Survivors Vote 2024: By the Issues Guide

About the Issue

Crime victim services funding is awarded to rape crisis centers, coalitions, and other advocacy organizations to provide services for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and general crime. Service providers rely on this funding to continue operations. There has not been an increase to base funding for crime victim services in ten years, preventing agencies from offering competitive wages. As a result, many agencies are understaffed and struggle to provide the breadth and depth of services victims/survivors need. Advocacy requires extensive training and experience and should be compensated fairly. Some of these funds also cover expenses like housing, transportation, and other basic needs for victims/survivors.

Related Policies

• • • Increasing funding for community-based services, such as rape crisis centers
    • Increasing funding for and access to direct payments to victims/survivors
    • Providing funding for restorative justice and culturally-specific healing practices

Key Elected Officials

State Senators and Representatives can: 

• • • • vote on proposed legislation related to funding and programming

Governor can: 

• • • • sign or veto legislation related to funding and programming
      • appoint Commissioner of Public Safety, whose department oversees crime victim services funding

About the Issue

Government systems and community-based programs are essential elements of both violence response and prevention. Victims/survivors of sexual violence seek justice and healing in different ways. Some work with the criminal legal system. Some seek remedies in the civil legal system. Many victims/survivors also need practical, immediate system support for medical care, food, and shelter. Historically, much emphasis has been placed on the criminal legal response to violence, especially improvements to criminal sexual conduct law and increased penalties for perpetrators. Many victims/survivors choose not to engage with the legal system and seek alternatives to policing and incarceration. Victims/survivors of sexual violence are the experts in their own lives and should have access to the resources and supports they prefer.

Related Policies

• • • Increasing funding and resources for community-based programs and organizations that provide alternatives to the criminal legal response (e.g. restorative justice, culturally specific healing)
    • Strengthening criminal and civil laws related to sexual violence
    • Eliminating structural barriers that prevent victims/survivors from seeking or receiving support and healing
    • Implementing and strengthening training requirements for law enforcement, including trauma-informed interviewing techniques
    • Expanding funding for and access to crime victim services, including rape crisis centers, medical forensic examiners, and crime victim reparations programs.
    • Improving sexual violence prevention education in communities, including the public education system.

Key Elected Officials

School Board Members can:  

• • • • set priorities and determine how resources are allocated in the public schools to prevent and respond to sexual violence.

County Sheriffs can: 

• • • • determine priority areas for the county Sheriff’s department
      • set the tone for how Sheriff’s deputies train for and respond to sexual violence
      • work with the County Attorney to build cases against perpetrators
      • administer supervision of people who have been charged with sexual violence

County Attorneys can: 

• • • • determine priorities for County Attorney’s office, such as number of assistant county attorneys assigned to sexual assault cases and whether to devote time and resources to sexual assault cases

Mayors and County Boards can:  

• • • • determine hiring of local police chiefs and set protocol for law enforcement agencies to respond to sexual violence

District Judges can: 

• • • • have a role in the prosecution and sentencing of perpetrators

State Senators and Representatives can: 

• • • • vote on proposed legislation related to funding and requirements for law enforcement and prosecution, as well as funding for community-based programs
      • pass legislation to change to criminal statutes

Governor can: 

• • • • sign or veto legislation around law enforcement, prosecution, community alternatives and funding
      • appoint commissioners to oversee agencies that work on sexual violence response and prevention

About the Issue

The right to choose to have or not have an abortion is important for victims/survivors of sexual violence. When someone experiences sexual violence, they can feel a profound loss of power over their own body. They may also fear becoming pregnant from the sexual violence they experienced. Being able to choose to keep or terminate a pregnancy is one way victims/survivors can reclaim power over their own body. All victims/survivors–and all people with uteruses– should have the right to choose what happens with their bodies and whether to keep or terminate any pregnancy.

