Justice Committee Update

There is no Justice Committee meeting 1/12/2023 since we hosted the 10/2 Monday Monthly Meeting with speaker Retired Judge LaDoris Cordell.  If you weren't able to attend, here is a link to the video of the program.

Monthly Member Meeting 10/2/2023-The Fix

Judge Cordell was informative and engaging.  We plan to have her return for the LWVMC Book Club in February when we'll discuss her book Her Honor: My Life on the Bench...What Works, What's Broken, and How to Change It.  Stay tuned for further information and how to get a signed copy of her book.

Human Trafficking is one of our focuses as the Justice Committee.  You may have an interest in this World Without Exploitation webinar which is Wednesday 10/12 at 10 a.m. Pacific.  Law Enforcement Strategies: Confronting Demand in Equality Model Jurisdictions, where you will hear from four experts: Bob Rodgers, President and CEO of Street Grace on evidence-based demand reduction strategies to eradicate the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC); Benjamin Gauen, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with Washington State’s King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office on how to prosecute traffickers and other exploiters without arresting survivors; Detective Joseph Scaramucci, a nationally renowned law enforcement expert on human trafficking, who created the Human Trafficking Unit for the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, will share his experience doing groundbreaking work fighting demand; and survivor leader Melanie Thompson who has worked with law enforcement in recent months as New York City determines how to address its growing sex trade.

Here's some more information:A podcast on the Equality Model:  A Paradigm Change to Reduce Sex Trafficking - 33 minutes, with an expert from Polaris, one of the nation's leading anti-trafficking organizations. https://endinghumantrafficking.org/219/

It’s too simplistic to think of decriminalization bills as only about the person selling sex, when in fact these bills impact multiple different actors in the sex trade and sex trafficking ecosystem.  The full decriminalization model proposes decriminalizing everything in the sex trade including the pimps, brothel owners, sex buyers, and people directly selling sex.  The equality model, also known as the Nordic model or partial decrim, decriminalizes the act of directly selling sex and offers support services for individuals who wish to leave the sex trade. However, it would still remain illegal for pimping, owning a brothel, or buying sex.  There has been resounding support amongst the survivor community for the equality model. Especially considering that it would be more difficult to identify sex trafficking within a full decriminalization model, rather than in the legal structure we have in place now or the equality model paradigm.

Here's a link to the opposing view.  They consider the Equality Model, the Entrapment Model.  

Why Decriminalization of Sex Work - Decriminalize Sex Work

Our next Justice Committee Meeting will be on Thursday, November 9th at 10 a.m.  I'll try to arrange for someone to come and speak about the Equality Model and how it reduces demand for the sex trade.

Any questions, please send me an email or give me a call.

Best,

Nancy Weber, Chair lwvmarin.justiceone@gmail.com

The League of Women Voters of Marin County Adds Two Candidate Forums to Their Nov.8, 2022 General Election Schedule

The League of Women Voters of Marin County added two candidate forums to their schedule for the November 8, 2022 General Election.

October 17, 7pm : Fairfax Town Council Host: Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

October 24, 6:30pm : Novato Unified School District Board of Trustees, Area 4 Hosts: Canal Alliance, Community Action Marin, Marin Promise Partnership, School Fuel & 10,000 Degrees

LEARN MORE HERE

League of Women Voters of Marin & Sonoma Counties Partner with Sonoma County Library to offer virtual Pros & Cons presentations(for Nov.8, 2022 State Ballot Propositions)

The League of Women Voters of Marin County & the League of Women Voters of Sonoma County will partner with Sonoma County Library to offer virtual Pros & Cons presentations (for Nov.8, 2022 State Ballot Propositions) on October 18 and 26th.

The Marin and Sonoma Leagues will be presenting a non-partisan, unbiased look at the pros and cons of the seven state ballot propositions this month.  This is your opportunity to demystify your ballot and learn what a yes vote means and what a no vote means.  In addition, you will hear about existing law, proposed changes, fiscal impact, the supporters and opponents as well as campaign financing for each proposition.  Bring your questions and join this educational and informative event.

Sonoma County Library Pros & Cons Event #1: 

When: Oct 18, 2022 12:00 PM Pacific Time 

Register in advance for this meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrcO-tpjMrHNcvWUiaZbTWnL4WaBIaMtN5

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Sonoma County Library Pros & Cons Event #2 

When: Oct 26, 2022 06:00 PM Pacific Time

Register in advance for this meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvd-2vqTMvH9y7KSzFSEQFsFi2arMQElhP

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Voter Service Call to Action - LWVMC holding 2 Virtual Meeting Options to Recruit Volunteers for Nonpartisan Voter Education for 11.8.22 General Election

A Voter Service CALL TO ACTION:

The League of Women Voters of Marin County will hold two virtual meetings to explain the opportunities to participate in their nonpartisan voter education for the November 8, 2022 General Election.

Members and non-members are encouraged to attend.

Registration required for the ZOOM meetings held Wednesday, July 27, 6:30pm and Saturday, July 30, 10 am. Choose to attend one meeting.

Learn more at Marinlwv.org

Registration for July 27 :  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvcuysrD0oHNGN9xXKtT5AyftzXB-6E8q3

Registration for July 30 :  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kduiqpz0vE9WnAEb5ZI3Sj3kCnshoVwbV