International women’s month

This March we have so many truly incredible accomplishments to celebrate from women across our country and the world. In the last 365 days, Admiral Lisa Franchetti became the first woman to lead the U.S. Navy, Beyonce became the most awarded artist in Grammy history, and Claudia Goldin became the first solo woman awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for studying obstacles women face in obtaining equal pay.  Just this past weekend, Iowa women’s basketball guard Caitlin Clark became the NCAA Division 1 all-time leading scorer for both women AND men.

But with all these accomplishments and media attention, we mustn’t forget the obstacles so many of us still have in front of us. In my work I see daily how women are still oppressed. I speak with women who have financial freedom taken from them, women whose voices are muffled, and women whose sprits are dulled from years of abuse.

 While it’s critical that we continue celebrating the endeavors of women who are the first, the best and the brightest, it’s even more vital that we use our voices and fight for the women who are still yearning for equality and freedom. To quote the great Audre Lorde, “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.”

Happy International Women’s Month from our team at SafeHaven. Let’s commit to building communities who prioritize freedom and safety at home for our sisters.  

Kathryn Jacob, LMSW
SafeHaven President and CEO