:43,117 --> 00:21:46,929 That's the average number of legal problems a 426 00:21:46,929 --> 00:21:51,439 Seattle resident who has survived domestic violence 427 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:53,577 or sexual assault will experience. 428 00:21:54,660 --> 00:21:58,486 almost three times more than what the average low-income 429 00:21:58,486 --> 00:22:00,239 person would experience. 430 00:22:01,617 --> 00:22:03,380 So think about that. 431 00:22:03,380 --> 00:22:06,480 Not just one problem, nearly 20 problems. 432 00:22:07,617 --> 00:22:10,479 So imagine your house is on fire, 433 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,240 and while you are trying to save yourself and your kids, 434 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,759 the bank is calling you, your landlord sends 435 00:22:17,759 --> 00:22:21,480 an eviction notice, ICE is barging down at your 436 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:26,356 door, your boss wants proof that your house is still burning, 437 00:22:26,357 --> 00:22:30,194 and the person who set your house on fire is now telling 438 00:22:30,194 --> 00:22:34,256 everyone that you are the reason the fire got started. 439 00:22:34,256 --> 00:22:36,596 That's what survivors face. 440 00:22:36,596 --> 00:22:40,597 Protection orders, custody hearings, housing, 441 00:22:40,597 --> 00:22:44,856 immigration, debts in their name that someone else ran up. 442 00:22:44,856 --> 00:22:49,112 And nearly 80% of survivors are forced to face these critical 443 00:22:49,112 --> 00:22:52,617 legal needs because they cannot afford an attorney. 444 00:22:52,617 --> 00:22:55,630 We've all watched what happens when systems meant 445 00:22:55,630 --> 00:22:57,278 to protect survivors fail. 446 00:22:58,538 --> 00:23:02,961 From Brock Turner to Bill Cosby, from Jerry Sandusky to Larry 447 00:23:02,961 --> 00:23:07,519 Nassar, from Harvey Weinstein to Jeffrey Epstein, their 448 00:23:07,519 --> 00:23:12,960 victims were, and some continue to be, silenced, ignored, and 449 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:17,576 dismissed. And now, Cornell's Jane Doe, 450 00:23:17,576 --> 00:23:23,180 raped by seven men with nearly 50 more complicit. 451 00:23:23,180 --> 00:23:27,152 At every turn, she's been failed by systems and institutions 452 00:23:27,152 --> 00:23:30,440 with an obligation to protect her. 453 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,596 Different cases, same lesson. 454 00:23:33,999 --> 00:23:38,259 Survivors cannot rely on the criminal system alone. 455 00:23:38,259 --> 00:23:43,097 Justice denied shows up costing more and hurting more. 456 00:23:43,097 --> 00:23:45,913 That's why community programs and legal 457 00:23:45,913 --> 00:23:47,817 services like ours matter. 458 00:23:47,817 --> 00:23:51,442 It's the collaborative network here that quietly 459 00:23:51,442 --> 00:23:55,239 keeps people housed, safe, employed, and in school. 460 00:23:56,278 --> 00:23:59,440 We don't make the headlines, but we do make the difference. 461 00:24:00,896 --> 00:24:02,875 This funding is common sense. 462 00:24:02,875 --> 00:24:05,798 When a survivor can access an SVLC attorney, 463 00:24:05,798 --> 00:24:09,278 outcomes are better for both them and the community. 464 00:24:09,278 --> 00:24:12,467 A survivor who is protected can work. 465 00:24:12,467 --> 00:24:15,857 A child in a safe home can stay in school. 466 00:24:15,857 --> 00:24:18,419 And the stakes here in Seattle are real. 467 00:24:19,419 --> 00:24:24,144 Last year, funding allowed SVLC to provide services to 468 00:24:24,144 --> 00:24:27,019 over 1,300 survivors statewide. 469 00:24:27,019 --> 00:24:33,038 400 of them were here in the Seattle metropolitan area. 470 00:24:33,038 --> 00:24:35,961 Civil legal aid is a quiet infrastructure of safety, 471 00:24:35,961 --> 00:24:37,356 privacy, and stability. 472 00:24:38,577 --> 00:24:41,557 And when it isn't available, the harm doesn't disappear. 473 00:24:41,557 --> 00:24:45,480 it shows up in shelters, emergency rooms, and courtrooms, 474 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:48,219 and at a greater cost and greater pain. 475 00:24:48,220 --> 00:24:54,057 So our ask is simple for Seattle, invest in survivors. 476 00:24:54,057 --> 00:24:57,557 It's a difference between a survivor who gets safety, 477 00:24:57,557 --> 00:25:01,490 stays housed and rebuilds, and one who continues 478 00:25:01,490 --> 00:25:04,309 to be harmed because basic services 479 00:25:04,309 --> 00:25:05,616 are not funded. 480 00:25:05,616 --> 00:25:08,000 And for some, it's literally the difference 481 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:09,958 between life and death. 482 00:25:09,958 --> 00:25:10,836 Thank you. 483 00:25:12,939 --> 00:25:15,423 Thank you, Riddhi. 