A LETTER FROM HRI’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BILL HOLSTON December 10 is Human Rights Day. It celebrates the day when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted. The very first article is: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards […]
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International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
As today is the UN’s International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, HRI staff members think of the clients we have served over the years who have been victims of Female Genital Mutilation. Female Genital Mutilation “comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized […]
Read MoreCarolina Wins Asylum!
HRI recently won the cases of a 23-year-old Salvadoran woman and her 4-year-old daughter who sought asylum from severe domestic violence. Carolina began living with her partner when she was only 15, and the abuse started shortly thereafter. He abused her physically, emotionally, financially, and sexually, including when she was pregnant. She attempted to leave […]
Read MoreIt’s a Process
Jackie + Frank VAWA is a federal law meant to protect undocumented immigrant survivors of domestic abuse by allowing them to apply for immigration relief without the assistance of their abusive spouse. Jackie’s ex-husband, Frank, abused her physically, sexually, verbally, and psychologically for nearly 20 years. Jackie was born in Mexico, but moved to […]
Read MorePresident Obama Supports VAWA
During last night’s State of the Union, President Obama spoke about the importance of the Violence Against Women Act and the need for it to be reauthorized. He said: “Today the Senate passed a strong bipartisan bill to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. This important step shows what we can do when […]
Read MoreHRI Advocates for VAWA Reauthorization in DMN
Below is an opinion piece featured in today’s The Dallas Morning News, written by our Legal Director Chris Mansour and our Executive Director Bill Holston on the importance of the reauthorization of VAWA. Chris Mansour and Bill Holston: Time running out for Violence Against Women Act One of our immigrant clients at Human Rights Initiative, […]
Read MoreInternational Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
Our client Dana, a Honduran native, was physically, mentally and emotionally abused by her partner throughout their relationship and her pregnancy. She is just one example of the cases we see at Human Rights Initiative, which deal with violence against women. Yesterday, November 25th, was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. […]
Read MoreVAWA National Day of Action
Below is a guest post written by our Legal Director Chris Mansour about the importance of VAWA reauthorization. Our client Lisa was raped by her stepfather for over a year, starting when she was nine years old. When he was finally caught, she courageously told the police what he had done to her, even though […]
Read MoreImmigrant Women: Forgotten and Discounted
While there was plenty of talk during the presidential debates about the equality of women, one group remained unmentioned and invisible: immigrant women who suffer in silence at the hands of their abusers. During the second presidential debate, candidates were asked about how each of them intended to rectify gender inequality in the workplace. President […]
Read MoreInternational Day of the Girl Child
Today, October 11, is the first International Day of the Girl Child. The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution last December to “recognize girls’ rights and highlight the unique challenges girls face worldwide.” This year’s theme is “Ending Child Marriage.” Each year nearly 10 million girls are married before age 18, with roughly 25,000 […]
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