Nearly every day for the past several months we have been hearing and reading about issues relating to domestic violence and sexual assault against women and children. Whether it is in the NFL, the Alaska National Guard or in your home or neighborhood, the situation is dire.
Alaska continues to lead the nation in domestic violence and sexual assault and more women are murdered by men here than any other state. It is difficult to even empanel a jury for these cases in Alaska because so many people have been touched by domestic violence in some way. The 2013 domestic violence counts by the National Network to End Domestic Violence revealed that in a 24-hour survey period in Alaska, 618 victims found refuge in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 282 victims received assistance though counseling and legal services.
Given the magnitude of this ongoing safety issue in our home state, we should expect an active and effective response from government officials (both state and federal) in addressing this problem.To obtain reliable officials, it is our responsibility to know how the candidates stand on issues we care about, before electing them into public office. We must identify candidates who are interested in helping to reduce incidents of sexual assault and domestic violence in our state, ask how they plan to produce those reductions, and if available, check their past record and performance on these issues. Nonprofit groups produce "report cards" and election endorsements to help voters easily access such information.
At the state level, you can check voting records to find out more about how your representatives stood on the denial of Medicaid benefits to 40,000 Alaskans, inadequately funding Denali Kid Care, the failure to reinstate the Alaska Women's Commission and the denial of affordable and accessible birth control for poor women.
These issues leave women more exposed than ever to injustice at the federal level. The federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. Since VAWA's passage, domestic violence has dropped by almost two-thirds at the national level, while Alaska's statistics have changed little. Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, along with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, worked to fight domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska and co-sponsored and voted for passage of VAWA. Sen. Begich also champions his recently introduced Safe Families and Villages Act.
In contrast, when questioned in August, U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan appeared unknowledgeable about VAWA and was unable to answer if he would support it or not. It was an unexpected response, given his tenure as Alaska's attorney general, where he indicates his primary focus was the Choose Respect program, the state's answer to Alaska's miserable problem with violence against women.
Sen. Begich in contrast to Dan Sullivan is an active leader in the Senate on military sexual assault issues and co-sponsored and voted for the Military Justice and Improvement Act (MJIA) that would assign sexual assault cases to specially trained military prosecutors, removing the cases from the chain of command. A majority of senators, 55, voted in favor of the bill, but it needed 60 votes to get past a filibuster.
Within his federal jurisdiction, Sen. Begich is actively involved in helping the ongoing clean-up and investigation of sexual assaults, misconduct, and is actively involved in helping the ongoing cleanup and investigation of sexual assaults, misconduct, and cover-ups in the Alaska National Guard.
Alaska Business Monthly reported on Sept. 19 that Sen. Begich introduced the National Guard Investigations Transparency and Improvement Act of 2014. Begich said, "This legislation will streamline the investigation process by clarifying the NGB Chief can request a thorough investigation right off the bat rather than being forced to wait for the state chain of command — a chain of command that proved to be unable or unwilling to respond to reports of sexual assault in the Alaska National Guard ... and it ensures the findings of investigations are made available to the public."
In contrast, Senate candidate Dan Sullivan recently indicated he was unfamiliar with the MJIA and its provision to remove prosecution from the chain of command, and he would not state his position on that sticking point or his support for the law.
Simply put, Sen. Begich, unlike Dan Sullivan, has listened to Alaska women and knows the challenges we face, whether it relates to higher insurance costs for women or how women are paid less than men. Begich has supported serious solutions for Alaska's women and children, not just talked. From city hall to the U.S. Senate, Begich has always supported women. He received a score of 90 (out of 100) on the American Association of University Women (AAUW) report card and he is also endorsed by the Alaska Women for Political Action, the National Organization for Women, the Juneau Pro-Choice Coalition, and the National Association of Social Workers.
When informed women vote, leaders listen and change happens. To be informed, women must seek information, question candidates, expect clear answers, determine whether candidates support the changes women and families need, and vote accordingly.
Women must vote as if their life depends on it, because it does.
Eleanor Andrews has been involved in community building for 50 years in Alaska as a public servant and businesswoman. Sue Johnson is a 40-year resident who has worked in government, private and nonprofit businesses. She is past president of The Alaska Women's Political Caucus and a community volunteer.
The views expressed here are the writer's own and are not necessarily endorsed by Alaska Dispatch News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)alaskadispatch.com