On March 17, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (H.R. 1620), a critical bill that includes many necessary resources for survivors of intimate partner violence and other forms of abuse.
Some of the programs that the bill reauthorizes include:
- STOP Grants enhances local communities’ ability to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women.
- Grants to prevent violence on campus strengthens the response to sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking on campuses and enhances collaboration among campuses, local law enforcement, and victim advocacy organizations.
- Grants to Tribal Governments for special domestic violence programs and other tribal programs supports the development and operation of tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions.
- Programs to end abuse in later life addresses abuse of older adults, neglect, and exploitation against older adults through training and services
The bill also creates several new programs, including adding a deputy director for culturally specific communities within the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This new position would help ensure that ensure that OVW programs are conducted in a culturally competent way. The bill also requires an interagency working group to determine how to standardize sexual violence data collection.
APA has long opposed violence against women, including with the 2009 APA Resolution on Male Violence Against Women. American Psychologist® in 1993 also published an article by then-Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. on the importance of passing the Violence Against Women Act (PDF, 827).
For more information, please contact Sophie Friedl.