Related Policies

• • • Ensuring abortion remains legal and accessible across Minnesota
    • Expanding abortion access across Minnesota
    • Increasing availability and accessibility of reproductive healthcare and contraception

Key Elected Officials

County Attorneys can: 

• • • • prosecute or not prosecute people who seek or provide abortions if abortion becomes a crime in Minnesota or in the US

State Senators and Representatives can: 

• • • • pass legislation that regulates, restricts, or expands access to abortion services
      • work to change the state constitution to remove the right to an abortion in Minnesota

Attorney General can: 

• • • • support or work to halt extradition to other states for abortion care providers or people who come to Minnesota for an abortion
      • sue the federal government for unjust laws, including abortion bans

Governor can: 

• • • • sign or veto legislation that state lawmakers pass on abortion regulation
      • issue Executive Orders related to abortion care
      • appoint Minnesota Supreme Court Justices (see below)

Minnesota Supreme Court Justices can: 

• • • • uphold or remove the right to abortion in the state constitution (Note: These justices are appointed by governor but the public votes on whether they will remain on the Supreme Court)

About the Issue

Transgender youth experience disproportionate rates of sexual violence and sex trafficking. Trans youth experience high rates of gender-based bullying, discrimination, and abuse across a variety of public and private settings. This increases the possibility that trans youth will experience interruptions in their education, experience housing instability, and have negative encounters with the criminal legal system. This also leads to greater risk for sexual violence and sex trafficking. Protective measures, such as supportive schools, nondiscrimination and anti-bullying policies, and cultures where trans youth are supported, decrease risks and prevent violence.

Related Policies

• • • Implementing nondiscrimination and anti-bullying efforts in schools
    • Creating gender inclusive school curriculums
    • Supporting trans youth to participate in sports

Key Elected Officials

City Council Members/Mayors can: 

• • • • pass city-wide ordinances on issues affecting trans youth, such as access to gender inclusive public bathrooms

School Board Members can:  

• • • • create supportive policies for trans youth to participate in extracurricular activities–like sports–that are often segregated along the gender binary
      • create policies and prescribe courses of study for individual school districts, such as gender inclusive comprehensive sexuality education

State Senators and Representatives can: 

• • • • pass legislation that supports or harms trans youth
      • ensure that bans on conversion therapy remain in Minnesota statute

Governor can: 

• • • • sign or veto legislation that state lawmakers pass related to trans youth
      • appoint the Education Commissioner who leads the Minnesota Department of Education, which implements education policies and develops state curriculum standards

About the Issue

Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) is a fundamental component of sexual violence prevention. CSE is critical to stopping violence before it occurs through education on topics such as consent, boundaries, healthy relationships, and safe sex practices. In 2024, the Minnesota Legislature passed an education finance omnibus which initiates the development of health education standards through the rulemaking process. These health standards will influence how sex education is taught in schools. By implementing statewide health standards that include CSE, we can shift cultural norms to emphasize safety, consent, equality, and reduced perpetration.

Related Policies

• • • Establishing education that is evidenced-based, scientifically and medically accurate, and age- and developmentally appropriate
    • Implementing curriculum that is gender diverse, culturally responsive, and intersectional
    • Improving access to reproductive health care and contraception

Key Elected Officials

School Board Members can: 

• • • • include inclusive, medically-accurate, and culturally responsive programming for students until the new health standards are developed and implemented

State Senators and Representatives can:  

• • • • introduce and pass bills that support or overturn statewide health standards that include CSE

Governor can: 

• • • • appoint the Education Commissioner who leads the Minnesota Department of Education, which implements education policies and develops state curriculum standards

About the Issue

If a victim/survivor with children can’t afford childcare, they may be less likely to leave an abusive situation. Economic empowerment is a proven protective factor against violence. Funding childcare means that people retain more of their incomes—which leads to greater financial freedom and more personal autonomy. Many victims/survivors also experience increased financial burdens long after experiencing violence. Financial support through childcare funding is critical for victims’/survivors’ continual healing.

