As of October — Policies involving gender identity and biological sex continue to change, particularly in healthcare, education, athletics, and identity documents. States are also expanding protections for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, while the DOJ continues to fund violence-prevention and survivor programs. At the same time, a federal court temporarily blocked new grant restrictions affecting Violence Against Women Act programs, leaving their future implementation at risk.
Parental leave isn’t the only kind of time off that can keep a woman safe and employed. “Safe leave” lets workers take time off to deal with domestic violence, …
The allegations of a gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house have raised a question many students never ask until they need the answer: What is my college required …
Federal law prohibits domestic abusers from possessing firearms, but that prohibition is only as strong as the mechanism a state builds around it. Nationally, gun possession is banned for people …
The recent civil lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student alleging sexual assault demonstrates that survivors of campus sexual assault have three paths to justice. Our explainer breaks down how …
Federal laws play a powerful role in shaping women’s rights in the United States. Even when enforcement and impact vary from place to place, these laws establish national standards …
The word “protected” sounds definitive. In everyday language, it suggests something settled—a right that’s been secured and placed out of reach of change. In law, the meaning is …
Parental leave isn’t the only kind of time off that can keep a woman safe and employed. “Safe leave” lets workers take time off to deal with domestic violence, …
The allegations of a gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house have raised a question many students never ask until they need the answer: What is my college required …
Federal law prohibits domestic abusers from possessing firearms, but that prohibition is only as strong as the mechanism a state builds around it. Nationally, gun possession is banned for people …
The recent civil lawsuit filed by a former Cornell student alleging sexual assault demonstrates that survivors of campus sexual assault have three paths to justice. Our explainer breaks down how …
With a wink to the 1980s sitcom featuring four unrelated women sharing a Miami house, a handful of states have passed "Golden Girls" laws. These state laws, in …
For LGBTQ+ students, the state where they go to school for K-12 and college can determine whether they can use the bathroom matching their identity, play on the team …
Domestic violence is an ongoing crisis in New Jersey. In 2023, the state recorded 70,828 domestic violence incidents — a 15 percent increase from a decade earlier — and 57 domestic …
On February 10, 2025, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a law that could save lives. It’s called Karina’s Law (HB 4144), and it’s named after Karina Gonzalez …
Updated on May 18 to reflect the passage of HB48. Alaska is taking steps to strengthen how it responds to violence against women, with recent efforts focused on expanding victim …
Each March, Women’s History Month invites reflection on the progress women have made — and the work that remains. International Women’s Day (March 8) similarly serves as a global …
On February 18, 2026, Kansas enacted Senate Bill 244, a law defining sex in state law based on biological characteristics at birth and requiring state agencies to apply that definition …
Federal laws play a powerful role in shaping women’s rights in the United States. Even when enforcement and impact vary from place to place, these laws establish national standards …
