Statement Regarding Racial Justice & Equity in Support of Survivors

The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) stands in solidarity with the voices of our communities and believes that no form of abuse is an acceptable human action. We stand for justice and equity for all and we condemn the violence and racism that plagues our country. To that end, we embrace peaceful activities which illuminate social prejudice and are hopeful around the prospect of meaningful, sustained change. While progress has been made, it is simply not enough.

Black lives do matter and no one should feel unsafe in their community or home. To that end, all responders must be held accountable to include criminal justice and victim advocacy. We know that engaging with various established systems is not always the safest option for victims and survivors, particularly for communities of color, and it needs to be.

CCADV is committed to modeling this work through a lens of anti-racism and equity. We know that moving forward, we must remain grounded in the feedback of those most vulnerable in each of our communities, particularly survivors of color. Without their trust, we cannot begin to accomplish our work of serving all survivors. We are committed to an intentional examination of how our own internal structure may be unknowingly reinforcing these systems of oppression that we wholeheartedly oppose. But most importantly, CCADV is committed to action. You can expect to hear more from us as we continue to listen, learn and plan how we will improve access, strengthen policy, and uplift the voices and lives of survivors of color. We expect survivors, our stakeholders and partners to hold us accountable to this, as we hope to do the same for them.