Related Policies

• • • Expanding universal early learning programs
    • Expanding head start program serving low-income students
    • Offering tax credits for families
    • Providing scholarships for kids to attend early learning facilities
    • Supporting and training childcare workers

Key Elected Officials

State Senators and Representatives can:

• • • • create and pass legislation that includes state funding for childcare

Governor can:

• • • • make budget recommendations to congress for the next two years that include funding for childcare

About the Issue

People in confinement settings, such as prisons and jails, are far more likely to experience sexual violence than those in the community. People entering correctional facilities are often victims of previous violence themselves. Nationally, nearly 60% of people in women’s prisons have a history of physical or sexual abuse prior to incarceration (ACLU). Elected officials make decisions regarding how jails and prisons respond to victims/survivors in custody and whether or not their community is invested in the carceral system.

Related Policies

• • • The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) puts forward standards for confinement settings to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual violence
    • Beyond PREA, funding decisions made by elected officials demonstrate priorities in providing supportive measures to inmates and investments or divestments in the carceral system

Key Elected Officials

County Sheriff can: 

• • • • oversee county jails
      • investigate sexual violence that happens in county jails

County Boards/County Commissioners can: 

• • • • make funding decisions regarding county jails
      • appoint commissioners for regional jails which house inmates across multiple, often rural, counties
      • serve on County Committee and Advisory Boards, such as the Race Equity Committee; Law, Justice, and Safety Committees

Governor can: 

• • • • appoint the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections
      • develop a budget for state prisons and the Department of Corrections
      • submit PREA compliance certification to the federal government detailing if the state complied with PREA standards

About the Issue

State-sanctioned violence refers to all forms of harm produced, promoted, or institutionalized by the state. Government support for violent or repressive policies and actions are typically justified under the pretense of maintaining law and order. State-sanctioned violence may be internal (violence against people within the state) or external (participation in or support for violence in other parts of the world).

The US government has deep historical roots in the use of violence to maintain control such as through chattel slavery, genocide of Indigenous peoples, participation in war, and police violence against people of color. Other examples include violence against incarcerated individuals, criminalization of human trafficking survivors, reproductive control (forced sterilization, incentivize forced birth, and reproductive coercion), and the crisis of missing and murdered Black and Indigenous women.

Related Policies

• • • The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) puts forward standards for confinement settings to prevent, detect, and respond to sexual violence
    • Enhancing bias training and background check requirements for law enforcement officers
    • Opposing policies that allow for the criminalization of human trafficking survivors
    • Expanding funding for and access to crime victims services, including rape crisis centers, medical forensic examiners, and crime victims reparations programs

Key Elected Officials

County Sheriffs can: 

• • • • advocate for changes in laws and policies that promote accountability and transparency in law enforcement practices, including legislation regarding police misconduct and use of force
      • implement comprehensive training programs focused on de-escalation techniques, cultural competency, and implicit bias to reduce instances of violence
      • establish clear protocols for investigating and addressing complaints of misconduct, including the creation of independent oversight bodies
      • work with other law enforcement agencies, social services, and community organizations to create a more holistic approach to addressing violence

District Judges can: 

• • • • review and strike down laws or executive actions that authorize or perpetuate violence, ensuring they comply with constitutional and international human rights standards
      • ensure that government officials who engage in or condone violence are held accountable through criminal prosecutions or civil suits
      • protect whistleblowers and ensure their testimonies are heard, and can bring attention to and stop state-sanctioned violence

State Senators and Representatives can: 

• • • • draft and support laws that protect human rights and hold perpetrators accountable, including laws that ensure transparency, oversight, and accountability for law enforcement and other state actors
      • allocate funds to support programs that prevent violence, such as community policing initiatives, mental health services, and training for law enforcement on de-escalation techniques and human rights
      • advocate for and implement policy reforms that address the root causes of state violence, such as systemic racism, poverty, and lack of education

Governor can: 

• • • • initiate or support independent investigations into incidents of violence. This can involve appointing special prosecutors or commissions to ensure impartiality
      • issue Executive Orders to address specific issues, such as banning certain practices or directing state agencies to take action against those involved in violence
      • redirect state funds towards social services, mental health support, and community development to address root causes of violence

