Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the Vital Voices of Solidarity Awards ceremony, in New York City, New York, Dec. 10, 2014. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

On Wednesday night, I attended an important event honoring Vice President Biden for his work to reduce violence against women. Hosted by Vital Voices, a leading advocacy organization, the event recognized men who have been leading the fight to end gender-based violence around the globe. Vice President Biden was honored for his role as the author of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This groundbreaking legislation is credited for the dramatic decline in domestic violence in the U.S. over the past 20 years.

The Vice President was introduced by Vital Voices board member and women’s activist Diane von Furstenberg who said, “for his leadership, courage, and relentless spirit, on behalf of Vital Voices, it is my privilege to recognize Vice President Joe Biden with the Solidarity Award.”

As he accepted the award, Vice President Biden spoke in stark terms about the violence women suffer around the globe and how much more there is to do. “For, as I speak, there are thousands of women around the world being brutalized, mutilated, killed – at the hands of those who allegedly love them,” he said.

The Vice President described the attitudes he faced in the early days of working on VAWA, at a time when domestic violence was considered not a crime but a family affair or a matter of culture. He noted that these same attitudes are used around the world – today – to justify rape, battering, honor killings, and other forms of violence against women.

The Vice President called on men and especially male leaders to step up and speak out. He challenged all of us to root out attitudes in our culture and cultures around the world that justify violence. “Too many crimes have been committed under the guise of cultural norms. Too much brutality has been inflicted. Too much pain has been endured,” he said.

The Vice President was joined by three other honorees who have made exceptional contributions to the anti-violence movement. Actor Patrick Stewart has used his voice as a child witness to domestic violence to call on men to make concrete commitments to stopping the violence. Former All-American quarterback Don McPherson was honored for his work as an educator working to raise awareness and change social norms among student athletes. Bafana Khumalo of the Sonke Gender Justice project in South Africa was recognized for his focus on uniting South African men to prevent gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS.

Wednesday’s event was a moving tribute to the work of Vice President Biden and other men, but it was more than that. It was powerful call to action.

Back in 1996, Congress made it a crime for anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to possess a gun. As Vice President Biden has often noted, there is a direct connection between gun violence and domestic violence: when a domestic abuser has a gun, a victim is 12 times more likely to die than when he doesn’t. 

Some courts, however, have set a high bar for what counts as a “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence” – which has meant that many domestic abusers have been allowed to keep their guns. 

But in United States v. Castleman (written by Justice Sotomayor), the Court changed all that. It recognized that domestic violence is a unique kind of crime that doesn’t always fit everyone’s idea of what’s “violent”: often, it can involve pushing, grabbing, shoving, scratching, or hair pulling – and which, over time, can “subject one intimate partner to the other’s control.” The Court also recognized that, in a number of states, these acts are prosecuted as crimes of “offensive touching” – which, before this week, meant some courts didn’t consider them to be domestic violence. But now, according to the Court, that’s enough to subject a convicted domestic abuser to the federal gun ban.

This is a landmark opinion. As so many abused women know, what happens to them is a far cry from “offensive touching.” It is terrifying and debilitating, and can rob her of all manner of trust, security, and hope. It can make her – as the Vice President has also said – a prisoner in her own home. But at least now, the law recognizes that those who are convicted of these crimes have no business having a gun.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women.

During the gathering, we heard from several companies that are working to improve the status quo, including Avon, Macy’s, Allstate, Viacom, and Kaiser Permanente.

The need for action could not be more urgent. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in five women is the victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. In fact, 60% of Americans 15 years of age or older know a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. 

Not only does domestic violence affect victims and families; it can also harm entire communities and the nation. More than 8 million paid days of work are lost every year because of domestic violence, and even by conservative estimates, domestic violence costs our economy more than $8 billion a year in lost productivity, health, and mental health costs alone.

Since day one, the Obama administration has worked hard to combat violence against women. Vice President Biden has championed many of the administration’s efforts, including helping create new campaigns to reach teens and young adults, and working to build new initiatives to reduce domestic violence homicides. And to lead by example, President Obama has directed federal agencies to develop policies to address domestic violence and sexual assault in the federal workforce. Recently, President Obama established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.

The White House’s commitment coincides with NO MORE’s goal of bringing together corporations to increase support for domestic violence and sexual assault programs. A collaboration of corporations and nonprofit organizations, NO MORE seeks to normalize the conversation around these issues and end the stigma, shame, and silence of domestic violence and sexual assault. Bringing the NO MORE campaign to White House for this important conversation was a reminder that working together can help end violence against women.

The spirit of yesterday’s gathering can be summed up by something President Obama once said about domestic violence:

We need to make sure every victim of domestic violence knows that they are not alone; that there are resources available to them in their moment of greatest need. And as a society, we need to ensure that if a victim of abuse reaches out for help, we are there to lend a hand. This is not just the job of government. It’s a job for all of us.

Since it was first signed into law in 1994, the Violence Against Women Act or VAWA has recognized the need for special protections for immigrant survivors of abuse, including self-petitions and categories of visas for victims of violent crimes and human trafficking. But while VAWA includes key provisions to help immigrant survivors, it is not enough.

Now, Congress has the opportunity to take an important step towards protecting victims, and supporting law enforcement to create safer communities for all Americans. Commonsense immigration reform would significantly benefit immigrant women all over the country. The Senate has already passed an immigration reform bill by a wide, bipartisan majority. And Democratic leaders have introduced a bill in the House that’s similar to the bipartisan Senate bill.  So it’s up to Republicans in the House to decide whether to move forward with immigration reform. Unlike many other issues in Washington, immigration reform is one that both parties can agree on. Congress must finish the job on commonsense immigration reform. 

Domestic Violence Awareness Month has come to a close, but I want to make sure immigrant survivors are not forgotten by shedding light on the important ways in which sensible immigration reform that has already passed the Senate will protect victims and hold abusers accountable:

• Reduce the climate of fear and encourages all victims of domestic violence to seek out law enforcement:  Immigrant victims of domestic violence - whether documented or undocumented - are less likely to report crimes or seek police assistance because they fear that they or their relatives could be deported. By creating a path to earned citizenship and bringing immigrant victims out of the shadows, immigration reform eliminates dangerous vulnerabilities that lead to abuse and exploitation.

