PROBLEM STATEMENTS:

(a) The revised budget includes $20 million to support nonprofits dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse, helping to prevent staff layoffs and service closures after a domestic violence facility was closed due to a lack of funding. These male-dominated mindsets have to change in the State of Tennessee to restore dignity to women and their reproductive health rights, body autonomy, and safety.

(b) This funding comes after a major Memphis domestic violence agency closed in March 2025 due to financial issues, and a coalition of over 100 nonprofits asked for $25 million in annual funding.

(c) Women and transgender individuals' reproductive healthcare must be a priority in the State of Tennessee to prevent unnecessary deaths, extreme measures to prevent pregnancies, and suicides.

(d) Tennessee has seen federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding drop from a peak of $68 million in 2018 to $16 million in 2024.

(e) No woman in the State of Tennessee should be sleeping on the streets, in cars, or in hotels, or worried about where her child's meal will be coming from. Many are living in an epidemic of survival while SNAP & W.I.C. benefits are being allegedly cancelled.

(f) Women have suffered with their children while $730 Million Dollars of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) was withheld by Governor Bill Lee, causing further harm and neglect. This is clearly inhumane treatment, while millions are being given to billionaires to develop upscale rental properties that these mothers and children can not afford.

(g) Many of these women are fleeing poverty, gentrification, abusive relationships, and are living in hotels, experiencing drug addiction or mental health issues that complicate the problem. As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee, these are the invisible souls that I refuse to overlook.

(h) Women's rights must be protected in the State of Tennessee. Women's reproductive rights are under attack, and I will be the governor who brings back dignity and respect to women across this state. No woman should be afraid to make her own decision for her family, and certainly no government should be a part of taking away that right.

(i) Black women experience domestic violence at a rate 35% higher than White women. They are also more likely to be killed by their intimate partner. 40% of Black men have experienced some form of intimate partner violence. Between 21% and 55% of Asian and Pacific Islander women have experienced domestic violence.

W.O.M.E.N. will be an initiative with a multi-layered scope to engage, empower, and restore women's rights, thus securing reproductive justice in a humane and dignified way.

As the next Governor, I would work to ensure that every woman can make the best decisions for herself and her family about whether and when to have a child without undue political interference. My work will encompass a wide range of issues, including securing age-appropriate sex education in our schools, fighting pregnancy discrimination in the workplace, and protecting a woman’s ability to make personal, private decisions about pregnancy or any other reproductive issues.

The uniquely designed W.O.M.E.N. would foster a Domestic Violence counterpart, which would encompass a wrap-around program to secure the safety and well-being of women caught in the cycle of abuse, human trafficking, mental illness, and drug addiction.

The W.O.M.E.N Tennessee Battered Justice counterpart would require that individuals who are the subject of a protective order in domestic violence cases surrender their firearms to the Sheriff's Office or Police Department until the case is resolved. Thus, making it a high priority to adopt the MDA (Moms Demand Action’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law. This methodology is a much-needed law to protect domestic victims and could be the nucleus to saving victims’ lives. As the next Governor, I would absolutely embrace this much-needed ERPO methodology.

PROTECTIVE ORDER “PIECE OF PAPER INEQUITABLE JUSTICE” will be a sidebar in the W.O.M.E.N. Initiative.

In the context of post-COVID-19, economic and social stressors have provided the perfect environment for firearm-related domestic violence to thrive, especially with the passage of the permitless carry gun bill that was signed into law by the present Tennessee Governor, motivated by the NRA. As the next Governor, I am prepared to implement a comprehensive advocacy toolkit to ward off this epidemic of gun violence against domestic victims. The ultimate goal is to restrict access by preventing prohibited parties from purchasing firearms and ammunition.

The W.O.M.E.N Initiative would integrate a Security Number Change for Domestic Violence Victims with a proper legal committee advisory board. Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence. If you are a victim of family violence, harassment, abuse, or life-endangering situations, a reassignment of a Social Security number may be able to assist these citizens.

Strategic advocates will be employed to assist these victims in developing safety plans that include gathering personal papers and choosing a safe place to go. One of the safety measures to evade abuse and reduce the risk of further violence may be to relocate and establish a new identity. Ascertaining a new Social Security number (SSN) may also be an option. Although it is not routinely appropriate to assign new security numbers, it may be feasible to do so when evidence shows a victim is being harassed or abused, or their lives are endangered.

Applying for a new number is a big decision. A Tennessean’s ability to interact with federal and state agencies, employers, and others may be affected. Their financial, medical, employment, and other records will be under your former SSN and name (if they change their name). If the victims expect to change their names, they will do so before applying for a new number. As the next potential Governor who has been a victim of domestic violence, I will be very creative in attempting to save the lives of these citizens.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INITIATIVE - STOP ABUSING WOMEN (SAW)

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 2^nd 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 their not having community outreach facilities in their areas.

As the Governor, I would ensure 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, 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 where 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.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RIGHTS

Women's health rights encompass the fundamental right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including bodily autonomy, non-discriminatory access to healthcare, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive services. Key rights involve contraception access, safe abortion, maternal care, and freedom from violence or coercion.

Main Priorities of women's health rights include:

Reproductive Rights: The right to decide if, when, and how to have children, including access to safe, legal abortion, contraception, and infertility treatments.

Non-Discrimination and Care: Protection against denial of treatment based on sex, race, age, or disability, including access to accessible medical equipment and specialized care.

Bodily Autonomy: The right to make decisions about one's own body, free from forced sterilization, forced abortion, or violence.

Confidentiality and Privacy: The right to private medical records, informed consent, and confidential, respectful treatment.

Maternal Health: Access to safe, high-quality prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum services to reduce preventable maternal mortality.

