KCADV & KASAP present Rep. Graviss and Sen. Kerr with 2019’s “Champions of Justice” Award
Lexington, KY. (December 13, 2019) – Recognizing his work this past summer to protect funding for critical services that they and other quasi-governmental agencies provide, the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence (KCADV) and the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP) have named state Rep. Joe Graviss and Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr as this year’s “Champions of Justice.”
They presented the award during their 21st annual Conference for Ending Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence, which was held this past week in Lexington.
“Representative Joe Graviss is one of the most energetic and hardworking people in our state legislature I have had the pleasure to meet, and he has long been a strong supporter of our 15 member programs across the state providing life-saving services to survivors of domestic and dating violence,” KCADV CEO Angela Yannelli said. “We selected him for the award this year, though, because of his outstanding work on behalf of quasi-governmental programs like ours during July’s special legislative session. The sensible solutions he sought to solve the public-pension crisis planted the seed that there are better alternatives to what became law, and our hope is that his legislation and willingness to work in a bipartisan way will serve as a guide during the 2020 legislative session as we seek to keep our employees working and our programs running.”
KASAP Executive Director Eileen Recktenwald noted that the award was first established six years ago to pay tribute to the organizations’ biggest supporters and advocates for victims.
“The work they do has been invaluable for the survivors who depend on our rape crisis centers and our partner agencies like those representing the domestic violence shelters and the child advocacy centers,” she said. “It means a lot that they have someone like Representative Graviss and Senator Kerr in their corner, and we have no doubt that he will continue working on our behalf when the legislature returns to the Capitol next month.”
Representative Graviss, whose 56th House District includes all of Woodford and portions of Franklin and Fayette counties, said in accepting the award that “I am deeply honored to be this year’s recipient, but we all know that the folks doing God’s work can be found at these amazing organizations serving Kentucky. They’re re the real heroes and champions of justice every day. I’m just the blessed one who gets to be their voice in Frankfort.”
Although Sen. Kerr, who represents the 12th District (Fayette Co.),was not able to accept her award in person, she has been a tireless advocate in the KY legislature on issues affecting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. In the 2019 session, she continued to advocate for KY to implement a much-needed criminal statute to cover the harm caused by non-fatal strangulation, passing SB 70. In one Louisville hospital alone, from January 2015 to August 2018, 335 out of 596 victims of domestic violence and abuse reported that they were strangled by an intimate partner. This is an astounding and alarming number. Strangulation is a high lethality factor and causes long-term physical and emotional damage! As with many laws, this wasn’t the first time the bill was introduced in KY and in fact, we were one of the last states to do so! Sen. Kerr opened her door to survivors and coalitions and listened to the need for this legislation.
We want to give Rep. Graviss and Sen. Kerr a huge thank you for their continued efforts and support.
