Mary Kay and Hundreds of Victims’ Rights Advocates Rally at the Texas Capitol to Support Full Funding for Family Violence Programs

Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants and local domestic violence coalitions to lobby Texas lawmakers as iconic pink Cadillacs line the Capitol

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the state where Mary Kay Ash founded her business 50 years ago, members of the Mary Kay independent sales force and Mary Kay Inc. employees will do what they do best – enrich women’s lives – by raising awareness among lawmakers about funding needs for family violence programs and rape crisis centers across Texas. In partnership with the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) and the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA), Mary Kay is painting Austin pink on February 15, 2013 for Capitol Day to remind legislators about the importance of fully funding critical programs for domestic violence survivors.

“We stand here with a united message to the Texas legislature – full funding for domestic violence services is a necessary investment to keep Texans safe”

Across Texas, state funding helps to support 69 shelter facilities open 24-hours, 10 non-residential centers and 16 special project sites. According to the TCFV, these centers served 79,053 adults and children, answered 191,301 hotline calls and trained or provided community education to 439,486 Texans in 2012 alone. The unfortunate reality is that hundreds of requests for services including shelter from an abusive partner still went unmet, according to a one day census of family violence centers. Even more tragic, 102 women died in domestic violence deaths in Texas in 2011.

“We stand here with a united message to the Texas legislature – full funding for domestic violence services is a necessary investment to keep Texans safe,” said Gloria A. Terry, President of the Texas Council on Family Violence. “There is no greater threat to the fabric of our society than that of violence in the home. We ask our policy leaders for full funding of these critical services.”

A longtime supporter of domestic violence awareness, Mary Kay not only provides funding to support domestic violence programs and initiatives but extends its corporate social responsibility even further with corporate employees and Mary Kay independent sales force members walking the halls of capitol buildings across the country to lobby and educate lawmakers about prevention, programs and the need for funding.

“We understand how important it is for corporations to provide financial support to non-profit organizations in their communities, but we know that it is equally important to be an engaged and active advocate,” said Mary Kay Vice President of Government Relations Anne Crews. “While we work to promote positive, pro-active legislation in many states, Texas is near and dear to our hearts since Dallas is home to our corporate headquarters and our U.S. manufacturing facility. We are proud to stand with hundreds of Texans on the steps of the Capitol to continue our steadfast mission of preventing and ending domestic violence.”

Mary Kay’s national Lobbying for Good program has helped support legislation for domestic violence education and prevention programs in Calif., Colo., Ga., Mass., Texas and at the federal level in Washington, D.C.

About Mary Kay

Irresistible products. Positive community impact. Rewarding opportunity. For 50 years, Mary Kay has offered it all. With 2.5 million Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants and $3 billion in global annual wholesale sales, Mary Kay is a top beauty brand and direct seller in more than 35 markets around the world. To learn more or to locate a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant in your area, please visit marykay.com.