Take no prisoners op-ed about Don Sherwood's, um... negative leadership on domestic violence by the founder of Vote Agianst Violence. [
http://www.voteagainstviolence.org/ ]
RECENTLY, DEMOCRATIC Maryland Senatorial candidate David Dickerson was charged with raping and assaulting his wife. Sadly, this is not the first time during the 2006 election cycle that a federal candidate has been accused of domestic violence. Don Sherwood, local congressman, holds that title, having settled a civil case with his long-time girlfriend for an undisclosed amount.
These two cases are reprehensible but are statistically not out of the ordinary. Each year, the low estimate of domestic violence incidence in the United States totals 900,000. One out of four women and one out of seven men have been directly affected by domestic or sexual violence in their lifetime. Around the world at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
It is time for this to stop.
Because violence against women has no geographical, racial or socio-economical boundaries, all of our elected officials need to be held accountable to stop domestic and sexual violence in our communities. How can we expect those who commit these crimes to advocate for survivors and pass laws to protect victims? The answer is that we can't.
Most recently, Sherwood did not sign on to support a bill that simply showed support for the goals and ideals of a National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and expressed that Congress should raise awareness of domestic violence in the United States and its devastating effects on families and communities.
Thirty-two members of congress sponsored a bill to reduce sexual assault and domestic violence involving members of the armed forces and their family members through providing programs to prevent violence, programs to provide victims with services, and harsher prosecution for assailants - but not Don Sherwood.
A bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, which provides programs for prevention and treatment of violence against women through funding for shelters, for education and for law enforcement had 108 co-sponsors, nearly one quarter of congress, including Pennsylvania Republican congressmen, Charles Dent and Jim Gerlach. Conspicuously, Sherwood's name was not on the list.
Sherwood also not surprisingly did not sign on to co-sponsor the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005. Republican Pennsylvanian Congressman Phil English did. Perhaps not the right bill for Don Sherwood, someone who cheats on his wife -- not exactly promoting personal responsibility or family.
It's time our representatives stand together to fight domestic violence and defend family values, and in November, the burden is on you to choose.
Holly Shulman is founder and president of Vote Against Violence, a political action committee dedicated to electing candidates who will work to end domestic and sexual violence. Vote Against Violence has endorsed Chris Carney in the state's 10th district Congressional race.
Article can be found at http://www.timesleader.com/...
A reminder -- Chris Carney, a stellar fighting Dem, is running strong against Sherwood: http://www.carneyforcongress.com/ and http://www.actblue.com/...