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More Bipartisan Support Needed for Violence Against Women Act
According to the media, the public holds the bickering, do-nothing Congress in unprecedented low esteem. But here's some good news: In the weeks and months ahead, there is one area where our legislators can redeem themselves. The Violence Against Women Act is up for reauthorization, and if Congress passes a strong bill, millions of girls and women will have a better chance to escape and heal from sexual, domestic, dating and stalking violence.
We only have to read the latest headlines to know that our nation must continue its work to prevent and respond to the cruel sexual violence, lethal battery and assault that lead to murder and destruction in whole families. Shockingly, three women are killed every day in domestic violence incidents.
VAWA was originally passed in 1994 and currently has the bipartisan support of almost a third of the full Senate. In a nod to harsh economic times, the money authorized has been lowered to the 2000 level, programs have been consolidated, budgets tightened and accountability emphasized.
So why have two of VAWA's former champions failed to sponsor this year's bill? Senators Orrin Hatch and Charles Grassley are missing in action, and we all know that sexual and domestic violence still occur all across the nation, including Utah and Iowa.
It isn't just the shelters and crisis centers calling for full Senate support -- the religious, health care and civil rights communities are behind VAWA as well. Most important, the law enforcement community joins our call to sponsor and pass VAWA, with 47 state attorneys general adding their voices, including Utah AG Mark Shurtleff and Iowa's Tom Miller.
Unfortunately, conservatives in the Senate are attempting to drastically reduce VAWA funding through a matching funds scheme that would effectively shut down many smaller anti-violence programs and seriously impact services in larger programs. NOW cautions that this could be the first step toward eventually eliminating federal support.
As both a public health and human rights issue, ending violence against women is a responsibility we all share. If we truly want a nation free of sexual and domestic violence, we must commit to this goal at every level -- as individuals, in our communities, in state legislatures and at the federal level.
This post is part of the #HERvotes blog carnival on reauthorizing VAWA.
So the problem isn't a lack of funding. The problem is lack of accountability.
http://thefire.org/article/13805.html
I ceased participating in NOW. Lesbianism is a homosexual issue for gay rights groups, not for an organization which purports to address the needs of most women. And abortion, while it must be legal because otherwise females can legally be made into reproductive slaves via rape,
is indeed the killing of new life and is a sad event.
When NOW again puts most of its energy into making our world a better place where mothers can bring our children into the world with joy, and rear them comfortably, I will consider rejoining. Until then, I feel NOW is counterproductive and not at all what most women want.
Anne Russell PhD,
Wilmington NC
I add that I have 4 daughters and 5 granddaughters.
N.O.W. has lost touch with the average woman and it shows in their lobbying power (shrunk to nearly nothing vs the late 90's). They lost me almost 8yr's ago when they were pushing hard on a bill to allow non-family adults to take children under 17 to get abortions. They still advocate children under 17 being able to get abortions without adult consent.
Choice has to be a woman's right. The choice of pre-natal care for a healthy pregnancy, and choice for a safe legal abortion, and choice for contraception.
Lesbians are women...
many are women raising children. NOW should support lesbians.
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