Dorchen A. Leidholdt is an activist and leader in the

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...

movement against

violence against women Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence (GBV) or sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), violent, violence primarily committed by Man, men or boys against woman, women or girls. Such violence is often considered hat ...

. Since the mid-1970s, she has counseled and advocated for

rape victim Rape is a traumatic experience that affects the victim (survivor) in a physical, psychological, and sociological way. Even though the effects and aftermath of rape differ among victims, individuals tend to suffer from similar issues found withi ...

s, 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 is a type of harassment based on the sex or gender of a victim. It can involve offensive sexist or sexual behavior, verbal or physical actions, up to bribery, coercion, and assault. Harassment may be explicit or implicit, wit ...

case, founded an international

non-governmental organization A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...

fighting prostitution and trafficking in women and children, directed the nation's largest legal services program for victims of

domestic violence Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes r ...

, 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 Intimate partner violence (IPV) is domestic violence by a current or former spouse or partner in an intimate relationship against the other spouse or partner. IPV can take a number of forms, including physical abuse, physical, verbal abuse, verb ...

human trafficking Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. This exploitation may include forced labor, sexual slavery, or oth ...

sexual assault Sexual assault is an act of sexual abuse in which one intentionally Physical intimacy, sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or Coercion, coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their w ...

, the threat of

honor killing An honor killing (American English), ''honour killing'' (Commonwealth English), or ''shame killing'' is a type of murder in which a person, usually a woman or girl, is killed by or at the behest of male members of their family or their male ...

female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) (also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision) is the cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons. Prevalence of female ge ...

forced ''Forced'' is a single-player and co-op action role-playing game developed by BetaDwarf, released in October 2013 for Windows, OS X and Linux through the Steam platform as well as Wii U. It is about gladiators fighting for their freedom in a fant ...

and

child marriage Child marriage is a practice involving a marriage or domestic partnership, formal or informal, that includes an individual under 18 and an adult or other child.* * * * Research has found that child marriages have many long-term negative co ...

, and the internet bride trade. Leidholdt has lectured internationally on issues of violence against women, and has published articles, book chapters, and two anthologies.

Education

Leidholdt hold a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

from the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

, and a JD degree from

New York University School of Law The New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. Established in 1835, it was the first law school established in New York City and is the oldest survivin ...

, where she was a Root-Tilden-Snow scholar.

Career

From 1975 to 1977, Leidholdt counseled rape victims as a graduate student at the

and, after moving to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

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 member of the New York City Chapter of Women Against Violence Against Women. Leidholdt is known for her campaigns against pornography and for her suit against '' Hustler'' magazine publisher

Larry Flynt Larry Claxton Flynt Jr. (; November 1, 1942 – February 10, 2021) was an American publisher and the president of Larry Flynt Publications (LFP). LFP mainly produces pornographic magazines, such as '' Hustler'', pornographic videos, and three p ...

. 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 (born Susan Warhaftig; February 15, 1935 – May 24, 2025) was an American journalist, author, and feminist activist, best known for her 1975 book '' Against Our Will: Men, Women, and Rape'', which was selected by The New ...

Dolores Alexander Dolores Alexander (August 10, 1931 – May 13, 2008) was a journalist and Lesbian feminism, lesbian feminist best known for her work as Executive Director in the National Organization for Women (NOW) from 1969-1970, as co-owner of the feminist ...

(Past President of the

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...

), and other New York City women's rights leaders in founding the feminist organization,

Women Against Pornography Women Against Pornography (WAP) was a radical feminist activist group based out of New York City that was influential in the anti-pornography movement of the late 1970s and the 1980s. WAP was the most well known feminist anti-pornography group ou ...

(WAP). From 1979 through 1983, she served as a leader and spokesperson for WAP, during which time she joined

Gloria Steinem Gloria Marie Steinem ( ; born March 25, 1934) is an American journalist and social movement, social-political activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. ...

and other feminist leaders in initiating a suit against ''Hustler'' and

, appeared on numerous television and radio programs, organized educational events, and spoke in

Washington D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

before the

U.S. Attorney General The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The attorney general acts as the principal legal advisor to the president of the ...

'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 The word ''asshole'' (in North American English) or arsehole (in all other major varieties of the English language) is a vulgarism used to describe the anus, and often used pejoratively (as a type of synecdoche) to refer to people. History ...

of the Month" column (July 1985). In 1987, at

, 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. Leidholdt is an opponent of "

sex-positive feminism Sex-positive feminism, also known as pro-sex feminism, sex-radical feminism, or sexually liberal feminism, is a feminist movement centering on the idea that sexual freedom is an essential component of women's freedom. They oppose legal or soci ...