484 00:25:15,423 --> 00:25:20,067 Next we'll hear from Rhea Yo from 485 00:25:20,067 --> 00:25:24,625 Legal Counsel for Youth and Children. 486 00:25:24,625 --> 00:25:26,038 Rhea, there you are. 487 00:25:26,038 --> 00:25:26,616 Please. 488 00:25:29,739 --> 00:25:32,442 Good morning, my name is Rhea and I'm the Executive 489 00:25:32,442 --> 00:25:35,278 Director for Legal Counsel for Youth and Children, 490 00:25:35,278 --> 00:25:38,105 where we protect the interests and safety of youth in 491 00:25:38,105 --> 00:25:41,038 Washington by advancing their legal rights. 492 00:25:41,038 --> 00:25:43,574 We accomplish our mission through direct legal 493 00:25:43,574 --> 00:25:46,298 representation, strong community partnerships, 494 00:25:46,298 --> 00:25:48,259 and systemic advocacy. 495 00:25:48,259 --> 00:25:51,738 Last year, we represented over 1,000 youth and young 496 00:25:51,738 --> 00:25:55,769 adults across Washington State through four program areas, 497 00:25:55,769 --> 00:25:59,960 child welfare, juvenile court, youth and family immigration, 498 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:01,617 and youth homelessness. 499 00:26:01,617 --> 00:26:05,001 LCYC also receives funding from the City of Seattle 500 00:26:05,001 --> 00:26:06,499 to support survivors. 501 00:26:06,499 --> 00:26:12,376 That has allowed us to provide legal support to over 150 youth. 502 00:26:12,376 --> 00:26:18,298 Of the youth we've served, 36% were LGBTQIA, 16% identified 503 00:26:18,298 --> 00:26:22,573 as X or other gender identity, demonstrating the 504 00:26:22,573 --> 00:26:26,759 over-representation of LGBTQ youth in need of our services. 505 00:26:26,759 --> 00:26:30,499 The vast majority of those youth were under 18. 506 00:26:30,499 --> 00:26:33,828 So these are child survivors needing to access 507 00:26:33,828 --> 00:26:37,019 court and legal systems because they are survivors 508 00:26:37,019 --> 00:26:38,499 of gender-based violence. 509 00:26:39,557 --> 00:26:43,288 40% of youth experiencing homelessness served by 510 00:26:43,288 --> 00:26:46,837 LCYC have also experienced domestic violence. 511 00:26:46,837 --> 00:26:49,394 LGBTQIA youth are disproportionately 512 00:26:49,394 --> 00:26:52,769 likely to become homeless as a result of conflict 513 00:26:52,769 --> 00:26:56,200 and lack of support due to parental rejection. 514 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:59,317 It is estimated that 40% of youth experiencing 515 00:26:59,317 --> 00:27:02,596 homelessness in the United States are LGBTQIA+. 516 00:27:03,896 --> 00:27:07,652 Beyond youth homelessness, we know that gender-based violence 517 00:27:07,652 --> 00:27:10,919 is also disproportionately experienced by immigrants 518 00:27:10,919 --> 00:27:12,239 without legal status. 519 00:27:13,939 --> 00:27:17,249 They do not have access to the breadth of resources that 520 00:27:17,249 --> 00:27:19,116 help survivors access safety. 521 00:27:19,116 --> 00:27:22,451 For instance, undocumented clients cannot receive federal 522 00:27:22,451 --> 00:27:26,538 benefits such as Social Security Survivors Benefits or SSI. 523 00:27:26,538 --> 00:27:29,813 They cannot apply for housing vouchers dispersed through HUD, 524 00:27:29,813 --> 00:27:32,678 including vouchers for former foster youth who are 525 00:27:32,678 --> 00:27:35,636 frequently victims of gender-based violence. 526 00:27:35,636 --> 00:27:39,159 Our program is continually at capacity. 527 00:27:39,159 --> 00:27:41,298 So youth are stuck on wait lists. 528 00:27:41,298 --> 00:27:44,298 They're being left with unimaginable choices. 529 00:27:44,298 --> 00:27:47,192 To live in an unsafe situation at home or flee 530 00:27:47,192 --> 00:27:48,836 and sleep on the streets. 531 00:27:48,836 --> 00:27:52,373 Risking trafficking, being picked up by ICE or other 532 00:27:52,373 --> 00:27:53,980 horrific experiences. 533 00:27:53,980 --> 00:27:57,396 No young person should have to make that choice. 534 00:27:57,396 --> 00:28:00,479 No child should have to make that choice. 535 00:28:00,479 --> 00:28:03,844 The earlier safety and stability can be achieved, 536 00:28:03,844 --> 00:28:07,449 the more likely we not only prevent the abuse, but also 537 00:28:07,449 --> 00:28:11,134 instances of homelessness, mental health crises, and 538 00:28:11,134 --> 00:28:14,740 entry into child welfare and juvenile court systems. 539 00:28:14,740 --> 00:28:19,028 By investing now, we can interrupt cycles of abuse, 540 00:28:19,028 --> 00:28:23,019 particularly for LGBTQIA and immigrant youth. 