Justice for Victims of Violence and Preventing Violence in our Community
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Senate Bill 63 − Hate-Based Intimidation
This legislation recognizes that hate crimes are not limited to attacks based upon a person’s ethnicity and renames the statute “Hate-based Intimidation”. Hate-based intimidation includes attempting to cause or causing bodily injury, property damage, or threatening either causing reasonable fear of harm.
This legislation protects anyone from the crime of hate-based intimidation based on race, color, religion, or national origin, and adds those same protections for hate-based intimidation based on ancestry, sex, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, intellectual disability, physical or sensory disability or behavioral or mental health.
Over the past few years, hate-based acts of violence and destruction of property have dramatically risen across the US, including in Pennsylvania. Our current hate crimes statutes do no capture growing shares of identity-motivated violence. As civic leaders, we believe that we should unite in this effort to restore civility to public discourse, and that starts with naming hate-based intimidation and violence.
Senate Resolution 257 − Sexual Assault Awareness Month
This Resolution declares April 2022 as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.
Sexual assault has continued to be a serious social and public health issue in the United States. Everyday across the United States, thousands of people, regardless of cultural and economic backgrounds, are affected by rape and sexual assault. These experiences can be devastating for the survivor, as well as the survivor’s family and friends.
According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 67 men will be raped during their lives. Further, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community are much more likely to report having been sexually assaulted during their lifetime than heterosexual, cisgender individuals. It is imperative that we recognize the strength, courage, and challenges faced by victims and survivors of sexual violence.
Latest News
Sen. Muth, Sen. Williams Join Veterans, Elected Officials to Urge Support for MST Survivors
HARRISBURG − October 4, 2023 − State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks) and Sen. Lindsey M. Williams (D-Allegheny) joined state Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D-Berks), several veterans and other elected officials in the Capitol yesterday to urge the Senate to...
PA Senate Dems Again Call for Legislative Window of Justice for Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse & More Protections for the Future
Harrisburg, Pa. – March 12, 2021 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats held a press conference today to again call for immediate action to create a two-year window for adult survivors of sexual abuse currently barred from seeking justice due to statutory time limitations....
PA Senate Democrats Introduce Legislation to Get Justice for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Harrisburg, Pa. − February 1, 2021 − Pennsylvania Senate Democrats will introduce legislation to statutorily create a two-year window for survivors of sexual abuse to seek justice on claims that previously would have been time barred. This legislative solution is...
Senator Lindsey Williams Announces $240,150 in Security Grant Funding for Local Nonprofit Groups
Pittsburgh, Pa. − March 11, 2020 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams announced today that the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PACCD) has awarded $240,150 through the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund to five organizations throughout Senate District 38. The...
Senator Lindsey Williams Announces More than $2.6 Million in Grant Funding for School Safety and Community Violence Prevention
Pittsburgh, PA − February 26, 2020 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams announced that ten school districts within Senate District 38 have received grant funding through the School Safety and Security Grant Program totaling $1,826,315. Additionally, three community-based...
Members of Pa Senate Democratic Caucus Request Disaster Declaration on Gun Violence
Harrisburg, Pa. − June 24, 2019 − Members of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus today jointly sent a letter to Governor Tom Wolf requesting a disaster declaration for gun violence in the Commonwealth. “We believe it is necessary to raise the public’s awareness...
Senator Lindsey Williams Announces More than $800,000 in Funding to Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center
Pittsburgh, Pa. − June 13, 2019 − Senator Lindsey M. Williams announced today that the Alle-Kiski Area HOPE Center has been awarded grants in two Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding programs through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). These...
Senator Lindsey Williams Speaks About Proposed Hate Crime Bills
Senate Democrats Jointly Introduce Bill to Eliminate Statute of Limitations for Sexual Offenses
HARRISBURG, PA − April 10, 2019 − Today, members of the Senate Democratic Caucus introduced legislation to eliminate the statute of limitations for sexual offenses and open a window for civil liability. The legislation was introduced as Senate Bill 540. “I...
Companion Legislation to Expand #MeToo PA Act Provisions Proposed by Democratic Senators
Harrisburg – March 25, 2019 – Sens. Maria Collett (D-Bucks/Montgomery), Tim Kearney (D-Chester/Delaware), Katie Muth (D-Berks/Chester/Montgomery), Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks), and Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) are sponsoring legislation to expand reforms included in the #MeToo PA General Assembly Act.