Press Release from Senator Barbara Mikulski's Office: MIKULSKI APPLAUDS SENATE PASSAGE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT TO FIGHT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT
Senator Mikulski Helped Pass Legislation in 1994 Which Has Helped Millions of Women
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) today applauded the Senate’s bipartisan action to reauthorize the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which helps protect women and families from domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. As Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Mikulski puts funds in the federal checkbook to support the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office on Violence Against Women and programs authorized through VAWA, which she helped pass into law.
“This bill meets a compelling human need. It helps families, it helps police officers and it helps our communities. We need to empower victims and help prevent domestic violence and violence against women, whether it’s a stranger who perpetrates danger and despicable acts, or in their own home,” Senator Mikulski said. “Ever since 1994, we have reauthorized this legislation, looking at new needs, new technology and new creative ways of responding to these needs for prevention, intervention and prosecution. I’m glad the Senate acted to pass this legislation that’s been refreshed and reformed, and brings new ideas and new approaches.”
As a cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013, Senator Mikulski has continued to fight against domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking, crimes of epidemic proportions that are exacting terrible costs on individual lives and our communities. Twenty-five percent of U.S. women report that they have been physically assaulted by an intimate partner during their lifetimes, 1 in 6 have been the victims of attempted or completed rape, and the cost of domestic violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year.
Senator Mikulski provided $413 million in the FY2013 CJS Appropriations bill to support programs authorized through VAWA. The bill funds multiple competitive and formula grant programs that support training for police officers and prosecutors; state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions; rape prevention programs; national domestic violence hotlines; battered women’s shelters and transitional housing support services; help for teens and young adults caught in abusive relationships; victims of child abuse; and funding for counselors of rape victims during trials.
Senator Mikulski’s statement submitted to the Congressional Record follows: “I come to the floor today in strong support of the Violence Against Women Act. The Violence Against Women Act is a strong, inclusive and bipartisan bill supported by the vast majority of our colleagues here. “This bill has major, necessary improvements to programs that are vital to millions of women, children and men in every state and neighborhood in our country. The communities served by VAWA deserve to have these improvements. The issues are too important for partisan wrangling. “I stand here today to call on the entire Senate to act on these critical issues in order to protect our families, protect public safety and protect the communities we serve. “VAWA is crucial in all of our communities. Everyday VAWA is providing vital services to families in desperate need. I hear from my constituents far too often about the challenges they are facing, often involving significant economic struggles only to be complicated by deep emotional pain and fear. “This is not about politics. Here are the statistics: 1 in 4 women will be victims of domestic violence; 16 million children are exposed to domestic violence every day; and over 2 million will be victims themselves of physical or sexual violence each year - 20,000 of these cases are in my own state of Maryland. Since we created the legislation in 1994, the national hotline has received millions of calls. Millions of women felt in danger and millions had the chance of being rescued. “In my own state of Maryland, VAWA is making recovery possible for victims finding legal help to separate from their abusers. They are also getting vital services at rape crisis centers and navigating our immigration system to ensure protection. “I heard from one of my constituents Jean on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Jean had been married to her husband for 10 years and shared two children. She benefited from VAWA’s Legal Assistance for Victims Grant after being abused so brutally one evening. Jean called the hotline and got the legal assistance to file for a protective order, which she ultimately was awarded and is now living her life safely with her children. “I also heard from Danielle. Danielle was sexually assaulted at the age of 19 by an associate that she knew. She was aided by VAWA’s Sexual Assault Services program when she made the connection with the rape crisis center a few days after her attack. Danielle got the support she needed at the crisis center. She received personalized safety planning and counseling and was provided a lawyer to help her get a peace order. “I also hear from law enforcement in Maryland who say VAWA is helping them make communities safer and how the reauthorization will strengthen this. The Lethality Assessment Program, pioneered in Maryland and now a model for the nation, is strengthened in this bill. The program is used to identify high risk situations at the outset and link up local police with domestic violence professionals. Through this, we are providing wrap around services and empowerment to get victims out of harm’s way and reduce homicides. This was made possible because of VAWA which provided the federal funding to make this a reality. “As Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Justice Department, I fund the Violence Against Women Act programs. These programs ensure tougher penalties for abusers, coordinated assistance with community organizations and Court advocates for abused to boost reporting and prosecution. “In the FY2013 Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) spending bill, I provide a robust $421 million for Violence Against Women grants. I am fighting for historic funding levels even within the stringent budget reality. I also provide strong investments in core VAWA programs including: $189 million for STOP formula grants, which coordinates community response to domestic violence and also trains police, prosecutors and judicial staff; $25 million for sexual assault services that direct services for victims of rape; $25 million for transitional housing grants so victims have safe and affordable housing after shelters; and $50 million for Grants to Encourage Arrests, which teaches police and prosecutors how to support victims and ensure offender accountability. “We know that VAWA works so improving it should be a no-brainer. The Senate VAWA bill makes these improvements and not just in the ways that get attention, but in ways which will make the difference in a victim’s life. “I fund this bill. Its improvements are measures that I fully support and I put money in the federal checkbook each year to make sure VAWA is available to those who need it. Maryland has done such a good job. I won’t let the United States Congress fail these families in need.”