". Her main argument is that

prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...

is exploitative towards women and has historically benefited men, not women. Leidholdt is the Director of the Center for Battered Women's Legal Services at Sanctuary for Families in

. Under Leidholdt's leadership since 1994, the center has become the largest legal services program for

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 under-served 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 The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) is a radical feminist and gender-critical non-governmental organization opposing human trafficking, prostitution, and other forms of commercial sex. It has been described as a "neo-abolitionist ...

(CATW), which she helped found in 1988. She has represented the Coalition at numerous international meetings, including the

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. The main result of the conference was the Vienna Declaratio ...

(

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, 1993) and the

Fourth World Conference on Women The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace was the name given for a conference convened by the United Nations during 4–15 September 1995 in Beijing, China. At this conference, governments from around the ...

(

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

, 1995). On 6 December 1996, in a special session commemorating the

abolition of slavery Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was France in 1315, but it was later used in its colonies. T ...

, Leidholdt and a survivor of sex trafficking together addressed the

General Assembly of the United Nations The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its 79th session, its powers, ...

. Leidholdt has taught

Criminal Procedure Criminal procedure is the adjudication process of the criminal law. While criminal procedure differs dramatically by jurisdiction, the process generally begins with a formal criminal charge with the person on trial either being free on bail ...

at City University School of Law, and, since 1998, has taught Domestic Violence and the Law at

Columbia University School of Law Columbia Law School (CLS) is the law school of Columbia University, a private Ivy League university in New York City. The school was founded in 1858 as the Columbia College Law School. The university is known for its legal scholarship dating ba ...

Activism

In 1990, Leidholdt became an associate of the

Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press (WIFP) is an American nonprofit publishing organization that was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1972. The organization works to increase media democracy and strengthen independent media. Basic informati ...

(WIFP). WIFP is an American nonprofit publishing organization. The organization works to increase communication between women and connect the public with forms of women-based media.

Awards and honors

* United Nations Capitol Association Human Rights Award (1994), *The

New York City Bar Association The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, commonly referred to as the New York City Bar Association (City Bar), founded in 1870, is a voluntary association of lawyers and law students. Since 1896, the organization has been headquartere ...

'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) *

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

—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 Violence, "30 Years 30 Leaders" Award (2008) *

New York University Law School The New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City. Established in 1835, it was the first law school established in New York City and is the oldest survivin ...

Alumna of the Month Award (February 2008)Alumna of the Month February 2009
/ref>

Selected publications

Books

* ::Essays which originated as speeches and panel presentations at a conference on April 6, 1987, at the New York University Law School * *

Book chapters

* * * * Leidholdt, Dorchen; Goodman, Jill Laurie, Lawyer's manual on domestic violence: representing the victim (PDF) (5th ed.), New York: Appellate Division, First Department, Supreme Court of the State of New York.

Journal articles

Notable court cases

*Dorchen Leidholdt vs. '' Hustler'' Magazine, 647 F. Supp. 1283 (D. Wyo. 1986) *Dorchen Leidholdt vs.

, 860 F.2d 890 (9th Cir. 1988)

References

External links

Biographical sketch of Leidholdt
at the

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-ed An op-ed, short for "opposite the editorial page," is a type of written prose commonly found in newspapers, magazines, and online publications. They usually represent a writer's strong and focused opinion on an issue of relevance to a targeted a ...

for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' by Leidholdt and

Jane Manning Jane Marian Manning OBE (20 September 193831 March 2021) was an English concert and opera soprano, writer on music, and visiting professor at Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music. A specialist in contemporary classi ...

(3 March 2010)
"Successfully Prosecuting Sex Traffickers"
— Leidholdt's testimony before the

United States House Committee on the Judiciary The 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, f ...

hearing on "Combating Modern Slavery: Reauthorization of Anti-Trafficking Programs" (1 November 2007)
Brief bio and contact information for Leidholdt
at the Sanctuary for Families official site. {{DEFAULTSORT:Leidholdt, Dorchen 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers Activists against female genital mutilation American feminists American legal scholars Anti-pornography feminists Anti-prostitution feminists Feminist studies scholars Living people New York University School of Law alumni University of Virginia alumni American women legal scholars Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people)