From the Kitchen Table to the Hall of Fame – A Celebration of Women’s History Month

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence will celebrate
Women´s History Month by honoring one of the newest inductees to the National Women´s Hall of Fame – Susan Kelly-Dreiss, the Coalition´s co-founder and first executive director. The nation´s first state domestic violence organization was started around Kelly-Dreiss´ kitchen table in 1976.

Kelly-Dreiss joins 34 other pioneering women with Pennsylvania connections in the hall of fame in Seneca Falls, NY. The Coalition and the Pennsylvania Commission for Women will honor all these women at a special breakfast from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. March 24 at the Holiday Inn in Grantville. The breakfast will occur during the Statewide Conference on Responding to Domestic Violence Homicide March 23 and 24.

Visit National Women´s Hall of Fame for more information about the National Women´s Hall of Fame and for a list of the 2009 inductees.

PCADV Events

SAVE THE DATE: Responding to DV Homicide Statewide Conference

Lessons Learned and Effective Strategies to Enhance Safety

NASW-PA Chapter is a co-sponsor for this workshop. 12.0 CEs will be awarded for completion of this course. NASW has been designated as a pre-approved provider of professional continuing education for social workers (Section 47.36), Marriage and Family Therapist (Section 48.36) and Professional Counselors (Section 49.36) by the PA State Board of Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors.

$10 for NASW Members and $20 for nonmembers for certificates not included in the registration fees.

Details and Registration (PDF document)

Vice President Biden Announces Appointment of White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Lynn Rosenthal has been appointed as the new White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. Ms. Rosenthal is one of the nation´s foremost experts in domestic violence policy, and has worked at the local, state and national levels to create an environment where violence against women is not ignored and perpetrators are held accountable. This is a newly created position at the White House, dedicated specifically to advising the President and Vice President on domestic violence and sexual assault issues.

Read the full press release

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Restrictions on Guns for Domestic Abusers

The U.S Supreme Court rejected arguments by convicted domestic abuser Randy Edward Hayes and the gun lobby that federal law allowed Hayes to possess firearms. The Court cited arguments made by the Brady Center about the risks posed by firearms in the hands of domestic abusers.

The 7-2 ruling in United States v. Hayes was a blow to gun lobby groups that had urged the Court to severely narrow the federal Lautenberg Amendment that bars gun possession by abusers convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.

For more information, please visit The Brady Campaign Web site.

Related Coverage

On target: The Supreme Court protects domestic abuse victims - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3/3/2009

Preemptive Strike: Domestic violence suspects should be forced to relinquish their weapons - The Washington Post, 2/28/2009

Editorial: Gun Sense and Nonsense - New York Times, 2/27/2009

Editorial: Gun Control - Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/27/2009

Court upholds decision in gun revocation case - Erie Times News, 2/26/2009