• Prevent immigrant victims from choosing between homelessness or staying with an abuser: Too many immigrant victims face the impossible choice between becoming homeless or staying with an abusive partner. The Senate immigration bill would close a loophole in housing legislation to ensure that immigrant survivors who are eligible for VAWA self-petitions have access to public and assisted housing programs.

• Stop abusers from using partners’ immigration status as a tool of control: It is common for an abuser to use his partner’s immigration status to force her to remain in a dangerous relationship. The Senate immigration bill allows abused spouses and children of Registered Provisional Immigrants to maintain their own status independent from an abusive spouse or parent in cases of domestic violence, even if the legal relationship between the abuser and victim has ended.

• Help immigrant victims achieve the economic independence needed to escape abuse: Many victims are economically dependent on partners with legal work status, remaining in abusive relationships because they cannot be eligible for work on their own. The bipartisan Senate bill enables survivors to work by granting work permits to those with pending applications for many VAWA self-petitions, U visas or T visas (the visa categories for victims of violent crimes and human trafficking respectively).

Every day, in this nation of immigrants, there are still too many women in this country who live in fear of violence and there are still too many victims we mourn. We cannot fully address domestic violence in this country if all victims are not safe and all abusers are not held accountable. The House can and must take action soon. 

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

For more information:

• Fact Sheet: The Benefits of Immigration Reform for Immigrant Women
• Learn more about commonsense immigration reform

Vice President Biden created the National Domestic Violence Hotline in the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 (VAWA) and has long championed the cause of ending domestic violence. The Vice President was accompanied by actress Mariska Hargitay, a key advocate working against abuse.  Together Vice President Biden and Mariska toured the Hotline, met with frontline advocates, and observed these life-saving services in action.

Vice President Joe Biden and Mariska Hargitay watch as an advocate demonstrates the new web chat feature, at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, in Austin, Texas, Oct. 30, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

The Hotline -- which provides around the clock services in 170 languages -- answered its 3 millionth call this summer. Today, the Hotline receives an average of 22,000 calls a month, and serves as a critical lifeline for women and men experiencing violence. The Hotline can connect callers directly to domestic violence shelters, help victims find legal services, and provide the comfort and support needed in a time of crisis. The Vice President announced the Hotline’s expansion to new digital services that will allow victims and survivors to reach out for help through online chatting. This new service helps survivors reach out for help in the way they feel the most comfortable.  One chatter said: “I feel so much better now…I wish everyone knew about you.” We hope that because of the Vice President’s visit, more women will reach out for help online. Visit www.thehotline.org for more information.

Vice President Biden also announced a grant of $500,000 from the Department of Justice for the National Dating Abuse Helpline, also operated by the Hotline. The Helpline is geared towards teens and young adults, and is available 24/7 by text, chat, and phone.  Two years ago, the Vice President kicked off the Helpline’s text messaging services, and last year, the Helpline was contacted by nearly 40,000 teens and young adults seeking information and support. During his visit, the Vice President met with the peer advocates working on the Helpline, and thanked them for their incredible work.

Vice President Joe Biden speaks at an event at the National Domestic Violence Hotline, in Austin, Texas, Oct. 30, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

After his tour, Vice President Biden spoke to a packed room of volunteers, survivors, advocates, and corporate leaders. The Vice President noted that domestic violence has dropped by 64% since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, but said there is much more to do. He spoke about the courage it takes for a woman to pick up the phone and reach out for help.  The Vice President thanked the corporate leaders and sponsors for providing vital funding to support the work of the Hotline and the Helpline. He spoke of the Obama Administration’s ongoing commitment to ending domestic violence, and our efforts to increase funding in the President’s budget for these services. 

I can’t imagine a better way to commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month than the Vice President’s visit to the Hotline. The Vice President has also led efforts to reduce domestic violence homicides. Every day, three women are murdered by current or former intimate partners. To combat this senseless loss of life, the federal government has initiated grants to twelve communities to screen survivors of domestic violence for risks of homicide and link victims with services.

Every October we come together as a nation to mourn those who have died, celebrate those who have survived, and renew our commitment to end domestic violence.  But someday, because of these efforts, the violence will end.

The initial VAWA legislation focused on changing law enforcement practices, improving the criminal justice system, and increasing access to shelters and services for victims. VAWA strengthened the federal criminal code, creating interstate crimes of domestic violence and doubling penalties for repeat sex offenders. And, VAWA sparked the passage of hundreds of laws at the state level to protect victims and hold offenders accountable. Since 1994, VAWA has sent billions of dollars to states and local communities to develop a coordinated response to domestic violence, dating violence sexual assault, and stalking.  

VAWA works because it brings people together to focus on real solutions. VAWA created a National Domestic Violence Hotline that today responds to more than 23,000 calls a month. The criminal justice reforms and victim services supported by VAWA have allowed women to reach out for help, call the police, receive protection from the courts, and leave abusive relationships. As a result, the annual incidence of domestic violence has dropped by 64% since 1994. 

But rates of violence remain all too high, and one day’s glance at the headlines tells us why we still need VAWA. Through the hard work of Congress, advocates, the President and Vice President Biden, on March 7, 2013, President Obama signed the third reauthorization of VAWA into law, bringing about a wave of improvements that will protect the most vulnerable victims. VAWA 2013 ensures that American Indian Tribes, for the first time in decades, will be able to exercise their sovereign power to investigate, prosecute, convict, and sentence both Indians and non-Indians who assault their Indian spouses or dating partners in Indian country. And, VAWA will continue to allow immigrant victims to separate their immigration status from the person who is abusing them and to apply for special visas. In recognition that domestic violence can occur in any relationship, Congress included new protections for LGBT victims, prohibiting discrimination in VAWA-funded programs and encouraging states to develop specialized services for LGBT communities. Last night, the Vice President announced that the Department of Health and Human Services is providing a grant to the Northwest Network for the first-ever LGBT victim services institute. This institute will provide training for domestic violence shelters and community agencies on how to assist victims who identify as LGBT.  

The new version of VAWA also strengthens existing programs and puts an increased focus on sexual assault. The new VAWA will provide funding to states to improve evidence collection, investigation, and prosecution of sexual assault crimes, including assaults in which the victim was incapacitated by alcohol. Given that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been sexually assaulted, this new focus will meet an urgent need. The new VAWA requires colleges and universities to provide information to incoming students about dating violence and sexual assault, and to have clear policies to address these crimes. Finally, the legislation protects victims in subsidized housing from being evicted from their homes as a result of domestic violence or sexual assault.

