1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,600 Hello, Alaska. I'm honored to help recognize the start of 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,960 Domestic Violence Action Month. Every year, in October, we 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,920 commemorate the Domestic Violence Action Month and take 4 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,280 the opportunity to remember victims and survivors, as well 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,560 as those who support them day in and day out, like so many of 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,920 you. It's also time to celebrate the volunteers and 7 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:22,800 organizations working hard every day and to recognize that 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:26,320 there's still much work to be done to stop the epidemic of 9 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,680 domestic violence in our state and in our country, especially now 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,880 with this pandemic. As your U.S. senator, combating domestic 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,560 violence has been one of my top priorities when I was first 12 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:41,080 elected to the Senate, I strove to further to Choose Respect 13 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,360 initiative priorities that I spearheaded as Alaska's 14 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:47,320 Attorney General with so many of you. For example, I wrote 15 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,200 the POWER Act. That's the Pro Bono Work to Empower and 16 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:54,360 Represent Act, which provides legal services for domestic 17 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:57,240 violence and sexual assault victims. The bill became law in 18 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:02,200 2018. We had our first POWER Act summit in the summer of 2019, 19 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,720 with the second one coming up at AFN this fall. Building on 20 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,640 the POWER Act, I was able to pass laws to bring more 21 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:14,120 resources for prosecuting sex traffickers and to protect our 22 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,040 kids from online predators. Finally in this year's Violence 23 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:21,240 Against Women legislation that we're working on now, we have a 24 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:26,120 whole Choose Respect section with a national awareness and 25 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,040 prevention campaign, and very importantly, a provision that I 26 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,000 feel very strongly about, which would provide a right to 27 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:38,200 cousel to all survivors. Think about this. A perpetrator, say a 28 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,480 rapist, gets a 6th Amendment right to counsel. Even if you 29 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,080 can't afford a lawyer, the victim gets nothing. The victim 30 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,960 should have a lawyer too. That's what my bill does. 31 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,080 Domestic Violence Action Month is a time to celebrate progress 32 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,840 and acknowledge there is so much work left to be done. I 33 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,720 believe change is possible. I believe in a future for 34 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,400 Alaskans that is different, better and safer than today and I 35 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,000 know all of you do as well and thank you for your great work. 36 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,980 This is also a time, a call to action for all of us, but as I 37 00:02:08,980 --> 00:02:12,420 always like to remind people, especially the men of Alaska, 38 00:02:12,420 --> 00:02:14,900 domestic violence is not a woman's issue. It's not a man's 39 00:02:14,900 --> 00:02:19,540 issue. It's a humanity issue, especially the men need to 40 00:02:19,540 --> 00:02:23,220 focus on this. Thank you for letting me have the opportunity 41 00:02:23,220 --> 00:02:27,460 to say a few words. Let's keep working together. I appreciate 42 00:02:27,460 --> 00:02:32,180 all that you do on this critical issue for our state in 43 00:02:32,180 --> 00:02:36,340 our country and we're going to continue to focus on this to 44 00:02:36,340 --> 00:02:41,440 have a better day for all Alaskans and Americans.