National Organization for Women head Toni Van Pelt wrote in an email that she welcomed Gates’ investment, saying: “The more we see women in positions of power and influence, the more it will become the norm rather than the exception.”
“If every girl and woman trusted that they could get sympathetic help from parents, relatives, friends doctors, hospitals, every police station, every campus dean, every workplace HR office, every school teacher or counselor, every minister or priest or coach, the reporting would double or triple,” Van Pelt noted saying that the government needs to do more and needs to protect all survivors of sexual violence.
A nonprofit that advocates for women’s issues like reproductive health care, is protesting against what they call “inhumane” conditions of women and girls in immigration detention centers.
“Missouri had three clinics providing care in 2017 and since then two have closed. We know that the bill passed in Missouri was not to protect women’s health – because women are safest when they have access to affordable, available abortion care not when clinics have their hands tied or are forced to close.” – Toni Van Pelt
The National Organization for Women also expressed its disapproval of the decision, writing in part, “Instead of keeping this dangerous man behind bars, Senior Judge R. Michael Hutcheson is letting him sleep in his own bed at night. Fugler was freed on bail pending appeal—a process that could take years and potentially allow him to prey on even more victims.”