Even as we commemorate the 19^th anniversary of VAWA, federal agencies are working hard to implement the new 2013 provisions. Last month, HUD sent out a notice to housing providers about the new protections, and the Justice Department has assembled a working group of Tribes to focus on best practices in criminal courts. But government can’t do it all, and the hard work of advocates, law enforcement, service providers, and survivor activists will continue to be the key to making VAWA work in local communities.

Most of all, as we reflect on 19 years of progress, we look forward to the day when VAWA is no longer needed. That will be cause for a true celebration.

We know the devastating statistics: 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped in their lifetimes. That’s 18 million women in this country who have been raped, and more than 1 million rapes that occur every year. The vast majority of these assaults occur when the victims are under the age of 25, and those under the age of 18 are at the greatest risk. These numbers are real, but they don’t tell the whole story. They don’t tell of the broken trust when the attacker is a friend, a trusted colleague, or a family member.  They don’t tell of the suicidal feelings, the depression, or of the PTSD. And, they don’t tell of the courage survivors demonstrate when they work every day to put their lives back together.

Across the federal government, we are working to support survivors and to prevent sexual violence. Last year, the Department of Justice modernized the definition of rape used to collect our nation’s crime statistics. This year, the Department of Justice is working with law enforcement agencies to implement this change and develop new guidelines for investigating sexual assault cases. The Office on Violence Against Women is funding training that will help communities address their backlogs of rape kits and improve prosecution of sexual assault crimes. The Office of Victims of Crime is supporting the development of a telemedicine center that will help bring sexual assault forensic exams to victims in rural and isolated communities.

Two years ago, the Vice President announced the winners of the Apps Against Abuse, a challenge to app developers to use this technology to help prevent dating violence and sexual assault. Today, one of those winners - Circle of 6 - had reached 55,000 downloads in 26 countries and just announced a customized version of their app for use in India.

On March 7, President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act into law. This legislation is ground-breaking in its approach to sexual assault. States must set aside funds to develop programs that meaningfully address rape and sexual assault including those committed by strangers, acquaintances, and intimate partners as well as alcohol and drug facilitated rapes. This means more training for law enforcement and prosecutors and more resources for victim services. College campuses must provide orientation programs to new students about dating violence and sexual assault and must develop clear, written policies about how these cases will be handled.  Federally subsidized housing programs must protect sexual assault victims from being evicted or denied housing due to the assault committed against them, and must help a victim transfer to another housing unit if necessary.

Government can’t do it all, and nowhere is private sector support more important than on issues like sexual violence. We applaud the work of Mariska Hargitay and the Joyful Heart Foundation to address the rape kit backlog, and of the No More Campaign working to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault.  Finally this April, we honor the advocates who devote their lives to serving victims and survivors.

Together, we are working to change the culture so that one day, we will end sexual violence. 

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks at a Domestic Violence Homicide Reduction Event at the Montgomery County Executive Office Building in Rockville, MD, March 13, 2013. Also pictured are (from left) Janet Blackburn, Attorney General Eric Holder, Actress Mariska Hargitay, and Chief Jeff Spaulding, Chief of Police of the Westminster Police Department. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Yesterday I attended an event held by Vice President Biden and Attorney General Holder focused on reducing domestic violence homicides. The Vice President spoke movingly about the changes that have occurred since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act but also reminded us that three women a day still die as a result of domestic violence. The Attorney General announced grants to twelve communities to screen victims for risk of homicide and create high risk teams to contain these dangerous offenders. He stressed the importance of understanding the warning signs that could indicate the risk of homicide is increasing and linking those victims with services. The Vice President was joined by Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, domestic violence advocate Janet Blackburn, and state and local officials from around Maryland.

The event was held in Maryland to showcase the success of their model lethality assessment program. By screening victims for risk factors at crime scenes, in hospital emergency rooms, and in court and linking those most at risk with immediate crisis intervention services, Maryland has reduced its domestic violence homicide rate by 34% over the past five years. The Vice President also highlighted the work of Newburyport, Massachusetts, which launched a multi-disciplinary high risk team to identify and address the most dangerous cases of domestic violence in their community. Since beginning this approach in 2005, there have been no domestic violence homicides in Newburyport. The grants announced today will help communities around the country replicate these two successful models.

The Vice President also talked about the connection between domestic violence and guns, and the need for common-sense, comprehensive policies to reduce gun violence. Research shows that women whose partner threatens them with a gun or other weapon are 20 times more likely to be murdered than other abused women. We know that mass shooting incidents are often related to domestic violence. One study shows that in 40% of mass shootings—defined as four or more victims—that occurred between 2009 and 2012, the shooter targeted and killed a wife, ex-wife,or girlfriend.  The other victims were children, co-workers, or other innocent bystanders caught in the cross-fire.

But there are solutions to these challenges. A recent study shows that the number of women shot to death by an intimate partner is 38% lower in states that require background checks for all handguns. That’s why the President and Vice President believe that every person who buys a gun should have a background check. Because there are some people we know should not own guns: domestic abusers – or convicted criminals – or those who have found to be a danger to themselves or others.

Yesterday’s event was powerful and moving, and as I listened, I was reminded of the many women over the years who I know who have been killed as a result of domestic violence. I have met their families and grieved with their surviving children. These meetings are always filled with great sadness. But today, I was left with a sense of hope that we can prevent these senseless deaths. 

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women.

At the White House, we know that this month would not be possible without the lifelong dedication of those on the front lines. This month we honor the hotline workers who work the night shift to be there around the clock for victims in need. We pay tribute to the shelter workers who show that they care every day and the law enforcement officers who treat victims with dignity and respect when they knock on a door. We acknowledge the prosecutors who take on tough cases and the doctors who screen their patients for domestic violence. We appreciate the community-based organizations who reach people in their neighborhoods and the faith leaders who speak out about ending domestic violence.  Most of all, we honor the women, men, and children who have survived violence.

Our commitment to survivors is reflected in the Obama Administration’s efforts to raise awareness and prevent domestic violence. Earlier this year, President Obama directed federal agencies to develop policies to assist victims of domestic violence in the federal workforce (read the Presidential memorandum). Through Vice President Biden’s 1 is 2 Many campaign, we released a public service announcement featuring professional athletes and other role models speaking out against dating violence (watch the PSA).

