Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act: A Step in the Right Direction
Statement of NOW President Patricia Ireland
July 25, 2001
Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act: A Step in the Right Direction
Statement of NOW President Patricia Ireland
July 25, 2001
Feminists across the country applaud the Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act, VESSA, as a promising step toward helping ease the economic repercussions of domestic violence. This bill, which is being introduced today by women's rights supporters in both Houses of Congress, proposes the next generation of effective measures to combat domestic violence -- saving domestic violence survivors from the further brutality of economic and employment discrimination.
Focusing primarily on challenges battered women encounter in the workplace, VESSA seeks to provide a crucial economic safety net. The legislation's central thrust is to ensure that survivors of domestic violence aren't faced with the additional trauma of discrimination by employers and insurance companies. Provisions in the bill would allow the victim to take emergency leave while going to court, receiving medical care, establishing a safer environment for themselves and their children or addressing other issues related to the violence.
Many women end up in poverty after fleeing abusive husbands or partners. Some 80 percent of women on welfare are survivors of domestic violence or are attempting to escape violent relationships. While survivors of domestic violence must have access to life-saving services like shelter, medical care, child care, legal assistance and counseling, employment and economic security is also essential.
Employers should address the pervasive problems of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault that impact employed women and adopt policies that assist – rather than punish – the survivors. It's good business and good for business. But these employers are going to need the support of this Act to do so. VESSA makes it easy to incorporate assistance for survivors of domestic and sexual violence into workplace policy.
With hundreds of thousands of activists and more than 500 chapters in every state and the District of Columbia, the National Organization for Women supports this bill whole-heartedly and pledges to work to see it passed into law.
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