THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Helen Aarli
June 6, 1926 – October 20, 2018
“I Learned How Empowering It Can Be to Work for Social Change and to Achieve It.” – Helen Aarli
Chicago Women’s Liberation Union. Helped to Found the Chicago Legal Action for Women – a group that became lay advocates for women who could not face the court scene alone. They also started a rape crisis line in Chicago. Aarli inspired Lee Phillips, who hosted a noon television show in Chicago, to make the film “The Rape of Paulette.”
Photo 1. Helen in 2011 protesting Gov. Walker in Wisconsin. Photo 2. Helen holding the 1974 copy of the CWLU’s Lay Advocate Training Manual: A Guide to Assist Rape Victims.
More About Helen:
- Obituary
- The Anti-Rape Movement in Chicago – by Helen Aarli, CWLU Herstory Project
- A conversation with Helen
- Oral history with Helen Aarli 1999, Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership
- Cited in Barbara Love’s Book – Feminists Who Changed America – page 1