Through the Affordable Care Act, women in many health plans will have access to domestic violence screening and counseling as a preventative service without co-payments, deductibles or other cost-sharing.  In an effort to save the lives of the three women a day who still die as a result of domestic violence, the Justice Department developed a new project to reduce domestic violence homicides through screening, linking victims with services and developing high-risk teams. Through these and other initiatives, we are doing our part to assist survivors and stop violence before it starts.

We have also called on Congress to reauthorize and strengthen the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).  This Act, which was authored by then-Senator Biden and first passed Congress in 1994, has served as the backbone of the nation’s response to domestic violence. VAWA supports specialized law enforcement units, training for prosecutors, and community-based victim services as well as transitional housing, prevention programs, and services for children affected by violence.  The accomplishments we acknowledge and celebrate every October would not be possible without VAWA, yet Congress has not finished its work on this critical legislation.

Today President Obama issued his fourth proclamation in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (read the President’s proclamation). The President said: “While government must do its part, all Americans can play a role in ending domestic violence.”  As communities gather around the country to acknowledge this month, we at the White House are standing with you.

I was working as an advocate in Florida, and I remember it well. For those of us on the frontlines, that was the day everything changed. No longer did we stand alone in the fight to end rape and battering. Finally, we had validation from the highest levels of our government that violence against women was a national crisis and a high priority. From that day forward, our local hotlines were inundated with calls from victims who felt they could finally step forward and seek help. 

Over the next decade, advocates and policy-makers developed powerful alliances to implement the new law. In Florida, VAWA funding helped start domestic violence task forces in rural communities where services were nonexistent. In the isolated mountains of Tennessee, VAWA brought medical and crisis services to rape victims. In Michigan, legal advocates helped victims obtain protective orders. In West Virginia, in the first case prosecuted under VAWA’s new federal crimes, an offender was convicted of interstate domestic violence and kidnapping after beating his wife to unconsciousness and driving her around in the trunk of his car for six days while she was critically injured.

Today, you can see VAWA in action in local communities all across the country. Through programs funded by VAWA, police officers and prosecutors are trained to understand the needs of victims, specialized law enforcement units investigate these crimes, and transitional housing programs help victims rebuild their lives. As a result, annual rates of domestic violence have dropped by more than 60 percent since the passage of the Act.

As important as the successes of VAWA have been, they are at the same time insufficient. Today, three women are still killed every day as a result of domestic violence. Sexual assault remains at epidemic levels in this country: 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been raped in their lifetimes, and the overwhelming majority were victimized before the age of 25. Teens and young adults suffer the highest rates of dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. And domestic violence takes its toll on our economy as well. Even by conservative estimates, domestic violence costs our economy more than 8 billion dollars a year in lost productivity and health care costs alone.

For all of these reasons, its unconscionable that Congress has yet to finalize a bill to reauthorize and strengthen VAWA. We need a newly invigorated VAWA that will help us reduce domestic violence homicides, improve the criminal justice response to sexual assault, and take bold new steps to prevent dating violence and sexual assault on college campuses. And, we need a VAWA that protects every victim.

On that exciting day 18 years ago, those of us on the frontlines envisioned that we would keep moving forward. President Obama and Vice President Biden have kept us moving forward from the White House.

• 1 is 2 Many Public Service Announcement
• The Obama Administration's Commitment to Combating Violence Against Women

Now, Congress needs to do their part. The women of this country deserve nothing less.

The guiding principle behind VAWA and each of its subsequent reauthorizations has been an unyielding commitment to the notion that no sexual assault or domestic violence victim should be beaten, hurt or killed because they could not access the support, assistance and protection that they need.  In enacting VAWA in 1994, Congress acknowledged that the criminal justice system chronically failed to respond to the crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, too often blaming victims and refusing to hold offenders accountable as violent criminals.  In reauthorizing VAWA in 2000, Congress included new VAWA programs and provisions to help particularly vulnerable populations, including younger victims, immigrant victims, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.  In the 2005 reauthorization, Congress once again strengthened the Act to improve the health care response to domestic violence, to include a new focus on prevention, and to expand protections for children exposed to violence. 

This year, the VAWA reauthorization bill passed by the Senate in April would remove barriers faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) victims, whose needs often are overlooked by law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, and victim service providers. LGBT victims experience domestic violence at roughly the same rate as the general population.  Nonetheless, recent surveys show that LGBT victims frequently are turned away when attempting to access services. For example, according to a 2010 survey by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 45% of LGBT victims were denied services when they sought help from a domestic violence shelter, and nearly 55% were denied protection orders. 

Without LGBT-specific training, criminal justice personnel often underestimate the physical danger involved in same-sex relationships or fail to identify a primary aggressor and instead arrest both victim and perpetrator.  Even well-intentioned service providers may generate outreach materials that do not accurately or fully reflect the experience of LGBT victims, and thus inadvertently discourage individuals who have suffered abuse from seeking needed care.  In all these cases, bias or a lack of understanding contributes to an environment where the needs of LGBT victims are underserved.

The Senate bill would improve VAWA further, authorizing States and service providers to ensure that VAWA protections extend to all victims - including LGBT victims - of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  The Senate bill includes three provisions that would help LGBT victims access VAWA-funded services. 

First, the Senate bill would add a LGBT-focused purpose area to the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant program, the largest VAWA program and the one that supports law enforcement, prosecution, court and victim service activities in every State.  This new purpose area would authorize States, at their discretion, to fund projects that focus specifically on improving responses to male and female victims of domestic and sexual violence whose ability to access traditional services is affected by their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Second, the Senate bill would amend the Act’s definition of “underserved population” to recognize that LGBT victims face barriers to service.  Not only does this improvement send an important message to those who administer and receive VAWA funding, but it will ensure that organizations serving this community can obtain funding from a new grant program that focuses on underserved populations. 

Third, the Senate bill would protect LGBT victims from discrimination by prohibiting VAWA grantees from denying LGBT victims access to programs on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Plainly put, this provision would ensure that all victims of domestic violence are able to access life-saving services.  In contrast, the VAWA reauthorization bill reported out of the House Judiciary Committee, which is being advanced by House Republican leadership, excludes these critical protections for LGBT victims.

Opponents claim that the Senate bill’s LGBT provisions are a solution looking for a problem.  That is just not true.  Domestic and sexual violence against LGBT individuals is an unfortunate reality, as is violence against non-LGBT individuals – and we shouldn’t allow any victim of such abuse to go unprotected.
 

