We need the Violence Against Women Act
VAWA's passage meant that we finally acknowledged that domestic
and sexual violence cause tremendous harm, and put real resources into
helping victims
July 7, 2005
By Grace Mattern
Last month, Congress reintroduced
the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which is set to expire on Sept.
30 if not reauthorized.
New Hampshire's U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass co-sponsored the legislation
in 2000 and has signed on as a co-sponsor again in 2005, and Sen. Judd
Gregg voted for its passage in 2000. Both legislators understand the
importance of VAWA for New Hampshire women and their families, and both
men are also in tune with their communities' concerns about violence
against women.
Not surprisingly, study after study shows that Americans are deeply
concerned about violence against women. A February poll commissioned
by Lifetime Television, of 600 women and men ages 16 to 24, found that
77 percent of young women and 64 percent of young men know or have known
someone in an abusive relationship. About six in 10 respondents said
they know someone who has been sexually assaulted.
A national study of more than 3,300 women by the Center for the Advancement
of Women found that 92 percent of those surveyed ranked reducing domestic
violence and sexual assault as their top priority.
Reauthorizing VAWA is one of the solutions to the problems of domestic
and sexual violence. First passed in 1994, VAWA was a giant step forward
for our nation. Its passage meant that we finally acknowledged that
domestic and sexual violence cause tremendous harm, and put real resources
into helping victims. Millions of women, children and families are better
off as a result. In 2000, Congress reauthorized VAWA, continuing this
essential work and adding important services for immigrant, rural, disabled
and older women.
VAWA created the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE),
funded training sessions for police, prosecutors and court officials
and established new federal crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault
and stalking to fill in jurisdictional gaps in prosecuting these crimes.
It recognized the authority of Indian nations to respond to violence
against Indian women. It provided federal guarantees for full faith
and credit (enforcement and recognition of protection orders across
state and jurisdictional lines). It enhanced protection for battered
immigrants and focused the nation on trafficking of people.
Here in New Hampshire, the Violence Against Women Act funds approximately
10 percent of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual
Violence annual budget. Member agencies of the coalition served 8,297
domestic violence victims in 2004, including 484 male victims. Sexual
assault services were provided for 1,588 people (including 182 males)
and 541 stalking victims came to coalition agencies for assistance,
including 71 men.
VAWA funds rural grants to support improved coordination between New
Hampshire crisis centers and DCYF district offices in working with families
with a co-occurrence of domestic violence and child abuse and neglect.
A VAWA grant also supports coordination of the statewide Sexual Assault
Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, which trains registered nurses to conduct
sexual assault forensic exams.
Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act will maintain important
federal programs that support victims' services and encourage collaboration
among various social systems that victims interact with. We need the
Violence Against Women Act of 2005 to build on past efforts, to target
resources to children and youth who have been exposed to violence, and
to engage men as allies in this work. We need it to put more resources
into helping some of our society's most marginalized citizens, who experience
high rates of domestic and sexual violence. We need it to provide innovative
ways to provide safe housing, public benefits, legal assistance and
safe workplaces for victims of violence.
We ask our state's lawmakers to join Rep. Bass in supporting the reauthorization
of the Violence Against Women Act, which is a valuable investment in
the programs that strengthen families and communities throughout New
Hampshire and our nation.
Grace Mattern is executive director of the New Hampshire
Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
