I need the ERA because… one in three women experience violence in her lifetime – Gender-based violence

85% of UN Member States in the world have constitutions that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex and/or gender. The United States is not one of them.

Over their lifetime, one in six American women will experience sexual violence. Data shows that marginalised communities, such as indigenous women, Black women, and young women, will be disproportionately affected and have a harder time seeking and obtaining justice.

Despite the pervasiveness of these crimes, state and federal laws are often insufficient, inconsistent, and not systematically enforced, leaving women and girls vulnerable to GBV.

As part of our I Need the ERA because… campaign, launched to mark Women’s Equality Day 2022, we take a closer look at how the ERA would help move the needle on four crucial issues for women and girls, including gender based violence.

Explore our factsheet on how the ERA would impact laws relating to gender based violence in the United States.

Update:

In January 2025, former US President Biden declared the Equal Rights Amendment the “law of the land” and the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution. Until then, the Constitution did not explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, in stark contrast to the vast majority of UN Member States (85%), whose constitutions prohibit such discrimination. However, since the change in administration, the White House has archived Biden’s declaration, and opponents argue his action was legally meaningless. Thus, constitutional equality in the US remains precarious, underscoring the urgent need for the ERA’s universal recognition and implementation.