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women.  Tonya Robinson is the Special Assistant to the President for Justice and Regulatory Policy.

Since 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has been an essential tool in helping to protect victims of domestic and sexual violence.  While seeking to improve criminal justice and community-based responses to victims of abuse, VAWA ultimately changed the landscape for those previously left to suffer in silence.    

Since then, Congress – on a bipartisan basis -- has repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving and enhancing the core goals of VAWA by increasing protections in all subsequent VAWA reauthorizations. This was recently demonstrated by the Senate’s VAWA reauthorization bill (S. 1925) introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) that passed last month on a vote of 68 to 31, with strong bipartisan support. S. 1925 was introduced after months of input from a wide range of stakeholders. Unfortunately, Republican leaders in the House have taken a different approach, with the introduction of H.R. 4970, a bill authored by Rep. Sandy Adams (FL-24), that actually rolls back protections for victims of domestic violence. On Tuesday, on a vote of 17-15, House Republicans passed this measure out of the House Judiciary Committee, without properly considering the cross-jurisdictional sections that provide for protections on tribal lands, in federal housing programs, and on college campuses around the country. 

The Adams bill adds burdensome, counter-productive requirements that compromise the ability of service providers to reach victims, fails to adequately protect Tribal victims, lacks important protection and services for LGBT victims, weakens resources for victims living in subsidized housing, and eliminates important improvements to address dating violence and sexual assault on college campuses.  Among the most troubling components of this bill are those that jettison and drastically undercut existing and important, long-standing protections that remain vital to the safety and protection of battered immigrant victims.  

Since its inception, VAWA has reflected the unique circumstances that immigrant victims face, and as such, has demonstrated a commitment to offering them protection and addressing the specific issues that endanger the lives of these particularly vulnerable victims. This commitment includes addressing the problems faced by immigrants married to or in relationships with abusive citizens or legal residents.  In many of these relationships, abusive partners use immigration status as a tool to control and further abuse immigrant victims.  Currently, VAWA addresses this by allowing battered immigrants to petition for their own immigration status—independent of their abusive spouses – freeing them from their spouse’s abuse and control. 

The Adams bill takes a significant step backwards from the existing law by allowing immigration officials to interview an alleged offender and consider the information obtained in making a determination about the adjudication of a battered immigrant’s petition for status. This not only undermines the critical protection of confidentiality relied on by victims to find safety for themselves and their children, it also allows abusers to manipulate the immigration process to cause further harm.  Because the risks of serious injury and homicide increase when a victim is taking steps to leave an abusive relationship, this provision puts victims directly in harm’s way. This proposal guts nearly 18 years of established law and undermines the very foundation of VAWA.  Never before have policy makers retreated on the core VAWA principle of victim safety. 

The bill also discourages immigrants from reporting sexual assault and other crimes by placing other unnecessary restrictions on the U visa program and fails to provide an increase in the number of available visas.  The U visa is a tool widely used and supported by law enforcement officials in order to help keep our communities safe by prosecuting criminals.  Many law enforcement agencies have called upon Congress to increase the number of available U visas so that they can encourage victims to come forward, report crimes, and receive the help they need to be safe.   

Finally, the Adams bill will decentralize the VAWA immigration adjudications process – bypassing examiners who are specifically trained in domestic violence and sexual assault – and mandates additional interviews for battered immigrants, causing unnecessary burdens on victims.  Immigrant victims often have limited options to escape abusive relationships and the provisions in the Adams bill contradict the very purpose of VAWA by putting victims’ lives, health, and safety at risk. 

 Our nation’s laws should continue to strengthen protections for our most vulnerable populations – not roll back those safeguards.  The long standing bipartisan commitment to ending domestic violence must continue to be supported and strengthened to better protect all victims from violence, abuse, and exploitation.  We urge the House of Representatives to join with the Senate in passing a bipartisan VAWA reauthorization bill that protects all victims.

While tremendous progress has been made, violence is still a significant problem facing women, men, families, and communities.  On average, 3 women a day die as a result of domestic violence. The hidden crime of stalking affects 1 in 6 women and sexual assault remains the most underreported violent crime in the country. 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have been sexually assaulted at some time in their lives.  The Leahy-Crapo bill to reauthorize VAWA addresses today’s most pressing issues and builds on what we have learned over the past 17 years.  We must continue moving forward to reduce violence against all women. 

Native American women suffer from violent crime at some of the highest rates in the United States. One regional survey conducted by University of Oklahoma researchers showed that nearly three out of five Native American women had been assaulted by their spouses or intimate partners.  In addition, a recent Center for Disease Control (CDC) study found that 46 percent of Native American women have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Tribal leaders say there are countless more victims of domestic violence and sexual assault whose stories may never be told. 

With non-Indians constituting more than 76 percent of the overall population living on reservations and other Indian lands, interracial dating and marriage are common, and many of the abusers of Native American women are non-Indian men.  Too often, non-Indian men who batter their Indian wives and girlfriends go unpunished because tribes cannot prosecute non-Indians, even if the offender lives on the reservation and is married to a tribal member, and because Federal law‐enforcement resources are hours away from reservations and stretched thin.  

Congress can close this jurisdictional gap in the criminal justice system by supporting the Leahy-Crapo bill and providing tribes with the authority to hold offenders accountable for their crimes against Native American women, regardless of the perpetrator’s race   This bill builds on the Tribal Law and Order Act – which President Obama signed on July 29, 2010 – to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of tribal justice systems and will provide additional tools to tribal and Federal prosecutors to address domestic violence in Indian Country. 

Under the Leahy‐Crapo bill’s tribal‐jurisdiction provisions: 

• Tribes could prosecute non‐Indians only for domestic violence, dating violence, and violations of protection orders.  Crimes between two strangers, or between two non‐Indians, or between persons with no ties to the tribe, would not be covered.
• Federal‐ and state‐court jurisdiction over domestic violence would be unaffected.
• Defendants would effectively have the same rights in tribal court as in state court, including due‐process rights and an indigent defendant’s right to free appointed counsel meeting Federal constitutional standards.
• Defendants could protect their rights by appealing their convictions to a tribal court and filing habeas petitions in Federal court. 