541 00:28:23,019 --> 00:28:26,880 We urge the council to support Councilmember Rinck's budget 542 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:30,586 amendments to ensure that no youth is left waiting for the 543 00:28:30,586 --> 00:28:32,440 support they need to be safe. 544 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:32,739 Thank you. 545 00:28:34,538 --> 00:28:39,159 Thank you, Rhea. 546 00:28:39,159 --> 00:28:41,298 I do also see some folks who have joined us. 547 00:28:41,298 --> 00:28:42,896 If you want to come on in, please feel 548 00:28:42,896 --> 00:28:43,856 free to stand with us. 549 00:28:43,856 --> 00:28:44,856 Thank you. 550 00:28:44,856 --> 00:28:46,487 Just want to invite folks that they haven't had 551 00:28:46,487 --> 00:28:47,239 a chance to come on up. 552 00:28:48,239 --> 00:28:51,939 And next, we'll hear from Norine Hill from Mother Nation. 553 00:28:51,939 --> 00:28:53,356 Thank you. 554 00:28:56,201 --> 00:29:00,538 [Indigenous language spoken] 555 00:29:01,739 --> 00:29:03,719 Greetings to everybody this morning. 556 00:29:03,719 --> 00:29:04,919 My name is Norine Hill. 557 00:29:04,919 --> 00:29:06,499 I'm the from the Oneida Nation. 558 00:29:06,499 --> 00:29:08,919 I'm the executive director, founder of Mother Nation. 559 00:29:10,278 --> 00:29:13,410 And we're going to talk about the missing and murdered 560 00:29:13,410 --> 00:29:16,959 indigenous women's issues that are going on here in Seattle. 561 00:29:18,019 --> 00:29:21,923 The national data of MMIW cases for Seattle is at the 562 00:29:21,923 --> 00:29:25,919 heart of all MMIW crisis that's happening right now. 563 00:29:25,919 --> 00:29:30,048 Across the nation, Seattle is the number one city for missing 564 00:29:30,048 --> 00:29:33,939 and murdered indigenous women cases across the country. 565 00:29:33,939 --> 00:29:36,727 Seattle is part of the crisis that's happening 566 00:29:36,727 --> 00:29:39,442 and the epidemic that we're going through as a 567 00:29:39,442 --> 00:29:41,159 Native American community. 568 00:29:41,159 --> 00:29:44,479 I stand here on these ancestral lands of the Duwamish people. 569 00:29:44,479 --> 00:29:45,817 We stand here as nations. 570 00:29:45,817 --> 00:29:47,605 We stand here with our ancestors, 571 00:29:47,605 --> 00:29:49,199 everybody that's here today. 572 00:29:49,199 --> 00:29:51,866 I want to thank the leadership that's here today, that's 573 00:29:51,866 --> 00:29:54,538 listening, that made time in their schedules to be here. 574 00:29:54,538 --> 00:29:58,136 I support all of the sister agencies that are here with us. 575 00:29:58,136 --> 00:30:02,759 We do the work at Mother Nation for 13 years now, 576 00:30:02,759 --> 00:30:06,535 and we have a lot of grassroots survivors that 577 00:30:06,535 --> 00:30:11,798 help us lead the organization from what they had required 578 00:30:11,798 --> 00:30:14,699 to endure during their time. 579 00:30:14,699 --> 00:30:17,711 Across the nation we have the highest numbers in 580 00:30:17,711 --> 00:30:21,179 sexual assault, domestic violence, and trafficking. 581 00:30:21,179 --> 00:30:24,211 We have the highest numbers across the city of Seattle. 582 00:30:24,211 --> 00:30:27,179 We have the highest numbers across Washington State. 583 00:30:28,939 --> 00:30:33,009 Mother Nation's work is rooted in healing and cultural support 584 00:30:33,009 --> 00:30:36,317 and advocacy for survivors for domestic violence, sexual 585 00:30:36,317 --> 00:30:37,979 assault, trafficking, and MMIW. 586 00:30:38,979 --> 00:30:41,719 Guided by our elders and decades of experience 587 00:30:41,719 --> 00:30:44,739 addressing intergenerational trauma, we support 588 00:30:44,739 --> 00:30:47,190 sisters and families with culturally grounded 589 00:30:47,190 --> 00:30:48,596 survivor center services. 590 00:30:51,439 --> 00:30:54,804 Mother Nation has supported 45 families now through 591 00:30:54,804 --> 00:30:58,510 our MMIW work since taking on this unmet need 592 00:30:58,510 --> 00:30:59,694 four years ago. 593 00:30:59,694 --> 00:31:02,005 Through this national data that's out 594 00:31:02,005 --> 00:31:04,679 there, there's 50 to 70 families that have reported 595 00:31:04,679 --> 00:31:06,230 MMIW in this city. 596 00:31:06,230 --> 00:31:08,719 And we have taken on 45 of that 597 00:31:08,719 --> 00:31:11,835 if it's even included in that data. 598 00:31:11,835 --> 00:31:15,376 So we've always been here to address the 599 00:31:15,376 --> 00:31:18,144 unmet needs of the community that we service. 600 00:31:18,144 --> 00:31:19,817 We came on the scene 13 years 601 00:31:19,817 --> 00:31:21,547 ago, I was working out of my car. 602 00:31:21,547 --> 00:31:23,939 I did three years of advocacy in the streets 603 00:31:23,939 --> 00:31:24,701 of Seattle. 604 00:31:24,701 --> 00:31:27,289 We got calls from tribes because members 605 00:31:27,289 --> 00:31:30,432 in their community did not, were not eligible for 606 00:31:30,432 --> 00:31:33,596 services, so we took on those situations as well. 607 00:31:33,596 --> 00:31:35,433 We have a mobile advocacy 608 00:31:35,433 --> 00:31:38,317 team at Mother Nation that supports these families. 