Megan Williams in WV

WEST VIRGINIA COALITION AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
WOMEN OF COLOR CAUCUS STATEMENT
ON THE CASE OF MEGAN WILLIAMS

October 1, 2007

We, the Women of Color Caucus of the West Virginia Coalition of Domestic
Violence, stand in solidarity with allies and in partnership with Tonya
Lovelace of the national Women of Color Network from Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, and issue this statement of concern for Megan Williams and
outrage for the crimes committed against her person.

Megan Williams, a resident of Charleston, West Virginia, was a victim of
domestic and sexual violence as well as a victim of hate crimes based on
race and gender. In addition, Megan is a victim of the criminal justice
system, of the media and of the community at large, all of whom failed to
acknowledge the fullness of her humanity as a woman of color, as a woman
with a disability, and as a young woman who experienced extreme torture,
dehumanization and gang rape.

We are concerned that the criminal justice system failed her by bringing her
case of bad checks into the media at the time of Megan’s initial recovery.
While she may have some charges of her own to contend with, the timing of
Megan’s public arraignment served only to downplay the violence she
experienced and diverted attention away from the central issue of her
surviving atrocious crimes perpetrated by offenders in callous disregard for
her safety. Many women exposed to violence have criminal histories often
accumulated as a result of being connected to an abusive partner. Megan’s
victimization must remain central in the media as well as in the systems
that claim to “serve and protect” her and other victims of violence.

We as women of color and allies in West Virginia identify Megan as a
survivor and as a woman who represents dozens of women of color who are
mistreated, mishandled, disrespected and often dehumanized across this state
and across the country. Violence against women of color is often viewed
within the context of stereotypes held by police officers, attorneys, judges and
even advocates. Women of color may express anger at the scene; may have
little money; may have several children; and may fulfill every stereotype.
But regardless of life circumstances, women of color deserve support,
assistance, protection and fairness.

We believe that the crimes committed against Megan are rooted in racism,
sexism, and ableism. All women must be, heard, acknowledged and treated with
dignity and respect by the criminal justice systems and all other systems
seeking to address violence against women. Violence against women must be
taken seriously or there will be more Megans who will suffer at the hands of
others whose bias-motivated behaviors inflict great harm. As such, we are
looking for accountability for those who hurt her, for due process, and for
each and every person to evaluate themselves and see what each of us can
do to make a difference and to see where we may have collectively failed
Megan.

We are calling upon each of you to take a stand on gender and racially
motivated crime. We are calling for legal reform that recognizes the
interplay of hateful gender and racial epithets uttered during the
commission of violent crimes committed against those of protected classes.

We are calling for the media to offer fair portrayals of victims and to be responsible in
seeking multiple voices. We are calling for the criminal justice system as
a whole to take violence against women seriously and to hold batterers
accountable for their actions. We are calling for advocates to integrate
violence against women of color and other marginalized groups into the heart
of the work of creating safety in communities around the state and across
the nation. We are calling for men to check male privilege and engage in
the work of ending male violence against women. And finally, we call upon
women of color and people of color to stand up, be heard, and offer support
to Megan and her family. With all of us working together, we can bring the
issue of violence against women and hate crimes to the forefront.

We stand in solidarity with Megan Williams and support all efforts that
respond with justice and accountability to the plight of victims brave
enough to reveal their identity and their hope for change.

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For more information regarding this statement, please contact Kenyatta Grant
at West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, (304) 965-3552.

*This statement was developed by the West Virginia Coalition Against
Domestic Violence Women of Color Caucus and allies at the WV Summit on
Violence Against Women and was read to conference participants.