Join our network of advocates defending the rights of all survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and gender-based abuses for access to life-saving protections.

ais STATEMENT: What it really means to keep America safe

This administration’s call for increased militarization of law enforcement and retribution against cities and states with sanctuary policies comes on the heels of increased threats to services and protections for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, putting immigrant survivors and their families at risk of falling through the cracks.

Immigrant survivors know that this is not what safety looks like. Safety means being protected from harm and is rooted in ensuring survivors have the support they need. 

Safety is not accomplished by attacking sanctuary jurisdictions that choose to build community trust with local law enforcement or by ramping up increasingly aggressive and militarized policing methods.

Safety means access for all, because when one survivor fears asking for help, all communities become less safe. 

STATEMENT: AIS Stands with Jennifer Vasquez Sura

We are rooted in survivor centered and survivor led principles of advocacy. In this moment, that means trusting Jennifer Vasquez Sura, wife of Kilmar Ábrego Garcia, to make the best decisions for herself and her family and to follow her lead.

She has made her position clear. She wants her husband home.

The administration has weaponized a decision made by Jennifer Vasquez Sura to seek a temporary protection order in 2021 in order to justify her husband’s illegal kidnapping and indefinite incarceration. Nothing in Kilmar Ábrego Garcia’s history gives the government permission or an excuse to violate his right to due process or legitimize his illegal removal from the U.S.

Let us be clear: Our movement does not advocate for the erosion of due process or the mass expulsion of immigrants as a solution to violence against women in this country. This is not what makes communities safer.

Media Release: AIS Applauds WISE Act Introduction During Sexual Assault Awareness Month

To mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, Adriano Espaillat, and Jimmy Panetta introduced the Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment (WISE) Act. AIS welcomes this vital piece of legislation and calls on every Member of Congress to cosponsor it today.

“The WISE Act presents a roadmap to justice and safety for immigrant survivors across our communities in America and will ensure that every survivor of domestic and sexual violence knows that reaching out for help will be safer than staying silent,” said Archi Pyati, CEO of the Tahirih Justice Center. “We call on every member of Congress to protect the right of immigrant survivors to live in safety and dignity by passing the WISE Act.”

ais StandS with Survivors: This Month and Always

April isn’t just about awareness – it’s about action. This month – and every month – AIS stands with survivors. 

We stand with those who broke their silence and marched to demand change in the 1970s, laying the foundation of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. We stand with the protectors who established Child Abuse Prevention Month to recognize that children deserve safety and families need support. We stand with advocates who draft safety plans and accompany survivors on their path to healing. We stand with educators and advocates who teach youth to build healthy relationships and prevent violence before it happens.

The blue pinwheels and teal ribbons fluttering this month are more than symbols. They represent hope and healing, and they remind us of the original vision: action and advocacy.