National Task Force to End Sexual And Domestic Violence Against Women
ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT toolkit, can be accessed at:
http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/content/features/detail/1875
November 19, 2012 Members of Congress return to Washington, D.C., today, and we need to make clear that passing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization should be at the top of their to-do list. The Senate passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (S. 1925) by a bipartisan vote in April – now it is time for the house of Representatives to do the same. For information on the bill: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.php and type in S. 1925 in the bill search box.
Call your representative and tell her or him to:
- Urge the House leadership to bring an inclusive reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act to the House floor for a vote.
- Speak out in support of the bipartisan AAUW-supported Senate-passed bill, S. 1925.
Since its enactment in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has saved lives and saved money. Though the programs continue to run, the current authorization expired almost two years ago. VAWA reauthorization is long overdue and should be a priority in the lame duck session.
To call your representative and view talking points, visit AAUW Two-Minute Activist: http://capwiz.com/aauw/home/or click on the “Take Action” link in the upper right hand corner of this email.
vices for victims, but it also includes important prevention programs that focus on children and youth and ways to engage men as leaders and role models in ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Recent headlines only underscore the need to target programs at children and youth and the increasing support for preventing violence before it does so much harm and perpetuates the often inter-generational cycle of violence.Violence Against Women toolkit, can be accessed at: http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/content/features/detail/1875
How does VAWA make a difference for children and youth?
Children who are exposed to even one type of violence are at far greater risk of experiencing other types of violence, including teen dating violence and then domestic violence. The recent Department of Justice study, National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence, found that 15.5 million children live in two-parent homes where adult partner violence occurred in the previous year. Approximately one in three adolescent girls in the United States is a victim of physical, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner – a figure that far exceeds victimization rates for other types of violence affecting youth.
This year’s VAWA bill would create a $15 million program that is a consolidation of two existing prevention programs (Services for Children Exposed to Violence and Abuse and Engaging Men and Youth) and within this comprehensive program include a teen dating violence and sexual violence prevention focus. It would also allow states to use up to 5 percent within the STOP grant program for prevention or education.
This year’s VAWA bill would create a $15 million program that is a consolidation of two existing prevention programs (Services for Children Exposed to Violence and Abuse and Engaging Men and Youth) and within this comprehensive program include a teen dating violence and sexual violence prevention focus. It would also allow states to use up to 5 percent within the STOP grant program for prevention or education.
For these reasons, Members of Congress need to hear that prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking is an important part of the VAWA.The time is now to reach out to Congress and support VAWA through letters, online media, and highlight the programs and issues important to you!
Background materials, including the VAWA toolkit, can be accessed at: http://www.futureswithoutviolence.org/content/features/detail/1875If you have questions or want to report back about your efforts or results, please email ReauthorizeVAWA@gmail.com
