Roundup: Georgia Eliminating State Funds for Domestic Violence Prevention

Georgia will use federal TANF money for domestic violence shelters which could eliminate services for women without children, what do state ant-abortion bills say about women, Arizona enacts more anti-abortion legislation, and Starbucks selling a maternal health benefit CD.

Georgia will use federal TANF money for domestic violence shelters which could eliminate services for women without children, what do state ant-abortion bills say about women, Arizona enacts more anti-abortion legislation, and Starbucks selling a maternal health benefit CD.

  • Georgia is trying to eliminate all state spending on domestic violence prevention, and instead will fund shelters with federal dollars taken from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).  Domestic violence prevention advocates in the state are concerned that the shelters will no longer be able to provide services to women without children. Money from TANF can be used for “preventing and reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies as well as encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.” Advocates say that “certainly we are not in the business of maintaining two-parent families where domestic violence is involved.”
  • What can you gather about women if you read state anti-abortion bills that have been introduced or passed this year? Susan Nielsen of The Oregonian says the bills paint women as “impulsive, lying, vulnerable and childlike creatures.”
  • Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who recently signed a bill banning race and sex-selection abortions in that state, just signed a bill that requires a physician to administer medication abortion to women. Previously, trained nurse practitioners could administer the drug. The legislation also bans the practice of telemed abortions, which increase access to women in rural areas.
  • Would you like to add maternal health to your morning latte order? Starbucks is releasing a CD produced by model-turned-maternal health advocate Christy Turlington with tracks by Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Lopez and others that will benefit CARE and Every Mother Counts.

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