NARAL Pro-Choice America and NARAL Affiliates Across The Nation Issue Statement of Support for NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota Executive Director, Samantha Spawn

In response to recent news reports on the culture of harassment at the state capital in South Dakota, NARAL Pro-Choice America and NARAL affiliates in states across the country issued the following statement:

“Me, too.”  Over the last couple of days, the hashtag #MeToo – a campaign created by Tarana Burke, an African-American woman and sexual violence survivor advocate, over 10 years ago – has flooded social media platforms as people publicly share that they are survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other forms of sexual violence.  There are many of us who have been directly impacted by the sexual violence that is so pervasive in our culture.  And each of us, whether we know it or not, knows someone who has been raped, sexually assaulted, sexually harassed, or otherwise subjected to sexual violence by an assailant who thought they had the right to exert power and control over someone else.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 80% of survivors know the person who raped them.  This means it is our friends, family members, coworkers, employers, acquaintances, neighbors, and others we know who are committing this form of violence against us, and it must end now.

We lift up the voices of all of the women, trans folks, men, children, elders, college students, and others who speak truth to power about the violence that was done to them, and we hold those who do not feel safe speaking out in our hearts.  Among those who have spoken out is our colleague and friend, Samantha Spawn with NARAL Pro-Choice South Dakota.  We lift her up for sharing her story to illuminate the culture of toxic masculinity and violence that perpetuates too many halls of government and too many private spheres.

And why are we speaking out?  Because you know what?  Us, too.

We see you, Samantha.

We believe you, Samantha.

We stand in solidarity with you, Samantha; and with all survivors.

In Solidarity, 

NARAL Pro-Choice America
NARAL Pro-Choice Arizona
NARAL Pro-Choice California
NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado
NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut
NARAL Pro-Choice Iowa
NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia
NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts
NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland
NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota
NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri
NARAL Pro-Choice Montana
NARAL Pro-Choice Nevada
NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina
NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio
NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon
NARAL Pro-Choice Texas
NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia
NARAL Pro-Choice Washington
NARAL Pro-Choice Wyoming

NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans. NARAL works to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”