National Organization for Women-NYS to Demand Removal of Senator Monserrate from Position of Power

Hate Crimes Against Women Should not be Rewarded

by NOW-NYS

ALBANY, NY (01/27/2009)(readMedia)-- On Saturday, January 31 at 1:00 PM, the National Organization for Women-NYS will hold a press conference at 155 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY. The subject will be Violence Against Women as it relates to newly-elected State Senator Hiram Monserrate.

Senator Hiram Monserrate was arrested for allegedly beating his girlfriend. The victim reportedly received twenty stitches and said at the hospital that Monserrate had abused her. As many such victims do, in fear of retribution, she later retracted her accusation.

In spite of pending charges, NY State Senate Majority Leader Malcolm Smith has appointed Monserrate Chair of the Consumer Protection Committee. Although there is probably no legal bar to Monserrate's being seated in the NY Senate, his elevation to a leadership position is a slap in the face for every woman in New York State.

NOW-NYS will be to call upon all NYS Legislators to stand with us in opposition to Violence Against Women. We are also calling for Monserrate to be removed from his leadership position. We will use as an example that it is inexplicable that our former Governor Spitzer was forced to resign for having sex with a prostitute while Senator Monserrate is allowed to continue in a leadership position. Does this mean that it is more OK to beat your girlfriend than to have sex with a prostitute?

It is time for every single NYS Legislator, including Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Senator Malcolm Smith, and Governor Paterson, to stand up and say NO to Violence Against Women. Democrats hold a majority in our State government and they must use the power of their pens to stop violence against all women, both through strengthened legislation against these hate crimes, and through passage of laws that will punish perpetrators for all sorts of Violence Against Women and girls. Term "domestic violence" implies that a lovers' spat has gone bad, and does not convey the true meaning of these crimes. This is a hate crime, and we should tell the truth about these injurious actions against women.