The murder of Chelsea King in San Diego weighs heavy on my mind. Had the right technology been in place, the right laws, the right notification that a man was attacking women in a nearby park, she may not have died a violent death. Now, it might be possible that the same killer murdered Amber Dubois, another teen in the area. He had attacked a third girl who got away, and was seen in several cases following children and acting suspiciously. He violated parole and was not sent back to prison. Prior to all of this, he committed an earlier crime against a child and was advised by a psychiatrist to never be allowed out of prison. The judicial and police system failed Chelsea. The sad thing is, it's not just happening in San Diego, but all over the country.
Women and girls in America are not safe. More than ever, they need all of us to take a stand. We need to show people and our government that we will not tolerate anyone beating us, raping us, kidnapping our children, or murdering women and girls - and most of all, we will catch you and when we do, you will not get out.
There's an effort mobilizing against this as we speak from across the country. In San Diego, the parents of Chelsea King are already taking action. In Florida, Somer Thompson's murder has prompted an effort to educate parents of how to protect their children in a world that can sometimes include hundreds of child sex offenders within a few mile radius. This past month actress Reese Witherspoon launched a new global mobilization effort to help combat violence against women. It includes a $1.5 million grant by the Avon Foundation for Women to launch the Avon Global Center for Women and Justice at Cornell Law School - all with the intent to help improve the justice system and protect women and girls.
Avon's a women-run company and is an example of how women in business can help fight the cause and improve technology, information and the justice system to stop violence against women. From women-owned PR firms and professionals lending services to a family of a missing child to help increase exposure and resources, to women-owned companies lending money and resources as Avon has, Power Girls everywhere have the potential to stamp out violence against our sisters, friends, daughters, nieces and millions of other girls and women. It can be as small as women bloggers helping to spread awareness, to women turning to social networks to help rally support. Every bit helps.
No matter what, women everywhere must take a stand. Power Girls don't let anybody get away with violence against women.