April 20, 2006

Keep our Promise to Abuse Survivors

Issue: Congress’ unanimous reauthorization of the expanded Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) this past December was cause for celebration. However, without adequate funding, the legislation won’t do much to protect victims from family violence. For the fifth year in a row, President Bush has not requested full funding for VAWA programs in his budget. What’s more, because the bill wasn’t passed until late last year, no funding at all has been proposed for new VAWA programs.

Background: Congress authorized spending $1 billion per year so that VAWA's effective programs, like the national domestic violence hotline, training for law enforcement, and legal assistance for victims could continue and expand. The President's budget requests only $546 million in funding for continuing and new programs — just over half of what he could have requested. Full funding is needed to continue VAWA’s lifesaving programs plus funding for the new programs that will help ensure an integrated approach to ending domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence. These new remedies address gaps in prevention services, housing, health care, and employment issues related to domestic and sexual violence. And they bring VAWA’s effective services to new populations such as youth, Native women, and victims of sexual violence through funding for rape crisis centers and other service providers not included in previous legislation.

The following are some of the programs that have not received full funding in the President’s 2007 budget request:

Services for children who witness abuse; sexual assault services; privacy protections for victims of violence; programs for communities of color and Indian women; prevention: encouraging men’s and boys’ roles in ending violence against women; National Domestic Violence Hotline; Family Violence Prevention and Services Act shelter and services; rape prevention and education; services for older and disabled victims of violence; legal assistance for victims of violence; and transitional housing.

Congress will begin the appropriations process very soon, and they have the ability to decide how much money to dedicate to VAWA programs.

Action: Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and urge them to provide full funding for all existing and new Violence Against Women Act programs. Survivors of domestic violence and service providers or those who work with victims are especially urged to share their personal stories.

To take action online, visit www.stopfamilyviolence.org and click Take Action. Or contact your U.S. Congressional delegation directly:

Representative Jay Inslee (D - 1st Dist.), 1-800-422-5521. jay.inslee@mail.house.gov

Representative Rick Larsen (D - 2nd Dist.), 1-800-562-1385. rick.larsen@mail.house.gov

Representative Jim McDermott, (D - 7th Dist.), 206-553-7170. www.house.gov/mcdermott

Representative Dave Reichert (R - 8th Dist.), 206-275-3438. www.house.gov/reichert

Representative Adam Smith (D - 9th Dist.), 1-800-764-8409. www.house.gov/adamsmith

Senator Patty Murray (D), 206-553-5545. www.murray.senate.gov/email

Senator Maria Cantwell (D), 206-220-6400. maria_cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov