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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE – STOP ABUSING WOMEN (SAW)
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
Domestic Violence Initiative - STOP ABUSING WOMEN (SAW)
(a) As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will make domestic violence a priority.
(b) No domestic violence or assaults on women will be tolerated under my administration.
Domestic Violence is a severe problem in the State of Tennessee, and the time is now to activate a plan to save these victims’ lives. To combat this brutal epidemic, it will take a Governor with sensitivity to women's needs and attacks on their lives. Domestic violence has no room for ego or antiquated mindsets toward women. Therefore, this Domestic Violence Initiative –SAW (Stop Abusing Women) will take all hands on deck to bring about a safety net to assure women that they can live in the State of Tennessee without fearing for their lives or running to stay alive. It is time to take the SAW away from the abuser of women.
The first step to making this Domestic Violence Initiative real is to regulate gun safety measures. I would rescind the permitless gun carry bill on day one of my administration. I believe in the 2nd Amendment, but I do not support guns in the hands of individuals who use them to hurt women. Ironically, more women in rural areas experience more violence than any other women in the State of Tennessee, possibly due to them not having community outreach facilities in their areas.
As the Governor, I would assure all 95 counties have a shelter for battered and abused women with wrap-around services to assist them in breaking the cycle of abuse. The SAW Team would continue to work in substantive ways to educate the public about the problem and to prevent violence against women and their dependent children.
The SAW Team would build a collaboration with various partners, including government agencies, MDA (Moms Demand Action) women’s advocacy and self-help organizations. Clients also received childcare support, education and job skills training, and mental health counseling.
In the SAW Teen Awareness Program, the county’s local rape crisis center will deliver counseling for middle and high school students on topics such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, and dating violence. This program will also provide resources they can turn to for help.
SAW (Stop Abusing Women) will partner with the YWCA of Tennessee to develop a specific Children in Crisis program to provide a support group for children who have witnessed intimate domestic violence. Children who witness these behaviors often repeat the cycle of abuse further down the road in life.
Atwater's Goal and Strategies
(a) My priority will be to get all Rape Kits tested in the State of Tennessee.
(b) Funding will be allocated to address major domestic violence concerns.