The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of the Leahy-Crapo bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, a landmark piece of bipartisan legislation.  The Administration strongly supports measures in the bill that will bring justice to Native American victims. 

Vice President Biden has often said that passing VAWA in 1994 is the legislative achievement he is most proud of from his many years in the Senate. And yet, he knew then that it was just the beginning. For all the victims today, and for future generations, VAWA represents a promise to end violence against women. This week, the Senate has a chance to take another step towards fulfilling that promise for all victims.

Nowhere is our responsibility greater than in the military. Women and men who step forward to serve our country must be protected from this devastating crime, and offenders must be held appropriately accountable. Secretary Panetta has said loud and clear that sexual assault has no place in the United States military. Together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,  General Dempsey, the Secretary is taking important steps toward achieving this vision.  

On April 20, Secretary Panetta issued a directive that will require certain sexual assault complaints to be elevated to more senior levels of command.  This significant change means that more experienced commanders will be making the initial disposition decisions for these cases.  Specifically, the officers handling these cases will be at least in the grade of 0-6, meaning at least a colonel in the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force; a captain in the Navy, and must possess at least special court martial convening authority.  This new policy underscores the gravity of these crimes and may give victims greater confidence to come forward.

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently has taken other steps to continue the fight against sexual assault.  Victims can now request an expedited transfer to leave their unit or installation and records are retained for a longer period of time making it easier for veterans to file a service-related disability claim.  Victim advocacy services and a confidential reporting option are now available to military spouses and adult military dependents, and emergency care will be available to DoD civilians reporting sexual assault while stationed abroad. 

Taken together, these policies demonstrate DoD’s strong commitment to eradicating sexual assault within the ranks of the United States military.   DoD and the Administration will continue to make this issue a top priority. The men and women serving our nation deserve nothing less.

This month we honor both Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Learn more hereand hereabout the Administration's commitment to ending sexual assault.

The definition of rape used to compile these crime statistics has not been revised since 1927. Revisions are long overdue and welcomed by law enforcement officials and victim advocates. The definition will now include rapes committed against men, as well as a broader range of sexual acts. The new language also removes “forcible” from the definition of rape. These changes mean that rapes that are already being reported to local law enforcement will now be included in our nation’s crime data. 

Changing this definition is about more than statistics - it’s about the women and men behind the statistics and what happened to them. It’s about how we view rape and how seriously we take this crime. The act of rape causes intense physical and emotional suffering. Rape victims are much more likely to need mental health services, to attempt suicide, and to face ongoing health problems than those who have not experienced this type of crime. When victims are suffering so greatly yet are invisible in our crime data, it limits our ability to fully understand the extent of the problem.

Improving our nation’s response to rape and sexual violence has long been a priority for Vice President Biden and the White House Council on Women and Girls. Early in the Administration, the Vice President convened federal agencies to assess trends and identify gaps in our response to violence and abuse. We identified data collection as one of the biggest challenges we face in understanding and combatting these crime. Thanks to the hard work of the Attorney General Holder, the FBI, law enforcement leaders, and the women’s organizations who have long advocated for this change, we are one step further towards meeting that challenge.

Despite recent advancements in the criminal justice field, LGBTQ individuals and communities continue to experience significant degrees of discrimination and a wide range of crime victimization, including assault, harassment, stalking, sexual violence, sex trafficking, and homicide. In 2009, The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) reported that the number of bias-related murders of LGBTQ people in 2008 rose 28% from 2007, with reports of sexual assaults rising 48%. In addition, according to a study done by Yale University, LGBTQ youth suffer a disproportionate number of juvenile arrests and convictions when compared to their heterosexual peers.

According to the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) and the NCAVP, LGBTQ-appropriate victim assistance is generally lacking in all areas of this work, including outreach to victims, lack of staff expertise, and lack of access to cultural-competence training. In accessing these funds, victim services providers can develop LGBTQ specific policies and services and develop relationships with LGBTQ organizations to better address the unique issues faced by this community.

The Office of Victims of Crime’s ultimate goal is to forge a national commitment to better serve these individuals and populations. By encouraging organizations to develop innovative programming targeting the needs of the LGBTQ community, the administration hopes to stem the tide of violence toward LGBTQ individuals and aid in the healing process for LGBTQ victims of crime and their families.

Applications are due by July 5^th, 2011. View the full grant proposal here.

President Barack Obama signs S. 3817, the “CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010,” (Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act) in the Oval Office, (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

This afternoon, I stood in the Oval Office and watched as President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) which includes the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA.)  As he signed this crucial bill into law, the President was surrounded by Senators and Representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, and national advocates who work every day to end domestic violence and child abuse. 

In 2008, 772,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect.  Nearly 2,000 of those children died. By providing states and local communities with new tools to identify and treat abuse and neglect, CAPTA-funded services will continue to protect children across the country.  Prevention efforts will help parents by addressing high risk-factors like substance abuse, mental illness and domestic violence.

Domestic violence still affects 1 in 4 women in states and territories across the country.  FVPSA funds nearly 1,700 shelters and service programs for victims of domestic violence and their children.  It also supports the National Domestic Violence Hotline, whose staff and volunteers answer more than 22,000 calls for help each month and link victims with the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

I’d like to thank the members of Congress whose leadership was essential to CAPTA and FVPSA’s passage: Senator Tom Harkin, Senator Mike Enzi, Senator Lamar Alexander, Representative George Miller, Representative John Kline, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, and Representative Todd Platts.  I particularly want to thank Senator Chris Dodd and Representative Gwen Moore, who were the lead sponsors of FVPSA and who worked so hard to ensure the bill passed this year. 

Thanks to the bi-partisan work of members of Congress who were with us today, CAPTA and FVPSA will help end abuse, give hope to victims, and provide families with the help they need. As we gathered in the Oval Office, I was thinking of the many abuse survivors I have met over the years. Thanks to CAPTA and FVPSA, their future looks brighter.

 Lynn Rosenthal is White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Across the U.S. government, we are already working towards these goals. Our Global Development Policy speaks to the importance of investing in the health, education and rights of women. Through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), we are connecting efforts to reduce gender-based violence with HIV/AIDS prevention. Secretary Clinton has pledged $17 million to address rape in the Congo, and, on the ground, USAID is training health care providers to respond to the needs of victims. As a follow-up to its Safe Schools program, USAID is working on changing attitudes and behaviors about gender-based violence among parents, teachers and students, enabling girls to remain in schools.  Through the Global Health Initiative (GHI), we are implementing a women and girls-centered approach to help partner countries improve health outcomes with a particular focus on maternal health.

