In 2005, the United States passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the first federal law to recognize domestic violence as a serious and widespread problem and to broaden the types and number of crimes and offenses that can be prosecuted as domestic violence. VAWA created a national strategy to combat the problem of domestic violence and was the first law to comprehensively identify and protect female victims of domestic violence on a national level.
Violence Against Women Act
The Violence Against Women Act was signed into law in 1994 by then-President Bill Clinton to reduce the incidence of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The law established the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), which is now part of the Department of Justice. The act also updated the definition of the term “domestic violence” to include hate crimes against lesbian, bisexual women, transgendered women, and queer women.
VAWA was the result of a collaborative effort by several governmental agencies, including the United States Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Office on Violence Against Women, among others. VAWA grants the President the ability to designate certain areas of the country as areas of high risk (tier one) for domestic violence. These areas are subject to increased federal funding for programs to aid victims, awareness programs, and many more. VAWA grants federal funding so that victims of domestic violence and sexual assault can receive services, such as counseling, shelter, and legal aid.
Reauthorization Updates on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
In March 2021, a bipartisan bill in the U.S. House of Representatives was passed to renew VAWA by Hon. Sheila Jackson Lee, Hon. Brian Fitzpatrick, and Hon. Jerrold Nadler. The bill constitutes H.R.1585 which passed in 2019, in the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 speculates the input and lots of priorities of the domestic and sexual assault movement. The revised bill takes a holistic strategy, addressing the multifaceted realities of the lives of survivors. It supports established protections while addressing persistent gaps.
Bottom Line
The Violence Against Women Act is a law that aims to address the issues of sexual assault and domestic violence by strengthening a number of provisions in federal law. It was reauthorized in 2021, so the Act is now up for its most recent reauthorization.
To know more about the Violence Against Women Act, attend the Compliance Prime webinar.
