News
Tests
Partnership for Affordable Housing
a national database on an unre-
lated case. By the time his first
victim’s sexual assault kit was
tested in 2012, he’d assaulted
four more women. In 2014, he
was sentenced to life in prison.
“Yes, it is an embarrass-
ment,” county prosecutor Kym
Worthy says of these cases. “It
shows that we, as this country,
do not respect rape victims to
the extent that we respect other
victims.”
Her office is now working
with the Michigan Women’s
Foundation and the Detroit
Crime Commission to raise
money to complete the testing
and investigation of kits and
bring suspects to trial.
“These results are coming
very fast and furious,” she
adds. “Because we don’t have
the staff of investigators and
prosecutors ... in essence we’re
developing another backlog.”
Lisa Bloom, a lawyer, author
and TV legal analyst, said while
fundraising is a worthy pursuit,
it reveals something about the
priorities of a justice system
where money is always found
to prosecute prostitutes and
drug crimes. “Women’s lives
are not worth a grand, appar-
ently,” she wrote in an online
commentary. “Want to lock up
rapists? Hey, have a bake sale!”
PHOTO BY JERRY FOSTER
continued from page 12
The Partnership For Affordable Housing held a meet and greet from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 2 at Billy Webb Elks Lodge on North
Tillamook Street. PAH is a group of housing organizations working together to advocate citywide for affordable homeownership
resources. Pictured here are representatives from PAH’s member organizations: Jeff Engles, Asian & Pacific Islander Community
Improvement Association; Felicia Tripp, Portland Housing Center; Dianne Linn, Proud Ground; Andrea Debnam,Portland Com-
munity Reinvestment Initiative; Steve Messinetti, Habitat for Humanity Portland Metro/East; Loretta Kelly, Native American Youth
and Family Center; Cheryl Roberts, African American Alliance for Homeownership; Carlos Garcia, Hacienda CDC.
We honor the many
accomplishments of African
Americans.
It is our primary goal as a
labor union to better the
lives of all people working
in the building trades
through advocacy, civil
demonstration, and the
long-held belief that work-
ers deserve a "family wage" - fair pay for an honest day's work.
A family wage, and the benefits that go with it, not only strength-
ens families, but also allows our communities to become
stronger, more cohesive, and more responsive to their citizens'
needs.
Our family wage agenda reflects our commitment to people work-
ing in the building trades, and to workers everywhere. In this
small way, we are doing our part to help people achieve the
American Dream. This dream that workers can hold dear regard-
less of race, color, national origin, gender, creed, or religious be-
liefs.
The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
Representing more than 5.000 construction workers in Oregon State.
Do you want to know more about becoming a
Union carpenter?
June 10, 2015 The Portland and Seattle Skanner Page 9