About the Issue

Many victims/survivors of violence experience housing insecurity, with disproportionate impact on BIPOC people, undocumented immigrants, disabled people, and LGBTQIA+ people. Being unsheltered also increases a person’s risk of experiencing sexual violence. There are a limited number of shelter spaces available for victims/survivors, and funding gaps only exacerbate the shortage. Victims/survivors also have short and long-term housing needs beyond temporary shelter. Currently, there are not many sustained supportive housing options for victims/survivors. Stable housing is an essential strategy for preventing violence and it is vital for victims/survivors of violence to heal and feel safe.

Related Policies

• • • Developing new affordable housing options for victims/survivors
    • Increasing crime victim services funding to sustain existing and create new housing programs
    • Passing legislation protecting tenants, including legislation to prevent discriminating against tenants who receive public assistance, are undocumented, or who have a history of evictions
    • Protecting unhoused communities from eviction and violence
    • Incentivizing affordable housing production and streamlining loan application processes

Key Elected Officials

Mayors and County Boards can: 

• • • • determine how the cities and counties spend their money on development of shelters and affordable housing

State Senators and Representatives can: 

• • • • pass legislation to fund housing, create new programs to increase affordability, and provide additional money to shelter programs
      • pass legislation to protect tenants

About the Issue

Gun violence is uniquely intertwined with sexual and domestic violence. In many cases, guns are used to intimidate and control victims/survivors and force sexual actions. Abusers with firearms are five times more likely to kill their female victims than abusers without firearms (Everytown). Like sexual violence, gun violence is often about power and control. In more than half of all mass shootings over the past decade, the perpetrator shot a current or former partner. Many also previously harmed family members or have held misogynistic views of women. Guns also affect victims/survivors after experiencing violence. More than half of all fire-arm related deaths are suicide and sexual assault victims/survivors are more likely to attempt or die by suicide.

Related Policies

• • • Passing legislation to ban assault weapons
    • Strengthening the background check system
    • Closing the background check loophole by requiring background checks on sales between unlicensed parties—like those that frequently occur online or at gun shows
    • Supporting community-based, root cause violence intervention programs
    • Increasing accessibility to file for Extreme Risk Protect Orders (sometimes called “red flag laws”) to temporarily prevent a person from obtaining or keeping firearms

Key Elected Officials

Local Government Officials can:

• • • • sometimes regulate and prohibit the sale and use of firearms, as long as they don’t conflict with state policy

State Senators and Representatives can:

• • • • pass legislation regulating firearms
      • support measures such as background checks on gun sales and transfers, and closing the loopholes

About the Issue

Disasters have profound impacts on victims/survivors and hardships are experienced during disaster and in its aftermath. Disasters can range from climate and weather catastrophes to the COVID-19 pandemic to conflict and displacement. Disasters can increase the prevalence of sexual violence, magnify barriers, reduce access to resources, and prevent healing. Furthermore, disasters often highlight how systemic forms of oppression like racism, ableism, sexism, classism, and more place additional burdens on communities already exposed to heightened risks produced from disasters. Elected officials have the opportunity to protect the environment, respond to disasters effectively, and reduce risks for victims/survivors.

Related Policies

• • • Policies impacting water and air pollution, energy consumption, and endangered species
    • Funding for infrastructure repair and resilience in underserved communities
    • Legislation to ensure equitable distribution of disaster relief

Key Elected Officials

Local Officials can:

• • • • have local-level impacts on disaster preparedness and response

State Senators and Representatives can:

• • • • create and pass legislation that allocates funding for disaster relief and infrastructure resilience

Governor can:

• • • • determine disaster and emergency response on a statewide level
      • appoint disaster preparedness and response officials in the Departments of Health, Human Services, Public Safety, and more

Minnesota Supreme Court Justices can:

• • • • determine cases that impact environmental protections