In the U.S., these rights are heavily impacted by state-level bans on abortion following the reversal of Roe v. Wade, leading to initiatives like the Women's Health Protection Act to protect access at the federal level.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

In Tennessee, a majority of the victims in reported child sex trafficking cases are minorities, with data indicating that Black individuals are disproportionately affected.

While specific, recent, comprehensive demographic data for all human trafficking victims (adults and minors, sex and labor) in Tennessee by race is limited in publicly available reports, several data points highlight significant racial disparities:

Minors: According to TBI data discussed in April 2024, of 35 missing children listed in a TBI report, 30 were Black, Hispanic, or biracial, with minorities making up the majority of child sex trafficking victims in the state.

National Context: National studies support a trend of disproportionate impact on Black individuals. A federal report on confirmed sex trafficking cases from 2008-2010 found that 40% of survivors were Black females, compared to 26% who were White females.

Vulnerability Factors: Systemic factors such as racial bias, low socioeconomic status, and higher rates of involvement in the child welfare or criminal justice systems contribute to increased vulnerability for Black women and girls. Traffickers exploit these vulnerabilities, sometimes specifically targeting Black girls, knowing they are less likely to be identified as victims by law enforcement and the justice system.

The 3 Ps of human trafficking refer to the global framework for combating the crime: Prosecution, Protection, and Prevention. This model, established by international agreements like the Palermo Protocol, aims to hold traffickers accountable, support survivors, and stop trafficking before it starts, often with an added fourth "P" for Partnership.

Historical Significance: The link between domestic sex trafficking and racial discrimination, while undeniable, is not immediately clear. What is clear, however, is that the demography of domestic sex trafficking is very different from the racial makeup of the United States. In a recent report by the Office of Victims of Crime, of the confirmed sex trafficking victims, 40.4 percent of victims were African-American. This is almost four times higher than the percentage of African-Americans living in the United States, which the US Census Bureau currently lists as 13.1 percent of the total population. The FBI claims an even more surprising statistic for arrests under the age of 18, black children make up 55 % of all prostitution-related arrests in the U.S.

White / Caucasian women and girls represent the second highest number of sex trafficking victims, at 25.6 percent. This number is drastically lower than the current amount of White / Caucasian people in the United States, which, as the majority ethnic group, makes up 75.1 percent of the country’s total population. According to the report by the Office of Victims of Crime, women and girls who are African-American or White / Caucasian are more likely to become victims of sex trafficking than any other ethnic group in the United States. But why are African-American victims overrepresented and White / Caucasian victims underrepresented in sex trafficking?

Some argue that it is simple economics that causes racial disparities in trafficking; the demand for one race is higher than the demand for another. That could explain why the percentage of Asian American sex trafficking victims matches within one percent the racial makeup in the United States (four and five percent, respectively). Many traffickers are also savvy businessmen who are just trying to keep marketable people. In a recent Urban Institute study that looked at the economics of human trafficking, of the traffickers interviewed, the majority overwhelmingly believed that trafficking white women would make them more money, but trafficking black women would land them less jail time if caught. Most of the traffickers interviewed had trafficked women and girls of different races since having a variety of products to sell was good for business.

ATWATER'S GOALS AND STRATEGIES:

• All backlog rape kits will be tested expeditiously and promptly. No woman should have to suffer twice from the perpetrator and the State of Tennessee. In the event of a child or teenager exposed to rape, sexual assault, or incest, I will advocate for stricter laws and punishment.

• I will be intentional regarding removing every homeless woman from the streets of Tennessee. No woman should be experiencing rape or sexual assault because she is unhoused.

• Implement progressive gun safety laws to protect these women of Tennessee.

• Erect women's domestic violence centers and community outreach programs to ensure that women in rural counties are protected. There is abuse in rural communities that goes unnoticed because of isolation.

• As the next Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will adhere to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), thus creating unique modernized pathways and supporting comprehensive, cost-effective responses to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

• I will aggressively allocate budget entry for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding.

• I will seek prosecution of all known legislators accused of sexually assaulting a woman. No one should be above the law.

• A new Social Security number (SSN) may also be an option.

• Collaborate with non-profit and community organizations to erect new domestic violence centers and housing for unhoused mothers, females, youth, teenagers, or transgender individuals.

• Collaborate with organizations such as Moms Demand Action to ensure that I am a progressive Governor of the people.

• Forge a relationship with the National Homelessness Law Center, National Alliance to End Homelessness, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV), and National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

• Allocate $50 million of TANF funds for satellite housing for homeless women with wrap-around programs. Place a freeze on spending down these funds during the present Governor's administration.

• Seek non-profits, churches, and community organizations to address the housing needs of these individuals.

• Implement a "Sisterhood Partnership Program - (S.I.S.T.E.R.S)" for homeless women as a personal mentorship initiative.

Alternative Actions:

Under the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution, states cannot directly legalize abortion if a federal law bans it nationwide. Federal law generally overrides conflicting state law. As the next potential Governor of the State of Tennessee, I will use creative measures such as those listed below if applicable.

However, states have employed a few strategic methods to protect access to reproductive care to the fullest extent possible:

• Anti-Commandeering Doctrine: The federal government cannot force state and local police or state agencies to enforce federal laws. This means state officials can decline to investigate or prosecute individuals for abortion-related activities under a federal ban.

• Shield Laws: Many states have enacted "shield laws" to protect doctors, patients, and people assisting with out-of-state travel from being extradited, prosecuted, or penalized by other states or the federal government.

• Funding and Resource Allocation: States can allocate state-level funding to support reproductive health services, cover travel expenses for patients traveling to access care, and protect medical providers operating within their borders.

The balance of power remains heavily dependent on the exact language of any federal legislation.