A woman’s health clinic that provides HIV and AIDS services to poor women, transgender women and those with substance abuse issues or women who trade themselves for a room or meal, had their offices broken into and torched reports MRZine. Bill Quigley, who is a lawyer for the group sent a emailed a report that described the arson and terrorist act against the Women With a Vision (WWAV), a New Orleans advocacy and service organization.
The attack seemed political in its nature, directly targeting the crucial information, files, and materials needed for WWAV's work. According to an email report from Bill Quigley, a social justice attorney and friend of the organization,
"Major fire damage was done to a room which contained education and outreach materials. The arsonist seemed to have deliberately targeted this room. Destroyed were: three plastic and silicone breast models which were used to help people learn how to do self-examinations for breast cancer; a plastic pelvic model of a vagina; a two feet by one and a half foot plastic model of a woman's reproductive system; boxes of male and female condoms; flip charts demonstrating the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV; several wooden penises which were used for condom demonstration; and boxes of educational materials. The fires in that room seem to have been set with some accelerant and scorched the walls, ceiling fan and ceiling and destroyed everything in the room. . . . The offices were ransacked leaving drawers pulled out and papers and files on the floor. A TV and a laptop were taken but many valuables were left including computer monitors, office equipment, even some beer left over from a reception held earlier in the week. Several small fires were started inside the offices, in the bathroom, the hallway and in a sitting room."
Last weekend I walked and raised money for the South Florida AIDS walk, which drew thousands of people. I know and have met many women with AIDS and most have stated that they were infected because they lived and had no choice on how to survive on the street. Those who are progressive know that prevention and education is the key to reducing new infections for all people. An organization such as this one in New Orleans provides those services.
Women With a Vision is a organization that fights tooth and nail for justice. From the article by Jordan Flaherty.
WWAV has made national news for leading the fight against Louisiana's Crime Against Nature Statute, which targeted poor women of color, transgender women, and anyone forced to trade sex for food or a place to sleep at night. The law forced women to register as sex offenders in a state database and placed a "sex offender" label on their driver's licenses, among other requirements. With the grassroots leadership of WWAV, a national coalition that also included the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Loyola Law School, and police misconduct attorney Andrea Ritchie was able to get the law off the books and has won a series of further victories in the process of removing the sex offender registration requirements for those convicted in the past.
WWAV could use the generosity of people to contribute clothing and funds. This link provides a list of items that they need to replace, if you can help I am sure that it would be greatly appreciated. You can donate items by using the WWAV link below.To be clear I am not affiliated with WWAV in any way. I am a outraged citizen that wants to share this information regarding terrorism against womens health. I sure wish it would stop.
http://wwav-no.org/...
Update: Just informed that rserven had already diaried this topic. I am sure Robyn would not mind keeping the focus on this clinic and help it recover by the generosity of others.
http://www.dailykos.com/...