The Women’s Defense Coalition of Delaware is a nonpartisan movement of women across the state providing training, education, resources and advocacy for a woman’s ability to defend herself, so that she may live with less fear and more freedom.
Through education, resources and advocacy, we ensure that women know their rights, understand self-defense options, can access accurate information and are able to make informed decisions about legislation that impacts their safety. Our work with legislators and constituents helps bridge the gap between the legislature and the public, so women have the opportunity to weigh in on important decisions that govern their lives.
On July 6, the Women’s Defense Coalition of Delaware sent an official request to each member of our Senate, asking for a formal review of Sen. Darius Brown’s alleged actions through the Senate Rules & Ethics Committee.
In our request, we included women from each senatorial district. Prior to our current request, in May, WDC emailed the legislature, expressing concern about Sen. Brown, D-Wilmington, chairing a committee that voted on legislation regarding women’s safety and their ability to defend themselves.
While we requested that Sen. Brown be removed from his Senate position, we understand the response of Sen. Dave Sokola, D-Newark, and respect the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. However, our deep respect for the foundation of our justice system does not prevent WDC and its members from requesting our Senate to conduct a Rules & Ethics Committee review of Sen. Brown’s past and current unlawful and dangerous behaviors — alleged behaviors including offensive touching, resisting arrest and tax evasion dating back to 2004. To be clear, it is our belief that Senator Brown be removed and barred from holding office in Delaware.
As an organization, we have been asked why we never requested an ethics review for Rep. Andria Bennett, D-Dover, after her arrest for assault this past December. Our answer is simply because we were not an organization when the incident occurred.
Moving forward, our organization will be working with lawmakers to create change, so that anytime a member of our General Assembly is arrested for physically harming another person, an ethics review will be conducted automatically. If a teacher or physician or anyone else in any other career were to punch someone, wouldn’t they lose their job? Why are our legislators allowed to keep their jobs after breaking the law? Shouldn’t our lawmakers be held to higher standards than this?
If our Senate body continues to refuse requests for an ethics investigation and review, leaving it to the people to decide at the voting booth, shouldn’t the people have access to all information to make an informed choice at the polls in 2022?
Kim Petters
President, Women’s Defense Coalition
Editor’s note: Sen. Darius Brown was removed as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 20. A 2020 misdemeanor assault charge against Rep. Andria Bennett for third-degree assault was dropped.
