Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17
Reflection and Action
The Episcopal Public Policy Network (EPPN), run by the Office of Government Relations,, is a grassroots network of Episcopalians across the country dedicated to carrying out the Baptismal Covenant call to strive for justice and peace through the active ministry of public policy advocacy.
EPPN advocates for stronger legislative protections against violence against women and girls. The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act has been reauthorized on a bipartisan basis four times since it was first passed, with the most recent reauthorization happening in 2022, which reauthorize VAWA through 2027...
EPPN’s spring 2019 action alert quoted the Rev. Bradley Hauff, missioner for Indigenous Ministries:
“The Violence Against Women Act is significant especially for Indigenous Native-American women, who experience, in proportion to the general U.S. population, much higher rates of domestic abuse and violence, higher than any group. In particular, laws which have made it virtually impossible to prosecute non-Indigenous men in tribal courts for acts of violence such as rape and murder committed against Indigenous women, as well as child abuse and sex trafficking on reservations, have exacerbated this problem.” (From 16 Days of Activism Toolkit)
This work aligns with the ECW support of work with Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) and other social justice issue. The ECW website notes:
According to research by (nativehope.org) there is widespread of frustration, anger and hopelessness in native American communities. This is based on the fact that women/females (sisters, wives, mothers, daughters) are missing from their families with no evidence of their whereabouts. Communities are pleading for some type of justice and efforts to find their missing loved ones. As a women organization we are advocating for answers to be found for the missing loved ones and peace be given to the survivors.
“May 5th is the official MMIW Day and is the most widely celebrated across the US and Canada. Every year, individuals wear red, and attend marches, rallies, bike rides, fundraisers, and more to raise awareness for the MMIW and cause and fight against the injustice that’s happening to Native women and their families every day.”(MMIW.org)