Stopping the Cycle of Harm
Across California, the headlines keep coming. A college student assaulted. A woman stalked. A survivor ignored. A life lost. Then another headline. And another.
But male violence against women is not a series of isolated tragedies. It is a pattern. And when the same pattern repeats itself again and again, we must stop asking what happened in one case and start asking what is broken in the systems around it.
Cases like the Cornell 5, and the murders of women including Brittney Harris in Madera County, Tere Silentwater-Teresi of San Diego, Shalini Thakur in Sacramento, and Nikki Cheng Orn Saelee-McCain of Shasta County remind us that violence does not happen in a vacuum. It happens in workplaces, schools, homes, and communities where warning signs are missed, accountability is inconsistent, and too many women are left to navigate systems that were not built with survivors at the center.
Let's be honest: many of those systems are inadequate or just plain failing. Reporting processes can be confusing, inconsistent, and retraumatizing. Accessing healthcare and mental health support can be difficult. Insurance barriers remain. Justice can be delayed or too often denied. Women and girls who come forward looking for help sometimes find themselves fighting the very systems that are supposed to protect them.
The question is why it takes a tragedy, or a crime, to get our attention in the first place.
Every headline is a symptom of a much larger inequity. The challenge before us is the policies, practices, gaps, and inequities that allow violence to continue and survivors to fall through the cracks.
That is where the Commission is focused. We are bringing together leaders across government, healthcare, education, public safety, and advocacy to identify where systems are failing women and girls and what it will take to fix them. Through partnerships, task forces, our participation in the California Sexual Assault Committee and Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, Women’s Health Council, Social Health Council and others and collaboration on core policy issues championed by our Commissioners and the California Legislative Women’s Caucus ranging from women's health to trafficking prevention, protecting children, and survivor support, we are working to build solutions that are coordinated, accountable, and centered on the realities women and girls face every day.
Because awareness is not enough. Acknowledging a problem is not the same as solving it. And reacting to the latest headline is not the same as preventing the next one.
The Commission will continue engaging in policy discussions, supporting legislative solutions, and elevating the voices of survivors.
Women should not have to be extraordinary to be safe. Girls should not have to navigate broken systems to be believed. And Californians should not accept violence against women and girls as inevitable.
Real change means rebuilding the systems that have failed women and girls for far too long with those impacted by the issues designing the solutions. That work is urgent. It is necessary. And we are committed to seeing it through.
Darcy Totten
Executive Director
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2027 Advocacy Day – RSVP by December 7 to secure your spot early!
The California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls invites local women’s and youth commissions, women’s organizations, parents, advocates, and community members from across California to join our nonpartisan 2027 Women and Girls Advocacy Day on March 17, 2027, in Sacramento. Our signature policy priority for 2027 is Universal Childcare.
Space is limited, so participants are encouraged to RSVP by December 7 to ensure legislative meetings can be scheduled in advance. Early registration is critical to securing Capitol appointments and maximizing your impact on Advocacy Day.
A big thank you to our supporters on this effort:
Contact us if you are interested in becoming a partner or sponsor.
Join Us – Joint Meeting with The Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and First 5 Commission
You’re invited! The public is invited to attend a joint meeting with the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and First Five California Commission on Monday, November 9, 2026 from 10am-1pm at the California State Treasurer’s Office, 915 Capitol Mall, Conference Room 121, Sacramento, CA 95814.
This joint meeting will include a robust discussion focused on early learning and the childcare crisis in California.
Learn about the joint meeting on the website.
Quarterly Convening Update
Join the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for a virtual policy update on November 10, 2026 at 2:00 pm. We will recap the legislative wins from the 2025-2026 session, learn more about the Commission’s Women and Girls Advocacy Day in March 2027, and preview a look ahead for next year’s priorities. Register for the session on our website.
Alliance for Girls’ Political Impact Panel
2026 Youth Advisory Councilmember Camille Chu joined a panel hosted by Allianc for our youth, especially young women.
Girls Inc. Central Coast ‘Girl Boss’ Capitol Career Panel
The Commission’s Executive Director Darcy Totten spoke alongside several powerhouse women in the Capitol community to more than 30 central California coast high school girls from Girls Inc.of the Central Coast about her journey to where she is today. She also shared the impact of the Commission and its mission to root out inequity embedded in systems through the gender lens, and how the agency seeks to activate youth voices to elevate the next generation of women leaders. Thank you to Commissioner Assemblymember Gail Pellerin for this incredible opportunity to connect with the girls who are our future!
Legislative Updates
To mark the historic win in banning child marriage with AB 1267 (Pellerin) signed into law, the Commission, Commissioner Assemblymember Pellerin, and Unchained At Last hosted a celebration with allies, survivors, and advocates.
Thank you to survivors, advocates, stakeholders, and legislators who helped the Commission and Unchained at Last successfully pass the legislation. Prior to the signing of the bill into law, California was one of three states without a minimum age for marriage.
