Honoring the Legacy of Senator Janet Howell

Honoring the Legacy of Senator Janet Howell

A tribute by Kristi VanAudenhove and Ruth Micklem

Many Virginians were deeply saddened this week to learn of the death of former Virginia State Senator, Janet Howell. Members and friends of the Action Alliance who worked closely with Senator Howell share in that sorrow. She was a true friend to survivors and to those who work with survivors. She listened intently, she asked thoughtful questions, and then she fought with everything she had for Virginia to do better on many issues, and particularly in response to sexual and domestic violence.

Senator Howell joined the Virginia General Assembly in 1992—and when we honored her with a “Legacy of Hope Lifetime Achievement Award” more than three decades later, she reflected on how we “grew up together,” sharing both hard lessons and late-night laughter along the way. She was an invaluable guide to a generation of advocates seeking to end sexual and domestic violence, and in the process, she laid down a wide and deep path for a new generation of policy leaders to carry on that role.

As Chair of Virginia’s history-making Commission on Family Violence Prevention, which was in place from 1994 to 2000, Janet Howell presided over a period of dramatic change in our collective understanding of and response to interpersonal violence. She took the time to understand the context in which violence occurs and that translated into a deep commitment to giving equal priority to expanding ALL options for survivors—in the criminal justice system, in the civil justice system, and in the community. Early on she championed legislation that would implement comprehensive pro-arrest policies across Virginia, recognizing that the politically popular mandatory arrest policies that had swept the nation could result in serious unintended consequences for victims.  At the same time, she carried bills to clarify and strengthen civil remedies. These ranged from improving the effectiveness of Protective Orders to adding protections for victims in landlord-tenant laws. Adding to all of that, she successfully expanded the availability of funding for victim services across Virginia throughout her tenure, rallied to make Virginia the 38th (and final) state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, and helped to shape and pass a monumental Medicaid expansion package.

Senator Howell, with her daughter-in-law Theresa, wrote a children’s book published in 2019 titled Leading the Way: Women in Power.  It includes an excellent guide for young people titled “Stand Up, Speak Out and Make a Difference.”

Senator Howell knew well the power of standing up and speaking out. She had a fabulous gift for choosing both her facial expressions and her words. She respected the power she held as she moved into positions of leadership—and she held it firmly, with both grace and grit.

Her legacy of making a difference for women, children, and survivors lives on in Virginia. And we are forever grateful. To learn more about her impactful life and her career as a Virginia Senator, or to share a tribute, please visit her obituary here.

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Kristi VanAudenhove is the Executive Director of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. She has been a leader in national and statewide coalition work, movement strategy, survivor advocacy, and public policy for 40 years.

Ruth Micklem, now retired, is the former Co-Director of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance. As a leader, trainer, and passionate advocate of justice for more than 35 years, Ruth worked with law enforcement officials, prosecutors, judges, magistrates, corrections personnel, elected officials, and community advocates across Virginia to improve the community response to sexual and intimate partner violence.