Dorchen Leidholdt
Encyclopedia
Dorchen A. Leidholdt is an activist and leader in the feminist movement against violence against women
. Since the mid-1970s, she has counseled and advocated for rape victims, organized against "the media’s promotion of violence against women", served on the legal team for the plaintiff in a precedent-setting sexual harassment
case, founded an international nongovernmental organization fighting trafficking in women and children, directed the nation’s largest legal services program for victims of domestic violence
, advocated for the enactment and implementation of laws that further the rights of abused women, and represented hundreds of women victimized by intimate partner violence, human trafficking
, sexual assault
, the threat of honor killing
, female genital mutilation, forced
and child marriage
, and the internet bride trade.
Leidholdt has lectured internationally on issues of violence against women and has published articles, book chapters, and two anthologies.
and, after moving to New York City
in 1978, became an activist with the Women’s Anti-Rape Coalition, the educational arm of New York Women Against Rape. From 1978 through 1980 she was a leader of the New York City Chapter of Women Against Violence Against Women.
Dorchen Leidholdt is known for her campaigns against pornography and for her suit against Hustler
magazine publisher Larry Flynt
. In 1979, after Hustler Magazine published an issue whose cover showed a naked female body being fed through a meat grinder, she joined Susan Brownmiller
, Dolores Alexander
(Past President of the National Organization for Women
), and other New York City women’s rights leaders in founding the feminist organization, Women Against Pornography
(WAP).
From 1979 through 1983, she served as a leader and spokesperson for WAP, during which time she joined Gloria Steinem
and other feminist leaders in initiating a suit against Hustler
and Larry Flynt
, appeared on numerous television and radio programs, organized educational events, and spoke in Washington D.C. before the U.S. Attorney General's Commission on Pornography (a.k.a. The Meese Commission) at the commission's invitation. There Leidholdt testified, "Pornography perpetuates the devaluation of women. It sexualizes bigotry, promotes rape and undermines women's self esteem."
Flynt published an attack on her in the magazine's "Asshole
of the Month" column (July 1985).
In 1987 at New York University School of Law
, she was the lead organizer of the conference, "The Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism", and in 1988 she was the lead organizer of the first global conference on trafficking in women and girls.
Dorchen Leidholdt is an opponent of "sex-positive feminism
". Her main argument is that prostitution
is exploitative towards women and has historically benefited men, not women.
in New York City
. Under Leidholdt’s leadership since 1994, the Center has become the largest legal services program for domestic violence
victims in the country. It has grown from two to twenty-four lawyers and eight support staff members and has strengthened its advocacy efforts on behalf of underserved populations of women, especially those in New York City’s immigrant communities. The Center has spearheaded state litigation that set new legal precedent expanding the protections available to domestic violence victims petitioning for orders of protection and federal litigation preventing child protective agencies from charging battered mothers with “engaging in domestic violence.”
Leidholdt also serves as a Board Member of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
(CATW), which she helped found in 1988. She has represented the Coalition at numerous international meetings, including the World Conference on Human Rights
(Vienna
, 1993) and the Fourth World Conference on Women
(Beijing
, 1995). On 6 December 1996, in a special session commemorating the abolition of slavery, Leidholdt and a survivor of sex trafficking together addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Dorchen Leidholdt has taught Criminal Procedure
at City University School of Law and, since 1998, has taught Domestic Violence and the Law at Columbia University School of Law.
and a law degree from New York University School of Law
, where she was a Root-Tilden-Snow scholar.
In "When Women Defend Pornography", her chapter in the Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism, Leidholdt wrote:
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
. Since the mid-1970s, she has counseled and advocated for rape victims, organized against "the media’s promotion of violence against women", served on the legal team for the plaintiff in a precedent-setting sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
case, founded an international nongovernmental organization fighting trafficking in women and children, directed the nation’s largest legal services program for victims of domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
, advocated for the enactment and implementation of laws that further the rights of abused women, and represented hundreds of women victimized by intimate partner violence, human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
, sexual assault
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
, the threat of honor killing
Honor killing
An honor killing or honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community...
, female genital mutilation, forced
Forced marriage
Forced marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties is married without his or her consent or against his or her will...
and child marriage
Child marriage
Child marriage and child betrothal customs occur in various times and places, whereby children are given in matrimony - before marriageable age as defined by the commentator and often before puberty. Today such customs are fairly widespread in parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America: in...
, and the internet bride trade.
Leidholdt has lectured internationally on issues of violence against women and has published articles, book chapters, and two anthologies.
Past career
From 1975 to 1977, Leidholdt counseled rape victims as a graduate student at the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and, after moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1978, became an activist with the Women’s Anti-Rape Coalition, the educational arm of New York Women Against Rape. From 1978 through 1980 she was a leader of the New York City Chapter of Women Against Violence Against Women.
Dorchen Leidholdt is known for her campaigns against pornography and for her suit against Hustler
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
magazine publisher Larry Flynt
Larry Flynt
Larry Claxton Flynt, Jr. is an American publisher and the president of Larry Flynt Publications . In 2003, Arena magazine listed him as the number one on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list....