609 00:31:38,317 --> 00:31:42,545 When relatives are found, whether they're alive or they're 610 00:31:42,545 --> 00:31:45,970 still here, passed on, we support those families 611 00:31:45,970 --> 00:31:48,856 to the full wraparound healing services. 612 00:31:48,856 --> 00:31:53,480 Our Yahawi team supports those that are wanting the services 613 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:56,919 wraparound for them that are still here. 614 00:31:58,856 --> 00:32:00,519 So we participate in the searches. 615 00:32:00,519 --> 00:32:02,631 We provide ceremonial support, attend court 616 00:32:02,631 --> 00:32:05,298 proceedings, we assist with funeral and transportation 617 00:32:05,298 --> 00:32:09,125 costs, we help bring loved ones home, we create and distribute 618 00:32:09,125 --> 00:32:10,596 missing person flyers. 619 00:32:12,179 --> 00:32:14,977 Our prevention work also reaches out to the younger generation 620 00:32:14,977 --> 00:32:15,979 of middle school kids, 621 00:32:18,959 --> 00:32:21,326 including self-defense and projects that give 622 00:32:21,326 --> 00:32:23,576 youth opportunities to define what MMIR means 623 00:32:23,576 --> 00:32:25,288 to them and their families. 624 00:32:25,288 --> 00:32:27,116 We are currently building a healing 625 00:32:27,116 --> 00:32:31,978 transitional village in South Seattle as a prevention 626 00:32:31,978 --> 00:32:35,625 of MMIR to address that opioid fentanyl epidemic 627 00:32:35,625 --> 00:32:38,960 and the MMIR epidemic to support unsheltered women 628 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,726 and families coming out of treatment due to violence. 629 00:32:42,726 --> 00:32:45,632 Families have come to us from South Dakota, 630 00:32:45,632 --> 00:32:48,160 North Dakota, Nevada because this is where their 631 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,798 relatives end up is in this city so they come to see 632 00:32:50,798 --> 00:32:54,232 how to look in for that support we seek financial 633 00:32:54,232 --> 00:32:58,576 support for a coordinated Seattle effort amongst 634 00:32:58,576 --> 00:33:01,045 gender-based violent agencies strengthening 635 00:33:01,045 --> 00:33:04,125 the network of providers that stand with survivors 636 00:33:04,125 --> 00:33:07,616 and families across our region this collaborative 637 00:33:07,616 --> 00:33:11,045 effort is supported by the city of Seattle council 638 00:33:11,045 --> 00:33:13,688 folks here King County representatives and other 639 00:33:13,688 --> 00:33:14,701 leaders that are here. 640 00:33:14,701 --> 00:33:16,038 We appreciate their support. 641 00:33:17,239 --> 00:33:19,375 Mother Nation brings an essential Indigenous 642 00:33:19,375 --> 00:33:21,865 survivor-led voice to this coordinated response. 643 00:33:21,865 --> 00:33:24,439 Flexible support will allow Mother Nation and our 644 00:33:24,439 --> 00:33:26,727 community partners to respond where needs are 645 00:33:26,727 --> 00:33:29,009 most urgent, strengthen community governance 646 00:33:29,009 --> 00:33:31,440 services and continue advocating for resources for 647 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:33,438 survivors and families. 648 00:33:33,438 --> 00:33:36,576 We respectfully invite you to invest in 649 00:33:36,576 --> 00:33:39,376 this broader community response by supporting 650 00:33:39,376 --> 00:33:41,439 Mother Nation and the coordinated network 651 00:33:41,439 --> 00:33:43,538 of gender-based violence agencies. 652 00:33:43,538 --> 00:33:45,219 We hope strengthening a safety net committed 653 00:33:45,219 --> 00:33:48,876 to ensuring survivors and families 654 00:33:48,876 --> 00:33:51,636 do not have to navigate this crisis alone. 655 00:33:51,636 --> 00:33:53,199 Thank you very much. 656 00:33:53,199 --> 00:34:00,019 - Thank you so much, Norine. 657 00:34:00,019 --> 00:34:02,097 I do wanna invite, and being mindful of time, 658 00:34:02,097 --> 00:34:03,817 we are starting committee, so for my Seattle 659 00:34:03,817 --> 00:34:06,105 City Council colleagues, you might want to head 660 00:34:06,105 --> 00:34:08,623 upstairs into council chambers and give this venue, but if 661 00:34:08,623 --> 00:34:11,137 we can give a thank you again to the Seattle City Council 662 00:34:11,139 --> 00:34:12,599 members who have been here. 663 00:34:12,599 --> 00:34:13,599 Thank you both. 664 00:34:16,739 --> 00:34:20,460 We have two more speakers to hear from today to just really 665 00:34:20,460 --> 00:34:22,898 cover all the aspects of this work. 666 00:34:22,898 --> 00:34:26,780 Next, I'd like to invite up Dr. Shireesha Dhanireddy 667 00:34:26,780 --> 00:34:30,197 from the Aurora Commons who operates the SHE 668 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:31,246 Clinic. 