Femicide Report and Clothesline Memorial

The 2007 Femicide Report and Clothesline Memorial were unveiled on Monday, February 11 at the Minnesota State Capitol. The 2007 Femicide Report press conference received coverage from KARE-11, KSTP, Minnesota Public Radio, and the Minnesota News Network. There have also been stories in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

We were honored to have Deborah Tilson speak at this year’s press conference. On December 19th, 2007, Minneapolis police responded to a burning car in the Seward neighborhood. Inside they found the body of Kristine Larson, Ms. Tilson’s 19 year old daughter. Kristine had been on her way to pick up her child at the home of his father, her ex-boyfriend Zachary Matthews. A grand jury has indicted Zachary Matthews with two counts of first degree murder. Ms. Tilson and her husband are now raising Kristine’s child. Ms. Tilson’s remarks were a somber reminder of the deep impact of battering on families and our community.

The 2007 Clothesline Project was on display in the North Hall of the State Capitol from February 10 through February 23, 2008. It was also on display in the Great Hall after the Action Day rally. Thank you to all of the volunteers who created t-shirts in honor of the 2007 femicide victims.

Action Day to End Violence Against Women

Over 1500 survivors, advocates, teens and allies attended Action Day to End Violence Against Women! This event, co-hosted by the Minnesota Indian Women’s Sexual Assault Coalition, the Minnesota Network on Abuse in Later Life, the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault and MCBW, saw its largest crowd to date!

The 2007 Femicide Memorial started the rally this year. The names of women and family and friends who were murdered as a result of domestic violence were read by Representative Steve Smith (R) Mound and Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall. Stacia Meyer, Allissia Humphreys, Doma Page, and Kiana Page from the Kids Count Abused Children’s Program in Red Wing read the names of children lost to domestic violence and child abuse and Deborah Tilson, whose daughter Kristine Larson was one of the 2007 Femicide victims, read a poem in memory of her daughter.

Rally speakers included:

• Representative Michael Paymar (DFL-St. Paul)
• Commissioner of Public Safety Michael Campion
• Ann Turner (Aging and Disabilities Specialist for the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life)
• Catherine Casey (an advocate against sexual violence whose daughter was killed as a result of a sexual assault)
• Jeremy Nevilles-Sorrell (an advocate for teens and Native men who works for Mending the Sacred Hoop)
• Ann Peck (a survivor and organizer focused on the experiences of battered mothers in the family court system)
• Suzanne Koepplinger (Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center)

In addition, four separate events: Camp Sheila Wellstone, the Teen Leadership Summit/Girls Rock the Capitol, Joint Coalition Legislative Training, and a Battered Mother’s Legislative Training/Organizing session, provided participants with training on messaging, community leadership engagement, organizing, lobbying, and getting out the vote. These trainings provided MCBW members with a variety of new tools to engage their communities in Standing up to End Violence Against Women!