The Commission is proud to announce that Governor Newsom signed four of the five bills co-sponsored by the Commission:
Additionally, 20 measures supported by the Commission were signed into law.
The Commission's co-sponsored and supported bills align with our policy focus areas including the educational needs of women and girls, gender in the workplace and employment, the health and safety of women and girls, and women in the military, women veterans, and military families. Visit our policy priority page online to see which bills were supported by the Commission.
For the next legislative year, the Commission continues to consider and develop proposals which include a focus on childcare, menstrual equity, health, safety, and other areas focused on the needs of California’s women and girls.
4th Annual Gender Equity Summit
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During the event, the Commission’s Executive Director Darcy Totten provided an overview of the Commission’s work. The summit was hosted by First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and focused on closing the wealth gap for women, and the impact of economic mobility on women's health and safety. Chair Dr. Rita Gallardo Good and First Vice Chair Nisha Devi Rodrigo were also in attendance.
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We sincerely thank First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, whose unwavering support for women and girls across California over the past eight years has elevated their voices, expanded opportunities, and helped move our state closer to true gender equity, particularly when it comes to building actual power.
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Chico START’s GrowTECH Fest
Executive Director Darcy Totten spoke at GrowTECH Fest hosted by ChicoSTART, a two-day innovation conference that brought together founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders from across the North State. Her keynote on the Great Wealth Transfer highlighted the transformative role women will play in shaping the future of innovation and investment.
On day two, Totten joined an insightful panel on how entrepreneurship drives progress, exploring different ways cities can strengthen their public commitment to supporting founders and building entrepreneur-friendly environments.
Moderated by Victor W. Hwang, Founder of Right to Start, the discussion brought together an exceptional lineup of local leaders:
- Mayor of City of Chico Kasey Reynolds
- President & CEO, Chico Chamber of Commerce Molly Kopta PMP
- City Manager of Corning Brant Mesker
National Association of Women in Real Estate Businesses’ (NAWRB) Leadership Summit
At NAWRB’s Leadership Summit: The Rise of Energy, leaders of the Commission were honored for their work in advancing equity in California. Honors received at the event include:
- Commission Second Vice Chair Erica Courtney was named Veteran Leader
- Executive Director Darcy Totten was honored with the Social Impact Leader Award
- Communications Director Yating Campbell was honored as Digital Leader
- Policy and Legislation Director Alex Kuser Zucco was awarded Government Leader
Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day highlights the significant economic challenges faced by women with disabilities, who experience both gender- and disability-related barriers in the workplace. Nationally, disabled women earn just 56 cents for every dollar earned by nondisabled men, resulting in an average annual wage gap of $24,000.
Beyond lower earnings, disabled women often face employment discrimination, limited access to workplace accommodations, job instability, and higher rates of unemployment. Many are concentrated in low-wage or part-time jobs that lack benefits such as paid family and medical leave.
At the same time, disabled women face additional costs associated with living with a disability, often referred to as the "disability tax" or "disability squeeze." These expenses can include medical care, assistive technology, transportation, personal care services, and other supports necessary for daily life.
Latina Equal Pay Day marks how far into the following year Latinas must work to earn what white, non-Hispanic men earned in the previous year. Nationwide, Latinas earn just 53 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men, with the gap narrowing slightly to 60 cents among full-time, year-round workers.
In California, the disparity is even greater. Latinas earned only 44 to 45 cents on the dollar, despite representing 39% of employed women in the state. At the current pace, experts estimate it could take approximately 130 years for Latinas to achieve pay parity.
Undocumented Latinas face particularly severe challenges, with nearly 70% of undocumented women in California being Latina and earning the lowest wages of any demographic group in the state.
Don’t Forget to Vote!
The Commission is a partner in the California Secretary of State’s Promote the Vote California. The mission of Promote the Vote California is to create a strong civic culture within California communities. This initiative seeks to leverage the power of partnership and to nurture connections with businesses and organizations, paving the way for a stronger, more inclusive California. The Commission’s Executive Director reminds all eligible Californians to remember to vote on election day, Tuesday, November 3.
Did you know that California cares about accessibility and making sure that voting is accessible to all? We have voting materials in 10 languages and curbside voting is also available at all polling places and vote centers. We have accessible voting machines and California provides remote accessible vote by mail to voters with vision and dexterity disabilities.
To learn more about your voter status and how to cast your ballot, visit the website.
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Save the Date – Mount St. Mary’s 16th Annual Launch of the Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California™
The Commission’s partner Mount St. Mary’s will host the 16th annual launch of the Report on the Status of Women and Girls in California™ on Friday, March 5, 2027 in Los Angeles. This event will include an inspiring morning of conversation, connection and action. The discussions, insights and shared experience highlights timely issues impacting women and girls in California. Learn about the event.
October Heritage/Awareness Topics
Commission in the News
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