669 00:34:31,246 --> 00:34:32,818 Thank you so much. 670 00:34:32,818 --> 00:34:35,436 My name is Shireesha Dhanireddy. 671 00:34:35,436 --> 00:34:38,998 I'm the Associate Chief Medical Officer 672 00:34:38,998 --> 00:34:41,735 of UW Medicine and the co-founder of the SHE 673 00:34:41,735 --> 00:34:44,699 Clinic, which is co-located within the Aurora 674 00:34:44,699 --> 00:34:47,050 Commons. And I appreciate the opportunity to speak 675 00:34:47,050 --> 00:34:48,800 on the behalf of Aurora Commons today. 676 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,559 And I want to thank council member 677 00:34:50,559 --> 00:34:53,400 Rinck for recognizing the importance of supporting 678 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,760 community-based services for survivors of violence 679 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:59,688 and trauma our partner Aurora Commons is a 680 00:34:59,688 --> 00:35:02,931 vital entry point into Seattle's network of care for 681 00:35:02,931 --> 00:35:06,440 our neighbors experiencing homelessness and poverty located 682 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:09,422 on Aurora Avenue in north Seattle the commons 683 00:35:09,422 --> 00:35:12,719 offers a welcoming space where individuals build 684 00:35:12,719 --> 00:35:16,110 trusted relationships, meet basic needs, and access 685 00:35:16,110 --> 00:35:19,389 services and resources that would otherwise require 686 00:35:19,389 --> 00:35:22,398 navigating multiple systems and traveling across 687 00:35:22,398 --> 00:35:23,014 the city. 688 00:35:23,014 --> 00:35:25,784 But what makes Aurora Commons so essential 689 00:35:25,784 --> 00:35:29,393 is more than the services available in one location. 690 00:35:29,393 --> 00:35:32,777 It's the sense of belonging and community that 691 00:35:32,777 --> 00:35:36,206 neighbors experience and the trusted relationships 692 00:35:36,206 --> 00:35:39,478 they build over time that make care feel accessible 693 00:35:40,958 --> 00:35:44,414 safe healthy empowered our SHE Clinic provides low 694 00:35:44,414 --> 00:35:48,199 barrier trauma-informed non-judgmental health care 695 00:35:48,199 --> 00:35:51,547 for people who have experienced trauma and sexual 696 00:35:51,547 --> 00:35:54,818 violence many of whom have not been well served by 697 00:35:54,818 --> 00:35:57,518 traditional healthcare systems. 698 00:35:57,518 --> 00:36:00,219 Through walk-in care embedded at the Aurora Commons, 699 00:36:00,219 --> 00:36:03,639 we provide primary care, sexual health services, 700 00:36:03,639 --> 00:36:06,579 including HIV and hepatitis screening, 701 00:36:06,579 --> 00:36:09,938 reproductive healthcare that supports patient autonomy, 702 00:36:09,938 --> 00:36:12,838 and medications for opiate use disorder. 703 00:36:12,838 --> 00:36:15,018 Just as importantly, we connect patients 704 00:36:15,018 --> 00:36:19,079 with trusted care navigators and community services. 705 00:36:19,079 --> 00:36:23,447 The success of this model depends on the relationships, 706 00:36:23,447 --> 00:36:25,398 trust, and consistency. 707 00:36:25,398 --> 00:36:29,143 Unfortunately, reductions in federal and state funding have 708 00:36:29,143 --> 00:36:32,599 forced us to reduce clinic hours, disrupting continuity 709 00:36:32,599 --> 00:36:36,199 of care, and our ability to maintain a consistent presence. 710 00:36:36,199 --> 00:36:39,664 We have also had to reduce our women-only hours, which 711 00:36:39,664 --> 00:36:43,746 provide a particularly important safe space for women who have 712 00:36:43,746 --> 00:36:45,978 experienced violence and trauma. 713 00:36:45,978 --> 00:36:49,251 Councilmember Rinck's Seattle Stands with Survivors Every 714 00:36:49,251 --> 00:36:52,784 Step initiative recognizes the importance of community-based 715 00:36:52,784 --> 00:36:55,597 services for survivors of gender-based violence. 716 00:36:55,599 --> 00:36:59,672 Our experience at Aurora Commons and the SHE Clinics highlights 717 00:36:59,672 --> 00:37:03,369 how essential these trusted, accessible services are and 718 00:37:03,369 --> 00:37:07,139 how vulnerable they can be when funding becomes uncertain. 719 00:37:07,139 --> 00:37:09,873 At a time when federal and state resources are 720 00:37:09,873 --> 00:37:13,398 increasingly constrained, sustaining community-based 721 00:37:13,398 --> 00:37:16,199 care is more important than ever. 722 00:37:16,199 --> 00:37:18,648 Aurora Commons and the SHE Clinics are more 723 00:37:18,648 --> 00:37:20,079 than service providers. 724 00:37:20,079 --> 00:37:23,251 They are trusted spaces where relationships 725 00:37:23,251 --> 00:37:26,338 are built, barriers to care are reduced, and 726 00:37:26,338 --> 00:37:29,775 some of our most vulnerable neighbors can find safety, 727 00:37:29,775 --> 00:37:31,420 support, and connection. 