President Obama has made the treatment of women an essential part of our global vision for democracy and human rights. Last year, the U.S. led efforts to pass UN Security Council Resolution 1888, establishing a UN Special Representative for Sexual Violence in Conflict and enhancing the ability of peacekeeping missions to protect women and children from sexual violence during armed conflict. Yesterday, the UNSC passed a follow-on UNSC Resolution 1960 deepening these measures and improving how the UN system addresses sexual violence in conflict.  As a part of our global leadership on this issue, our government is also undertaking a review of its own efforts to implement UNSC Resolution 1325, which promotes the participation of women in all aspects of peace and security.

In November, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Vice President Biden said: “For every woman who has been beaten in her own home, for the millions of women who have been raped as a weapon of war, for every girl who has been attacked on her way to school, for all of the children - girls and boys - who have witnessed this brutality, we must do better.”  We join the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the commitment to do better.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

CAPTA helps states strengthen the efforts of child protective service agencies to prevent and treat child abuse. By providing states and local communities with new tools to identify and treat abuse and neglect, CAPTA-funded services will continue to protect our youngest victims. And, CAPTA will help parents get the help they need by addressing high risk factors like substance abuse, mental illness and domestic violence.

In spite of all the progress we have made, domestic violence still affects 1 in 4 women, and these women are not strangers - they are our friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members.  The emergency services provided under FVPSA are a lifeline for victims fleeing violence. The National Domestic Violence Hotline answers more than 22,000 calls for help each month, and connects many of these callers to their local battered women’s shelter. FVPSA helps keep those shelter doors open, and links victims with the resources they need to rebuild their lives.

Taken together, CAPTA and FVPSA will help end abuse, give hope to victims, and build strong families. We commend the Senate for taking the important step of passing this legislation, and urge the U.S. House of Representatives to act quickly to make these protections and services a reality.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Around the globe, violence against women is an epidemic. Violence robs women and girls of their full potential and causes untold human suffering.  Violence against women impedes economic development, threatens peace and prosperity, and inhibits full participation in civic life. For every woman who has been beaten in her own home, for the millions of women who have been raped as a weapon of war, for every girl who has been attacked on her way to school, for all of the children - girls and boys - who have witnessed this brutality, we must do better.  On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we join with the world community in calling for an end to these abuses. Our Global Development Policy makes clear our commitment to investing in the health, education and rights of women. Today, we are working to reduce gender-based violence in schools, provide care for rape victims, and train health workers. The U.S. government is committed to continuing our efforts to respond to, reduce, and work toward eliminating gender-based violence worldwide.

Last Friday, President Obama signed the proclamation of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.   Here at the White House, we’ve already started commemorating this important month, recognizing the remarkable work being done to address domestic violence and the distance we still must travel to end it.  

On September 22, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden opened their home for a night dedicated to ending violence against women.  It was a night to mark the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act and to recommit ourselves to ending sexual and domestic violence.  The event brought together groups from national organizations as well as groups of college students working on this issue on their campuses. Many students had the great opportunity to speak with the Vice President and Dr. Biden about what was going on in their lives and the lives of young people across the country.

The message was clear.  Despite all we have accomplished since passing the Violence Against Women Act, there is a new generation of teens and college-age young people who are facing the threat of abuse all too often. Young women, ages 16-24, experience the highest rates of rape and sexual assault.  The Vice President addressed the need for systemic change in the way that society values women.  He said, “This is not just a problem of black eyes and broken bones, it’s a problem of attitudes.”  In fact, a 2009 study of sixth-grade students found that 25% thought it was acceptable for boys to hit their girlfriends.  These are attitudes we must change.

This is a generation that has grown up with the Internet.  Social networking sites and text messaging have become the favored communication methods of the majority of American teens.  The resources we provide victims of violence must keep up with the technological advances we have integrated into our daily lives.  Some organizations are already doing this, like the Teen Dating Violence Helpline, which has a “chat” function that is answered by teens.  We need to reach people where they are and get young women and girls the information they need.

“Our course of action needs to adapt, to change with the times if we are here to keep a promise we have made to our daughters and granddaughters: to end domestic violence and sexual abuse.  Not to reduce it.  To end it,” said the Vice President. We have come a long way since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act and there is no better time to renew our pledge to stand up to those attitudes and end violence against women.

Throughout the month of October we will be updating the White House blog and Facebook page with regular updates on violence against women, so please stay tuned!

If you or someone you love has been affected by domestic or sexual violence, visit the Department of Health and Human Services violence against women website for resources.  For more information about the Violence Against Women Act, visit the and the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women
 

Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a reception at the Naval Observatory Residence marking the 16th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, in Washington, DC September 22, 2010. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Last night, more than a hundred advocates and college students from around the country gathered at the home of Vice President Biden to mark the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The Vice President spoke passionately about his ongoing commitment to ending violence against women and girls and the next steps we must take to change societal attitudes about violence.

Written and championed by then-Senator Biden, VAWA focused on improving the criminal justice response to domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault. Since 1994, VAWA has sent 4 billion dollars to states and local communities to develop specialized law enforcement units, provide services to victims, improve prosecution of these crimes, and train professionals about domestic violence and sexual assault. In many ways, VAWA has been successful. Since the passage of the Act, domestic violence has dropped by 58%.
In spite of all this progress, we still have much work to do. Three women still die every day at the hands of husbands or boyfriends. Domestic violence causes two million injuries a year and untold amounts of human suffering. Domestic violence shelters are still full, hotlines are ringing, and for every victim who has come forward, many more are suffering alone.

Even more alarming, young women between the ages of 16-24 have the highest rates of relationship violence, and one in five women will be sexually assaulted while they are in college. Vice President Biden pointed out that we must focus on changing attitudes of our young people so that violence against women is not acceptable.  He also noted that we must reach young people with the new technologies—like texting and other online media—that they use to communicate.  The Vice President is committed to working with teens and college students to meet this challenge and he applauded those who have already joined this effort and were gathered at his home last night.

Check back on this blog for photos, video, and interviews from the event!

The President just signed the Tribal Law and Order Act -- an important step to help the Federal Government better address the unique public safety challenges that confront tribal communities.