. In 1979, after Hustler Magazine published an issue whose cover showed a naked female body being fed through a meat grinder, she joined Susan Brownmiller
Susan Brownmiller
Susan Brownmiller is an American feminist, journalist, author, and activist. She is best known for her pioneering work on the politics of rape in her 1975 book Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape, Brownmiller argues that rape had been hitherto defined by men rather than women; and that men use,...
, Dolores Alexander
Dolores Alexander
Dolores Alexander was a lesbian feminist, writer, and reporter. Alexander is the only Executive Director of the National Organization of Women to have resigned because of the homophobic beliefs in the early inception of NOW. She co-opened "Mother Courage" with Jill Ward, creating the first...
(Past President of the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
), and other New York City women’s rights leaders in founding the feminist organization, Women Against Pornography
Women Against Pornography
Women Against Pornography was a radical feminist activist group based out of New York City and an influential force in the anti-pornography movement of the late 1970s and the 1980s....
(WAP).
From 1979 through 1983, she served as a leader and spokesperson for WAP, during which time she joined Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem
Gloria Marie Steinem is an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s...
and other feminist leaders in initiating a suit against Hustler
Hustler
Hustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
and Larry Flynt
Larry Flynt
Larry Claxton Flynt, Jr. is an American publisher and the president of Larry Flynt Publications . In 2003, Arena magazine listed him as the number one on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list....
, appeared on numerous television and radio programs, organized educational events, and spoke in Washington D.C. before the U.S. Attorney General's Commission on Pornography (a.k.a. The Meese Commission) at the commission's invitation. There Leidholdt testified, "Pornography perpetuates the devaluation of women. It sexualizes bigotry, promotes rape and undermines women's self esteem."
Flynt published an attack on her in the magazine's "Asshole
Asshole
The word asshole, a variant of arsehole, which is still prevalent in British and Australian English, is a term used pejoratively to describe the anus.-History:...
of the Month" column (July 1985).
In 1987 at New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
, she was the lead organizer of the conference, "The Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism", and in 1988 she was the lead organizer of the first global conference on trafficking in women and girls.
Dorchen Leidholdt is an opponent of "sex-positive feminism
Sex-positive feminism
Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism is a movement that began in the early 1980s...
". Her main argument is that prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
is exploitative towards women and has historically benefited men, not women.
Current career
Dorchen Leidholdt is the Director of the Center for Battered Women's Legal Services at Sanctuary for FamiliesSanctuary for Families
Sanctuary for Families is a New York City-based non-profit organization dedicated to aiding victims of domestic violence and their children. Founded in 1984, services include crisis intervention, emergency and transitional shelter, legal assistance and representation, adult and child counseling,...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Under Leidholdt’s leadership since 1994, the Center has become the largest legal services program for domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
victims in the country. It has grown from two to twenty-four lawyers and eight support staff members and has strengthened its advocacy efforts on behalf of underserved populations of women, especially those in New York City’s immigrant communities. The Center has spearheaded state litigation that set new legal precedent expanding the protections available to domestic violence victims petitioning for orders of protection and federal litigation preventing child protective agencies from charging battered mothers with “engaging in domestic violence.”
Leidholdt also serves as a Board Member of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
Coalition Against Trafficking in Women is an international non-governmental organization opposing human trafficking, prostitution, and other forms of commercial sex.-Views:...
(CATW), which she helped found in 1988. She has represented the Coalition at numerous international meetings, including the World Conference on Human Rights
World Conference on Human Rights
The World Conference on Human Rights was held by the United Nations in Vienna, Austria, on 14 to 25 June 1993. It was the first human rights conference held since the end of the Cold War...
(Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, 1993) and the Fourth World Conference on Women
Fourth World Conference on Women
The United Nations convened the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace on 4-15 September 1995 in Beijing, China. 189 governments and more than 5,000 representatives from 2,100 non-governmental organizations participated in the Conference...
(Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, 1995). On 6 December 1996, in a special session commemorating the abolition of slavery, Leidholdt and a survivor of sex trafficking together addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations.
Dorchen Leidholdt has taught Criminal Procedure
Criminal procedure
Criminal procedure refers to the legal process for adjudicating claims that someone has violated criminal law.-Basic rights:Currently, in many countries with a democratic system and the rule of law, criminal procedure puts the burden of proof on the prosecution – that is, it is up to the...
at City University School of Law and, since 1998, has taught Domestic Violence and the Law at Columbia University School of Law.
Education
Dorchen Leidholdt hold a masters degree from the University of VirginiaUniversity of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
and a law degree from New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
, where she was a Root-Tilden-Snow scholar.