728 00:37:31,420 --> 00:37:33,878 Thank you for this opportunity to share our experience. 729 00:37:36,518 --> 00:37:40,400 Thank you so much. 730 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:45,358 And our last speaker from today is Minu Ranna-Stewart, 731 00:37:45,358 --> 00:37:48,135 representing the UW Medicine Harborview 732 00:37:48,135 --> 00:37:49,958 Assault and Trauma Center. 733 00:37:49,958 --> 00:37:50,679 Minu? 734 00:37:51,739 --> 00:37:52,818 There you are. 735 00:37:52,818 --> 00:37:53,818 Good to see you again. 736 00:37:56,639 --> 00:37:57,918 Good morning, everyone. 737 00:37:57,918 --> 00:38:00,978 Thank you for taking the time out of your day to come. 738 00:38:02,099 --> 00:38:04,099 My name is Minu Ranna-Stewart. 739 00:38:04,099 --> 00:38:07,239 I'm the director of the Harborview Abuse 740 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:08,719 and Trauma Center. 741 00:38:08,719 --> 00:38:10,179 I am also a survivor. 742 00:38:11,478 --> 00:38:14,208 There is no denying that significant progress 743 00:38:14,208 --> 00:38:16,659 has been made in the field of gender-based 744 00:38:16,659 --> 00:38:19,963 violence. We've educated communities 745 00:38:19,963 --> 00:38:23,318 about the devastating impact of the violence. 746 00:38:23,318 --> 00:38:27,927 Through the dedication of many, many people, including survivors 747 00:38:27,927 --> 00:38:31,893 themselves, we've raised awareness, strengthened support, 748 00:38:31,893 --> 00:38:35,199 and have taken important steps to make our communities 749 00:38:35,199 --> 00:38:38,333 safer. And these achievements deserve 750 00:38:38,333 --> 00:38:40,380 to be recognized and celebrated. 751 00:38:41,818 --> 00:38:45,199 At the same time, there is still work to be done. 752 00:38:46,418 --> 00:38:49,568 There are gaps that remain that need to be filled 753 00:38:49,568 --> 00:38:52,639 to ensure no survivor is left without support. 754 00:38:53,918 --> 00:38:56,759 Progress is not completion. 755 00:38:56,759 --> 00:38:59,139 Jane Doe's continue to exist. 756 00:39:00,858 --> 00:39:05,010 The need for prevention, early intervention, medical 757 00:39:05,010 --> 00:39:09,434 and legal advocacy, emergency medical forensic care, and 758 00:39:09,434 --> 00:39:14,579 specialized therapy services for survivors remains significant. 759 00:39:14,579 --> 00:39:19,681 At the same time, providers are facing huge reductions 760 00:39:19,681 --> 00:39:24,119 in funding at local, state, and federal levels. 761 00:39:26,079 --> 00:39:29,235 I wanted to share with you a little bit about 762 00:39:29,235 --> 00:39:32,478 impact that HATC has faced in this last year. 763 00:39:32,478 --> 00:39:36,188 So we provide a continuum of services to providers 764 00:39:36,188 --> 00:39:37,777 and to the community. 765 00:39:37,777 --> 00:39:39,891 One of the services we provide 766 00:39:39,891 --> 00:39:43,239 is key partnership with Seattle Public Schools 767 00:39:43,239 --> 00:39:48,621 to provide education around prevention and gender-based 768 00:39:48,621 --> 00:39:52,065 violence. Some of the The work we've done is 769 00:39:52,065 --> 00:39:55,733 supported the district with creating legislatively 770 00:39:55,733 --> 00:39:59,677 mandated curriculum that went unfunded to provide 771 00:39:59,677 --> 00:40:04,239 education to students around boundaries and consent. 772 00:40:05,518 --> 00:40:09,722 We have also trained Seattle Public Schools staff on how 773 00:40:09,722 --> 00:40:13,289 to have caring conversations when they are concerned 774 00:40:13,289 --> 00:40:14,219 about a student. 775 00:40:15,539 --> 00:40:19,978 We have also unfortunately had to provide 776 00:40:19,978 --> 00:40:25,179 postvention services to schools, families, 777 00:40:25,179 --> 00:40:28,539 and school communities when sexual misconduct 778 00:40:28,539 --> 00:40:29,958 or assault has occurred. 779 00:40:31,199 --> 00:40:34,346 Unfortunately in the last year, we've had to reduce our 780 00:40:34,346 --> 00:40:38,550 prevention program by 70, that's seven zero percent. 781 00:40:38,550 --> 00:40:42,759 Another unique service that we provide is forensic 782 00:40:42,759 --> 00:40:46,137 medical care for survivors in the immediate 783 00:40:46,137 --> 00:40:48,056 aftermath of an assault. 784 00:40:48,056 --> 00:40:49,744 We provide sexual assault 785 00:40:49,744 --> 00:40:53,277 forensic medical care and domestic violence non-fatal 786 00:40:53,277 --> 00:40:55,018 strangulation exams. 