Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank and Maryland Commission for Women Launch Campaign to End Threats and Inequities
BALTIMORE, MD (September 27, 2028) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank and Kathleen Schafer, Chair of the Maryland Commission for Women, today announced a statewide multi-media marketing campaign to heighten awareness of the dangers and challenges women in the State face and encourage advocacy and action to end them.“We like to think that we live in an age of safety, advancement and equality,” Lieutenant Governor Kate Burbank said. “But statistics prove this may not always be the case. The disadvantages Maryland women face today are startling and unacceptable. The Shocking Pink campaign, spearheaded by Maryland Commission for Women, will, I hope, make citizens more aware and energize them to do just what the campaign says: ‘Change It.’ ”
According to national and statewide figures, Maryland women daily face threats such as rape, domestic violence, heart disease, breast cancer and unequal pay. For instance, a woman is raped once every three hours in Maryland; every five days a woman dies from domestic violence; every 1 hour and 21 minutes a woman dies of heart disease; one in eight Maryland women gets breast cancer; and, on average, women in the State are paid 23 percent less than men.
Shocking Pink made its debut across the state this month and will continue through the beginning of 2005. The name refers to the shocking and unfortunate challenges women face every day, as well as the vibrant, hot-pink ad background. These ads can be seen and heard through television, radio and billboards across the state.
“Change starts with awareness, which leads to advocacy, which results in action,” said Chair Kathleen Schafer. “Through this campaign we want to galvanize people all across the State and inspire them to become change agents by calling their legislators, forming activist groups, volunteering and reaching out to others.”
The Maryland Commission for Women was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1971 with the mission of promoting the social, political and economic equality of Maryland women.