Awards and honors
- United Nations Capitol Association Human Rights Award (1994),
- The New York City Bar Association’s Legal Services Award (1999)
- The Korean-American Family Service Center’s Recognition Award (1999)
- The City of New York Award for “outstanding leadership in breaking the cycle of domestic violence” (1999)
- New York University School of LawNew York University School of LawThe New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
Public Interest Law Foundation Award for “outstanding contributions in public interest law” (2000) - The Lawyers Committee Against Domestic Violence "In the Trenches" Award (2000)
- The “Women of Power and Influence” Award by the National Organization for WomenNational Organization for WomenThe National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
—New York City Chapter (2002) - League of Women Voters of the City of New York "Woman of Distinction" Award (2007)
- New York State Coalition Against Domestic ViolenceNew York State Coalition Against Domestic ViolenceThe New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, or NYSCADV, is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing domestic violence in New York, ensuring that services focus on victim safety and offender accountability. It was founded in 1978.NYSCADV currently unites over 135...
, "30 Years 30 Leaders" Award (2008) - New York University Law School Alumna of the Month Award (February 2008)
Quotes
In “From Sex Trafficking to FGM: Emerging Issues,” her chapter in The Lawyer’s Manual on Domestic Violence, she wrote:In "When Women Defend Pornography", her chapter in the Sexual Liberals and the Attack on Feminism, Leidholdt wrote:
Writings
- Co-Editor with Jill Laurie Goodman, Esq., Lawyer’s Manual on Domestic Violence: Representing the Victim, 4th Edition, Appellate Division, First Department, Supreme Court of the State of New York, 2005. “From Sex Trafficking to FGM: Emerging Issues Confronting Advocates for Battered Immigrant Women” in this volume.
- "Prostitution and Trafficking” in Melissa Farley, Ph.D., et al., Prostitution and Traumatic Stress, Journal of Trauma Practice, 2004.
- Interviewing Battered Women, in Ronald E. Cohen and James C. Neely, eds., Lawyer's Manual on Domestic Violence: Representing the Victim, First, Second, Third, and Fourth Editions, Appellate Division, First Department, Supreme Court of the State of New York, 1998.
- Trafficking in Women in Europe, chapter in Amy Elman, ed., Sexual Politics and the European Union, Berghahn, Oxford, England, 1995.
- Pornography in the Workplace: Sexual Harassment Litigation Under Title VII, chapter in Laura Lederer and Richard Delgado, eds., The Price We Pay: The Case Against Racist Speech, Hate Propaganda, and Pornography, Hill and Wang (U.S.) and Harper Collins (Canada), 1995.
- Pimping and Prostitution as Sexual Harassment: Amicus Brief on behalf of the New York State Women's Bar Association and the National Coalition Against Sexual Assault in Dilorenzo v. Guccione, Journal of Gender and Law, University of Michigan Law School, Jan. 1994.
- Prostitution: A Violation of Women's Human Rights, Cardozo Women's Law Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1993.
Notable Court Cases
- Dorchen Leidholdt vs. HustlerHustlerHustler is a monthly pornographic magazine aimed at men and published in the United States. It was first published in 1974 by Larry Flynt. It was a step forward from the Hustler Newsletter which was cheap advertising for his strip club businesses at the time. The magazine grew from a shaky start to...
Magazine, 647 F. Supp. 1283 (D. Wyo. 1986) - Dorchen Leidholdt vs. Larry FlyntLarry FlyntLarry Claxton Flynt, Jr. is an American publisher and the president of Larry Flynt Publications . In 2003, Arena magazine listed him as the number one on the "50 Powerful People in Porn" list....
, 860 F.2d 890 (9th Cir. 1988)
External links
- Biographical sketch of Leidholdt at the Coalition Against Trafficking in WomenCoalition Against Trafficking in WomenCoalition Against Trafficking in Women is an international non-governmental organization opposing human trafficking, prostitution, and other forms of commercial sex.-Views:...
official site. - "Prosecuting The Batterer Without The Victim's Approval" by Emily Jane Goodman, Gotham Gazette, June 2003.
- "Demand and Debate" speech by Leidholdt providing a "history of CATW and the feminist understanding of trafficking and prostitution."
- New York’s Choking Loophole, op-edOp-edAn op-ed, abbreviated from opposite the editorial page , is a newspaper article that expresses the opinions of a named writer who is usually unaffiliated with the newspaper's editorial board...
for the New York Times by Leidholdt and Jane ManningJane ManningJane Manning OBE is an English concert and opera soprano, writer on music, and Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Music. She has been described by one critic as "the irrepressible, incomparable, unstoppable Ms...
(3 March 2010) - "Successfully Prosecuting Sex Traffickers" — Leidholdt's testimony before the United States House Committee on the JudiciaryUnited States House Committee on the JudiciaryThe U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
hearing on "Combating Modern Slavery: Reauthorization of Anti-Trafficking Programs" (1 November 2007) - Brief bio and contact information for Leidholdt at the Sanctuary for FamiliesSanctuary for FamiliesSanctuary for Families is a New York City-based non-profit organization dedicated to aiding victims of domestic violence and their children. Founded in 1984, services include crisis intervention, emergency and transitional shelter, legal assistance and representation, adult and child counseling,...
official site.