According to a Department of Justice report, Native American women suffer from violent crime at a rate three and a half times greater than the national average. Astoundingly, one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes. At the White House Tribal Nations Conference in November 2009, President Obama stated that this shocking figure "is an assault on our national conscience that we can no longer ignore."

Last week, Congress took another important step to improve the lives of Native American women by passing the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. The Act includes a strong emphasis on decreasing violence against women in Native communities, and is one of many steps this Administration strongly supports to address the challenges faced by Native women.

The stipulations in the Act that will benefit Native women reflect several Administration priorities. The Act will strengthen tribal law enforcement and the ability to prosecute and fight crime more effectively. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act will require that a standardized set of practices be put in place for victims of sexual assault in health facilities. Now, more women will get the care they need, both for healing and to aid in the prosecution of their perpetrators.

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault will now more often encounter authorities who have been trained to handle such cases. The Act expands training of tribal enforcement officers on the best ways to interview victims of domestic and sexual violence and the importance of collecting evidence to improve rates of conviction. The Director of Indian Health Services will coordinate with the Department of Justice, Tribes, Tribal organizations and urban Indian organizations to develop standardized sexual assault policies and protocols.

Special Assistant US Attorneys will be deputized under the Act to prosecute reservation crimes in Federal courts, and tribes will be given greater authority to hold perpetrators accountable. These provisions help to increase communication between tribal law enforcement, Federal authorities and the court system. As numbers of convictions grow, more women may be willing to report the abuses against them so that their abusers may be prosecuted.

However, the Act focuses not only on prosecution but also on prevention. It reauthorizes and improves programs to prevent and treat alcohol and substance abuse, as well as programs that improve opportunities for at-risk Indian youth. Getting men and boys involved in stopping the violence against women and girls is an important step to ending it everywhere, giving youth a chance to change their own futures.

This Act, combined with the great work that Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice are doing to combat violence in American Indian/Alaska Native communities, is an important step towards our Administration’s priority of ending violence against women and girls, and making Native communities safer and more secure. One in three is a statistic that is intolerable, and the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 will help to change that.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

Yesterday, I met with a group of 16 leaders of organizations that combat violence against women, provide resources for women who face domestic violence and sexual assault, and advocate for victims. During this meeting, I shared with these leaders the same information I am sharing with you -- information on how the White House, through the President’s FY 2011 budget, is making combating violence against women a real priority.

Violence Against Women Act as a Budget Priority

The FY 2011 budget will provide a record total of $730 million to combat violence against women -- a $130.5 million increase in funding from the previous fiscal year.  The VAWA, passed in 1994, already provides thousands of victims with life-saving services, improvements in the criminal justice system and increased public awareness. The President’s FY 2011 budget not only continues this strong response, but bolsters current funding and responds to the emerging needs of communities.

Crime Victims Fund

The budget provides a $100 million increase from the Crime Victims Fund, specifically for emergency shelter, transitional housing, and other local services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. By focusing on both immediate safety and long-term housing assistance, we can help ensure that victims don’t have to choose between living with abuse or becoming homeless. Furthermore, the Crime Victims Fund does not consist of a single taxpayer dollar; it is self-sustaining and supported by criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, and penalties for Federal offenders. In addition to a fund increase from the Crime Victims Fund, the FY 2011 budget provides $140 million for battered women’s shelters and services, an increase of $10 million from the previous fiscal year.

Victim Resources and Legal Support

The $730 million also provides vital funding for victim resources. The National Domestic Violence Hotline and Teen Dating Violence Helpline are receiving increased funding of $4.5 million to ensure every call is answered. The budget also provides $30 million in VAWA funding for victims of sexual assault -- a $15 million increase from the previous year -- which will be utilized by the Sexual Assault Services Program to provide crisis intervention, advocacy within the criminal justice system, support during forensic exams, and other related assistance.

The FY 2011 budget bolsters legal support for domestic violence and sexual assault victims by providing $50 million in VAWA funding for legal assistance for victims, a $9 million increase from the previous year. The Civil Legal Assistance Program will use this funding to help victims more easily obtain protective orders and other assistance available through the court system.

To build upon the above improvements in the criminal justice system, the budget also provides $188 million in STOP grants that provide better training, improved data collection, specialized law enforcement and prosecution units, and courts specialized for domestic violence and sexual assault cases.

Support Across the Board

Ending domestic violence and sexual assault is a priority for President Obama and Vice President Biden. I’ve written about numerous fund increases and initiatives that are testaments to this fact. In my meeting yesterday, the White House’s commitment to violence against women issues was clear -- we are increasing support for women across the board. 

Read more about our efforts in the President’s FY 2011 budget.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women

As part of broader DOJ reforms to dramatically improve public safety in tribal communities, the Attorney General recognized that though there is no "quick fix," we "must continue our efforts with federal, state, and tribal partners to identify solutions to the challenges we face."  After holding listening sessions with tribal leaders across the nation, he directed all 44 U.S. Attorneys' Offices with federally recognized tribes in their districts to reinvigorate efforts to combat and prosecute violent crime, particularly against women and children. And he announced an additional $6 million to hire Assistant United States Attorneys—and additional victim specialists—to assist with the ever-growing Indian Country caseload.

After all, for Native American women, even "challenges" may be an understatement. On some reservations, violent crime is more than twenty times the national average—but women tend to suffer most. Some tribes face murder rates against Native American women of more than ten times the national average. And tribal leaders say there are countless more victims of domestic violence and sexual assault whose stories may never be told. As President Obama put it at the White House Tribal Nations Conference on November 5, "the shocking and contemptible fact that one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes is an assault on our national conscience that we can no longer ignore."

The White House strongly supports efforts to strengthen the capability of law enforcement to address public safety needs on reservations, including the announced Justice Department reforms and the Tribal Law and Order Act. That's why at the Tribal Nations Conference, he commended Attorney General Holder for his efforts to ensure greater safety in tribal communities and thanked Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Chairman Byron Dorgan and Representative Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin for their leadership on this important issue.

In his memorandum to U.S. Attorneys, Deputy Attorney General David Ogden explained why the federal government has a responsibility to address the endemic pattern of abuse, assault, and other violence that reservations across the United States face every day. Our unique legal relationship with Native American tribes mandates it. And the 1994 Violence Against Women Act authored by Vice President Biden calls for it. But our national conscience also demands justice.

Only now, we can finally come to expect it, too.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women