Rep. Shelia Stubbs, Attorney General Kaul, Ms. Scarbrough Announce Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force Bill

MADISON, WI – Today, Representative Shelia Stubbs was joined by Attorney General Josh Kaul, Ms. Sheena Scarbrough, and numerous advocates for the reintroduction of the Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force bill, which would establish a task force to investigate and address the root causes of violence against Black women and girls in the state of Wisconsin. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-78) released the following statement:

“Once again, I stand before you to introduce legislation that would create a Missing and Murdered African American Women and Girls Task Force in the State of Wisconsin. This past session, despite the bill passing committee unanimously in both houses of the Legislature and passing the Assembly floor, it did not make it to the Senate floor for a vote. This session, that is going to change.

I want to thank Attorney General Josh Kaul, Ms. Sheena Scarbrough, mother of Sade Robinson, Ms. Tanesha Howard, mother of Joniah Walker, Wisconsin State Action Coordinator Angela Arrington of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Chapter President Stephanie Bradley Wilson of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Psi Omega Chapter, Greg Jones, President of the Dane County Chapter of the NAACP, First Vice President of the Wisconsin State Conference of Branches, Madison Police Department Acting Chief John Patterson, Bishop Dr. Godfrey Stubbs, Senior Pastor at End Time Ministries International, and my legislative colleagues for joining me in support of this task force.

We cannot afford to further delay the creation of this task force. In 2020, 5 Black women were murdered every day in our country and 90,333 Black women were missing. Nationally, the rate of African American femicide was 8/100,000, a rate four times that of the homicide victimization rate for white women. In Wisconsin in 2020, the Black female homicide victimization rate was 20.2/100,000, double the previous year’s rate of 10.1/100,000.

Since January 21, 2022, I have been sounding the alarm across our state, sharing the news of these pressing disparities, and connecting with families who have been directly impacted by this increased threat of violence.

Let me reiterate: the purpose of this 17-member task force is to investigate the systemic causes of violence against African American women and girls, improve data collection, develop measures to address and reduce violence, understand the role of policies and institutions, and develop measures to aid victims, victims’ families, and victims’ communities.

As a legislator, I am here to seek justice for victims and for their loved ones who are enduring a kind of pain and loss that no person should ever have to experience. This is a call to action, and I am asking for the support of every single one of my colleagues in the legislature.

Today we say no more to the violence facing our African American women and girls. We say no more to the disappearance of our loved ones. We say no more to a lack of resources, lack of awareness, and lack of support for this issue that has impacted so many lives across our state.

I am demanding that we get answers for these families, I am demanding that we get justice, and I am demanding that this bill is heard and passed in both houses of our State Legislature, so that we can get these families the closure they have been waiting for.

I am also requesting that anyone in the State of Wisconsin who has a missing loved one contact my office, share your story, and keep your loved one’s name alive.

We will continue to stand together in pursuit of justice for victims and be the voice for those who can no longer speak for themselves. By introducing this bill today, which has received robust bipartisan support, I am confident that we will make this state a safer place for everyone.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.