787 00:40:55,018 --> 00:40:57,492 These exams occur in tandem with 788 00:40:57,492 --> 00:41:01,681 a medical social worker who supports victims or 789 00:41:01,681 --> 00:41:06,443 survivors through the exam and also facilitates referrals 790 00:41:06,443 --> 00:41:08,458 to care following the exam. 791 00:41:09,679 --> 00:41:11,958 A statistic that I wanna share with you 792 00:41:11,958 --> 00:41:17,027 about the survivors we see who have experienced 793 00:41:17,027 --> 00:41:22,273 non-fatal strangulation is that they are at 794 00:41:22,273 --> 00:41:28,400 7.5 times higher risk of being murdered by their 795 00:41:28,400 --> 00:41:33,297 partner than any other form of violence towards women. 796 00:41:34,599 --> 00:41:38,146 We hope through providing these exams in partnership 797 00:41:38,146 --> 00:41:41,976 with Medical Social Work we can reduce that number. 798 00:41:41,976 --> 00:41:44,498 And Harborview is the primary 799 00:41:44,498 --> 00:41:48,688 provider, actually the sole provider to City of Seattle 800 00:41:48,688 --> 00:41:51,918 residents at through sites at Harborview and five 801 00:41:51,918 --> 00:41:55,251 other partner hospitals so that survivors can 802 00:41:55,251 --> 00:41:57,996 access care in their own communities. 803 00:41:57,996 --> 00:42:00,677 Another unique service that Seattle 804 00:42:00,677 --> 00:42:04,672 residents receive that is not available anywhere else in 805 00:42:04,672 --> 00:42:07,940 the state of Washington is follow-up care after a 806 00:42:07,940 --> 00:42:10,775 forensic exam where they have the opportunity to 807 00:42:10,775 --> 00:42:14,896 meet with a nurse and a social worker to ask questions 808 00:42:14,896 --> 00:42:18,878 that you don't think of during an exam to get 809 00:42:18,878 --> 00:42:21,552 education about trauma impact and reactions 810 00:42:21,552 --> 00:42:25,010 and to get additional resources and support that 811 00:42:25,010 --> 00:42:28,818 maybe have not been offered yet I just want to end 812 00:42:28,818 --> 00:42:31,978 with saying gender-based violence is a safety and 813 00:42:31,978 --> 00:42:35,706 public health issue that affects all of our communities 814 00:42:35,706 --> 00:42:40,018 particularly our vulnerable and marginalized residents no 815 00:42:40,018 --> 00:42:44,018 community goes untouched no one is immune to its impact 816 00:42:45,277 --> 00:42:48,059 it does not discriminate and neither should our 817 00:42:48,059 --> 00:42:51,402 commitment to preventing and supporting those who are 818 00:42:51,402 --> 00:42:54,378 affected investing in gender-based violence 819 00:42:54,378 --> 00:42:59,601 services is an investment in safety dignity equality 820 00:42:59,601 --> 00:43:05,414 and stronger safer communities thank you thank 821 00:43:05,414 --> 00:43:11,679 you so much can we give it up again for all of our 822 00:43:11,679 --> 00:43:14,938 speakers today in this entire coalition. 823 00:43:19,719 --> 00:43:24,237 In closing, one of our speakers said it really perfectly earlier 824 00:43:24,237 --> 00:43:28,206 when they talked about how this system has been working 825 00:43:28,206 --> 00:43:30,599 quietly to meet people's needs. 826 00:43:30,599 --> 00:43:33,918 And in many cases, survivors are moving in silence 827 00:43:33,918 --> 00:43:35,579 to keep themselves safe. 828 00:43:35,579 --> 00:43:39,070 We're coming forward today to send this message that Seattle 829 00:43:39,070 --> 00:43:42,289 will stand with survivors at every step, and we have work 830 00:43:42,289 --> 00:43:44,001 to do to achieve exactly that. 831 00:43:44,001 --> 00:43:46,922 I hope for those who have come from media today, spend 832 00:43:46,922 --> 00:43:50,047 time talking to each of the provider organizations that 833 00:43:50,047 --> 00:43:53,302 are represented here about the nature of the work that they 834 00:43:53,302 --> 00:43:56,159 do, and also the challenges that are coming our way. 835 00:43:56,159 --> 00:44:00,202 We're raising the alarm on these federal policy changes, funding 836 00:44:00,202 --> 00:44:03,150 changes that threaten the existing services 837 00:44:03,150 --> 00:44:04,400 that we have here. 838 00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:07,400 And we're sending a message that this is a priority 839 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:08,759 in this year's budget. 840 00:44:08,759 --> 00:44:11,614 I'm encouraged that a number of my council colleagues have 841 00:44:11,614 --> 00:44:14,295 joined us today to really prioritize investment 842 00:44:14,295 --> 00:44:15,458 in these services. 843 00:44:15,458 --> 00:44:18,159 And at this time, I'll close and happy to take any questions. 844 00:44:18,159 --> 00:44:20,360 But again, can we give it up a final time for the 845 00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:21,518 coalition that's here? 846 00:44:34,297 --> 00:44:41,195 The million dollar question, or maybe $8 million 847 00:44:41,195 --> 00:44:44,559 question of the matter. 848 00:44:45,838 --> 00:44:47,739 In this time, we know it's a challenging budget. 