Following the 2023 passage of SB 5453, the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C continued working to advance policies that center the dignity, safety, and rights of FGM/C survivors. This year, the coalition led coordinated advocacy in support of SB 6017, the next step in strengthening Washington’s response to FGM/C and making sure survivors can access to the care, resources, and protections available to other survivors of sexual violence in the state.
The effort builds on the coalition’s earlier success in advocating for SB 5453, which passed almost unanimously in 2023 and made FGM/C illegal in Washington while mandating outreach, training, and education through the Department of Health and other states agencies. Since then, coalition members have continued working closely with survivor-led organizations, service providers, and policymakers to support implementation of the law and identify areas where survivors still face barriers.
Through these conversations and ongoing community engagement, the coalition recognized that FGM/C is widely understood as a form of gender-based violence, yet survivors were not able to access the same legal protections and trauma-informed services. SB 6017 addresses this gap by ensuring that survivors of FGM/C can access critical supports-such as medical forensic exams and information about crime victim compensation- within Washington’s existing survivor support systems. Unfortunately, the bill did not make it a floor vote on the Washington state senate floor before the legislative deadline. The coalition is committed to working with partners to move these provisions forward in future legislation.
Advancing this legislation has been a truly collaborative effort. The coalition worked together to develop a unified statement in support of the bill and mobilized a broad network of partners and community advocates to speak out. Survivors, advocates, and organizational partners submitted written testimony and delivered powerful live testimony before the Senate Law and Justice Committee; sharing both lived experiences and professional insights that highlighted the urgent need for survivor-centered policy solutions.
As this work continues, the Washington Coalition to End FGM/C remains committed to building momentum through collaboration, education, and survivor leadership. Lasting change cannot fully be realized without community dialogue, collaboration, and ensuring that survivors of FGM/C receive the same protections, care, and respect that every survivor deserves.
