Advocate for Change
Action Alliance members play a vital role in meeting, educating, and advocating with their legislators – virtually or in-person – about the policy priorities of survivors and the sexual and domestic violence agencies that serve them. You can be a part of this advocacy to end sexual and intimate partner violence in Virginia by becoming a member. Action Alliance members advance both state and federal policy in a variety of settings and using a variety of strategies. See how you can get involved and become an advocate for change below!
Virginia Legislative Advocacy
Each winter, advocates from Action Alliance member programs, survivors, and allies gather in Richmond to learn about survivor policy priorities to deepen our connections with one another and to meet with legislators who can help us advance policy and create change. Each and every voice is important. If you are interested in participating in the Action Alliance’s annual Legislative Advocacy Days, contact us at policy@vsdvalliance.org or be on the lookout for Save the Date and registration announcements by following us on social media and subscribing to our mailing lists.
National Legislative Advocacy
The Action Alliance’s public policy work extends to the federal level. We rely on our members’ participation to advocate with Virginia’s Congressional Delegation and amplify survivor voices and policy priorities. Action Alliance staff and advocates from our Public Policy Committee work alongside partners like the National Network to End Domestic Violence and the National Alliance to End Sexual Assault to advance priority legislation. Among these priorities are annual appropriations for sexual and domestic violence funding, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
Sign up for Action Alerts
Action alerts are an easy way to stay involved in legislative advocacy. The Action Alliance sends email action alerts about state and federal policies to encourage movement partners and members to send an email, post on social media, or make a call on urgent policy issues. Click here to sign up for policy action alerts.
Tell Your Representatives What’s Important to You
Whether it’s your representatives at the Virginia General Assembly or U.S. Congress, your elected officials want to hear from their constituents (that’s you!) – the people they represent within their respective districts. Follow this link to find out who your legislators are, craft your message, and make contact via social media, email, phone call, etc.
Action Alliance Policy Committee and Workgroups
The Action Alliance’s Statewide Policy Work is guided by a passionate group of experts, advocates, and mobilizers who serve on the Policy Committee. This Committee is comprised of advocates from sexual and domestic violence agencies, as well as allies and partners from criminal and civil legal sectors, prevention, healthcare, and justice-based movements statewide.
Committee Purpose:
- Provide leadership to the Action Alliance on the development and implementation of public policy priorities including, but not limited to, the long-range public policy agenda, an annual legislative agenda, and coalition position statements;
- Provide a forum for constituent concerns that are policy-related, promoting full discussion of those concerns and providing leadership to the formulation of solutions; and
- Engage members, partners/allies, and survivors in civic engagement and legislative advocacy activities at the local, state, and federal levels.
If you’re interested in serving on the Action Alliance’s Policy Committee or one of our many Policy Workgroups, you can submit an interest form here.
Resources for Legislative Advocacy
A program from Alliance for Justice that provides nonprofits with resources and expertise to help nonprofits advocate. Bolder Advocacy promotes active engagement in democratic processes and institutions by giving nonprofits and foundations the confidence to advocate effectively and by protecting their right to do so. Check out their Advocacy vs. Lobbying resource for nonprofits here:
Survivors should have the power to influence public policy and determine solutions to violence. The Building Thriving Communities Campaign seeks to transform Virginia communities by increasing public participation in civic engagement and the formation of public policy that promotes healthy futures for all of us.
The Building Thriving Communities Campaign helps survivors and concerned community members become active and educated in order to improve how Virginia’s communities respond to and prevent sexual and intimate partner violence.
The Building Thriving Communities Toolkit includes tools and resources for SDVAs to increase civic engagement among survivors, partners, and community members. Tools include:
- A Community Conversation Facilitator Guide on Civic Engagement
- Sample Community Art Actions
- Voter Education Guides and Resources for Continued Learning
- The Action Alliance’s Legislative Advocacy Guide
- Questions for Candidates
- Posters & Handout: Why Voting Matters
Building Thriving Communities Leadership Training: A training for individuals and organizations who would like to dive more deeply into promoting public participation – and survivor participation – in public policy and civic engagement work that leads to healthy, safe, just, and compassionate communities. Participants will learn about reconnecting with our movement roots and employing organizing strategies that seek to facilitate authentic connections between people, across differences, and around issues in an effort to build safe and thriving communities.
To request a custom-built Building Thriving Communities Leadership Training, please click here.
A special note for advocates: As advocates, we work to ensure survivors are knowledgeable about their options and empowered to make their own choices because they are the experts in their lives. Voting and being involved in community efforts to end violence are extensions of this work. If we are to eliminate violence in the long-term and improve interventions for survivors in the short-term, we need to use our voice during elections. In our unique role as advocates, we have the power to elect legislators who are willing to improve systems to benefit survivors of violence and even prevent violence from happening in the first place.
To learn more, reach out to policy@vsdvalliance.org.