Does What I Do Even Matter? A Pep Talk for Women

After several years of making what looked like progress (think #MeToo), women in America are now faced with a stark reality that all the rights we thought we were gaining might be rolling back. Our president-elect is a convicted sex offender who did not think twice about nominating a man who was being investigated for sexual assault with a minor to the office of attorney general.

Thankfully, records began leaking from the House Ethics Committee showing Gaetz paid more than $10,000 to two women who testified before the congressional panel, with some of the payments being for sex. But Trump remains the leader of the free world, sexual sins be damned.

Of course, there is also the whole issue of bodily autonomy (your body, my choice), but for right now we’ll set that one aside.

Worried? So are we.
Fearful? So are we?
Giving up? Not a chance.

What We Do Now Matters More Than Ever.

For the last eight plus years, A Case for Women has been helping survivors of sexual assault and women harmed by dangerous drugs and medical devices regain their lives by joining civil lawsuits. Why does that even matter and why does it matter even more now than ever?

Because now sex predators and felons (accused, under FBI investigation, or convicted) are being given positions in the highest offices of American government with a get-out-of-jail free card.

Civil lawsuits are game changers because they attack the problem at the root. They apply significant economic pressure to the entities that enable and overlook sexual assault or other harms for financial gain.

That’s why we are such fans of civil lawsuits. Instead of putting one person in jail (as in a criminal case) we’re going after the entire system that hurts women.

Who Says Women Are Making Progress?

We do!

Despite setbacks along the way, history teaches that women unite under pressure, however we can.

We not only rock the world one at a time, but women are collectively carving the rock like a diary as we go, chronicling our journeys. Using our collective voices to denounce sexual assault and institutional / corporate decision-makers who enable and harbor wrongdoers, A Case for Women, with your help, has already helped create massive societal change through the power of civil litigation — and we have no plans to stop.

(In a moment, we’ll tell you the story of a unique woman we know who took a stand against her coach’s sexual abuse at the Olympics when she was 10.)

Why Does Civil Litigation Matter for Women Wanting to Protect Their Rights?

Civil litigation is the great leveler of people in a society where power imbalances exist everywhere and women are still backburnered. Happily, in this country, the civil legal system is available to all. If you’ve been harmed because a company or institution was too greedy to care about your safety while you purchased its products or trusted its employees, you get to fight for compensation in a court of law. We can help you with that.

So much of our work since 2016 has focused on combating sexual assault, because it continues in every nook and cranny of our culture; news reports speculate that sex trafficking literally happens on every street block. We know assault and abuse happen in hotels, service industries, hospitals, massage salons, churches, summer camps, sports leagues, rideshare services, and on Wall Street. And we’re still talking tip of the iceberg.

Does What You Do Individually Matter?

OH. YES. Every lawsuit in A Case for Women’s history started with a brave woman coming forward to tell her story.

Here are just a few of the many civil lawsuits we have helped women bring against powerful institutions that enabled sexual predators:

Stories of Women Making a Difference Through Civil Litigation.

KB came to us to help her fight a sexual predator from her childhood:

In 2018, she wrote: “My friend told me about an ad she saw on Facebook for A Case for Women and that they were seeking to help women who had been abused in gymnastics. I figured that this was probably only for survivors who were abused by Larry Nassar, but went ahead and filled out the questionnaire. I was immediately connected with an intake worker and was referred to my attorney, who represented me as K.B. Doe 17 in the lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic Committee.”

KB came forward alone. Likewise, just one person came forward to trigger massive lawsuits against Harvey Weinstein, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mike Jeffries, and Jeffrey Epstein (two sisters). Following solo complaints, slews of women followed with similar charges against these predators.

A pattern is emerging: one woman comes forward and then an avalanche of women follows with similar charges. You could be the one to flip the first domino.

Sexual Assault Lawsuits Aren’t the Only Way You Can Raise Your Voice.

Here are just a handful of other ways we have helped change the behavior or corporations and pushed for protections for women.

ESSURE: In 2019, Bayer was forced to totally recall Essure from the US market (ACFW helped make that happen!) after tens of thousands of women filed lawsuits for internal injury and more than 100 had died. The IUD caused organ damage by dislodging or breaking internally + severe pain + bleeding (not to mention many other horrible problems!) requiring a hysterectomy to “fix.”

J&J TALCUM BABY POWDER: With mounting lawsuits since 2013 charging that talc (randomly mixed with chrysotile asbestos) in Johnson & Johnson’s iconic Baby Powder caused ovarian cancer. J&J conceded in 2022 to replace the talc with cornstarch, at least in the US. As of September 2024, the lawsuit had grown to 68,000 plaintiffs.

Our lawyers, supported by ACFW’s national campaign, are waging a protracted battle against Johnson’s “bankruptcy” stall tactics, which judges have ruled three times against. A high-stakes trial is ahead for J&J in January 2025.

CHEMICAL HAIR RELAXERS: Since the 1800s, the American beauty market has been fixated on reshaping Black hair texture. The chemical hair straightening industry, valued at a massive $5.51 billion in 2021, is projected to grow 6% by 2027, despite several years of slowing sales thanks to a trend towards natural hair. The ongoing civil lawsuit our lawyers and national campaign are fighting charges the products can cause uterine cancer — especially with the activation of heat – almost a given in the hair biz.

How A Case for Women Can Support You Now.

Less than a decade ago, sexual assault was still a double whammy to women who survived it because we were usually blamed in some way. The #MeToo movement in 2016 and our own #icouldntsayno campaign have made immense progress in reversing that fear-based behavior.

Sexual assault is much better understood today. We believe you. If you’ve been hurt, we register your trauma & hear between your words to help make sure you’re properly championed in the justice system.

We are women who help other women with actions, not just words. We are here to help empower you and ultimately see that we are all treated equally in every tier of society. It starts with one voice and then the PA system that is civil law magnifies the volume.

Even if you think you’re the only one who’s been assaulted, harassed, or mistreated, come to us with your story. Our private intake team will hear your words in confidence & handle your concerns with kid gloves. And who knows? Out there, your voice (even anonymously) could start something.

We’re here to help.