849 00:44:47,739 --> 00:44:51,391 I want to uplift a couple of points about the mayor's 850 00:44:51,391 --> 00:44:55,306 transmitted budget and what it means for gender-based violence 851 00:44:55,306 --> 00:44:58,297 services because as a number of one-time adds were included 852 00:44:58,297 --> 00:45:00,568 last year, some of those are continuing on, some 853 00:45:00,568 --> 00:45:01,759 of those are sunsetting. 854 00:45:01,759 --> 00:45:04,257 And some of the investments we made last year in gender-based 855 00:45:04,257 --> 00:45:07,505 violence services are sunsetting unless we take action to 856 00:45:07,505 --> 00:45:09,239 be able to change that. 857 00:45:09,239 --> 00:45:11,315 Notably, the effort we're talking about here, 858 00:45:11,315 --> 00:45:13,179 we don't want to just be pursuing one-time 859 00:45:13,179 --> 00:45:16,177 funding this system needs ongoing sustainable 860 00:45:16,177 --> 00:45:19,099 funding for services and i want to be very clear 861 00:45:19,099 --> 00:45:21,809 about that which is why we're sending a strong message today 862 00:45:21,809 --> 00:45:25,280 so as we're deliberating on the budget it's a big exercise and 863 00:45:25,280 --> 00:45:29,239 what are our priorities and so i'm optimistic i'm hopeful 864 00:45:29,239 --> 00:45:31,697 with the council support we've seen today and 865 00:45:31,697 --> 00:45:34,480 from also what has been uplifted by these providers 866 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:36,284 that we're going to find a way to push for these 867 00:45:36,284 --> 00:45:38,280 investments if we do not get eight million dollars 868 00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:40,460 this year, we'll be back next year pushing for 869 00:45:40,460 --> 00:45:42,759 more. But I want to emphasize it is tremendously 870 00:45:42,759 --> 00:45:45,998 important that we take steps now to fill the gap 871 00:45:45,998 --> 00:45:49,318 that now has been made in the transmitted budget 872 00:45:49,318 --> 00:45:51,755 and that we are working towards ongoing sustainable 873 00:45:51,755 --> 00:45:53,635 funding for the system and the services. 874 00:45:53,635 --> 00:45:54,938 It's what survivors deserve. 875 00:46:09,759 --> 00:46:10,306 Thank you. 876 00:46:10,306 --> 00:46:12,561 Councilmember Foster is not here otherwise 877 00:46:12,561 --> 00:46:15,449 I'd invite her to speak to exactly that point. 878 00:46:15,449 --> 00:46:17,998 I am speaking on with this broader 879 00:46:17,998 --> 00:46:20,505 campaign is eight million really focused on those 880 00:46:20,505 --> 00:46:22,965 services and investments as council members are 881 00:46:22,965 --> 00:46:25,559 working across the city to determine their council 882 00:46:25,559 --> 00:46:27,797 priorities this was something that was identified I 883 00:46:27,797 --> 00:46:30,362 know she's finalizing those figures but given that 884 00:46:30,362 --> 00:46:33,259 they are definitely complementary to each other 885 00:46:33,259 --> 00:46:35,762 it felt important that we announce those 886 00:46:35,762 --> 00:46:36,938 two efforts today. 887 00:46:39,719 --> 00:46:42,918 So I assume we're going to get a list of the $8 million 888 00:46:42,918 --> 00:46:48,458 and I was wondering if part of that was going to be 889 00:46:49,739 --> 00:46:52,579 giving money back to the Office of Civil Rights 890 00:46:52,579 --> 00:46:59,219 because they had their kind of [unintelligible] 891 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:02,166 Absolutely. I've met with members of the Office 892 00:47:02,166 --> 00:47:04,797 of Civil Rights to talk about that program. 893 00:47:04,797 --> 00:47:07,592 It's something that helped inform this proposal here, 894 00:47:07,592 --> 00:47:10,266 understanding that that was part of the funding that 895 00:47:10,266 --> 00:47:12,938 is not continuing on in the mayor's proposed budget. 896 00:47:12,938 --> 00:47:15,925 That paired with there was a proposed sunsetting of 897 00:47:15,925 --> 00:47:19,396 a $500,000 investment in gender-based violence services, 898 00:47:19,396 --> 00:47:22,659 as well as $400,000 in commercial sexual exploitation. 899 00:47:22,659 --> 00:47:26,467 So yes, very interested in restoring that funding to 900 00:47:26,467 --> 00:47:28,458 the Office of Civil Rights. 901 00:47:31,719 --> 00:47:32,918 Going once, going twice. 902 00:47:32,918 --> 00:47:35,400 I'm also happy to close this out today and encourage 903 00:47:35,400 --> 00:47:38,112 members of the press to please talk to the providers that 904 00:47:38,112 --> 00:47:40,940 are represented here today to learn more about their work. 905 00:47:40,940 --> 00:47:42,978 Thank you all for taking time this morning. 906 00:47:42,978 --> 00:47:43,358 Thank you. 907 00:47:45,478 --> 00:47:45,998 Thank you.