Punish Spousal Rape! Hold Our Elected Officials Accountable!

Did you know that a man who rapes his wife in Arizona isn’t punished as strictly as a man who rapes any other adult?

Did you know that a long overdue bill (SB 1040) passed the AZ Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 29-1 only to be killed in a House Committee by only 4 “no” votes!?

Did you know that the Member of the State House who “represents” ASU and the surrounding area, Laura Knaperek, was the fourth and DECIDING VOTE in the House Committee on Human Services to KILL SB 1040? Rep. Knaperek’s vote to kill was joined by three other Republicans, Rep. Warde Nichols (LD-21 where MCC is), Rep. Mark Anderson (LD-18) and Rep. John M. Allen (LD-11).

Yeah don’t worry … we are pretty upset about this too.

Help us push this bill through AND hold our elected officials accountable for actions (like this vote to kill) that clearly are not in the best interest of their constituents.

UPDATE: On Thursday, March 24th, the House Human Services Committee reacted to the pressure we have been applying by voting to reconsider SB 1040!!! We have almost accomplished our goal – do what you can to help today!


Take action :: WHAT YOU CAN DO
  1. Get Educated
    Learn about SB1040 by reading the articles listed in the left hand column of this page, and visiting the About SB 1040 web page. There you can read up on the bill itself, see how this bill was killed by just a few Republican Representatives despite overwhelming support, and learn some facts about spousal rape.

  2. Write Committee Members Who Killed This Bill
    SB 1040 can still be passed this year, but only if Rep. Laura Knaperek takes action today! Write Rep. Knaperek a letter urging her to change her position on spousal rape, instead she must fight to support the rights of the victims of violence, not protect those who are convicted of violent acts.

  3. Write a Letter to the Editor
    Don’t let the media, especially campus media, ignore this story. Send the State Press, The Daily Wildcat, or another Arizona newspaper your opinion!

  4. Wear a Purple Ribbon
    Purple is the color used on ribbons and fliers to draw attention to the serious dangers of domestic violence and the wonderful work people do to fight them. If you are on the ASU campus, stop by the ASU Young Democrats table by the MU to pick up your ribbon.

  5. Attend the Human Services Committee Hearing on SB 1040 Thursday March 31st
    Our pressure forced members of the Human Services Committee last Thursday to reconsider the bill they outright rejected on March 10th. Now, we need to apply pressure to make sure these legislators take the next step and pass a version of SB 1040 that isn’t watered down. Join our coalition on March 31st at the AZ Capitol.

Take action! Now is the time to hold our elected officials accountable for their votes and fight for victims’ rights!

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