May 5, 2017
First, Calista Corporation appreciates and thanks you for your service in the U.S. Army, as a first responder, and volunteering. These activities are models for all Alaskans.
However, Calista is appalled by your recent comments suggesting that women “try to get pregnant so that they can get a free trip to the city” or that women intentionally seek abortion travel for leisure purposes. These types of statements are particularly offensive since they were made as part of a resolution to make April 2018 Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.
When it comes to awareness of sexual assault and child abuse, and sharing resources for prevention and healing, facts matter. Calista encourages you to speak with organizations that advocate for these victims. That one-third of adult women in the Municipality of Anchorage have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime. And that number doubles for all adult women in Alaska. That rape in Alaska is 2.5 times higher than the national average. And child abuse is nearly six times the national average. (See STAR’s website.)
But more critically, each victim is a person. A human. A sister. A brother.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month is not about conjecture. It is not about deflection. It is not about politics.
It is about a person’s life, mentally and physically.
Respectfully,
Calista Corporation
Andrew Guy, President/CEO
Monica James, COO
Bonnie Paskvan, General Counsel
Sharon Lechner, CFO