Reauthorize VAWA; Pass IVAWA

RantWoman received this item from a religious lobby group. RantWoman believes whole-heartedly in the faith communitym, even faith communities RantWoman might not agree with, being active and visible in public life, though RantWoman's instinct for a topic like the item below would be to include language from more than one faith community.a RantWoman means it about multiconfessional intent but RantWoman does not have time to go fine pithy topical quotes reflecting other faith traditions as well.


Today is the last day of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but action is still needed. Tell Congress to Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and Pass the International Violence Against Women Act.

"There is no longer Jew nor Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28)

Worldwide, at least one in three women will be raped, beaten, or abused in some way during her lifetime. In the United States, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking affect 1 in 4 women and one in thirteen men. Women ages 20-24 have a particularly high risk of encountering these types of violence. Each year, about 1.3 million U.S. women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner, and three women die of domestic violence each day.

God calls us to change this story. October was Domestic Violence Awareness month-- a time to recognize thedestructive effects domestic violence has on women, children, and families, and focus efforts to curb domestic violence. But these concerns extend far beyond October, andlegislative actions are still needed in order to continue and buttress government efforts to protect women, children, men, and families against violence in their homes.In remembering that we are all one in Christ Jesus, and thus the suffering of one is the suffering of all, we must ensure that policies that protect and support victims of abuse are put in place and kept in place.

In 1994, the United States Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The act provides critical lifesaving services and essential support and resources to individuals and families who have suffered from domestic violence, including rape crisis centers, shelters for battered women, and a national hotline for survivors. VAWA also increased the severity of consequences for those who commitacts of domestic violence, as well as funded training programs for law enforcement and court officials which have improved the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence. VAWAhas been reauthorized twice and must be reauthorized again this year.

Building from VAWA's success, Congress introduced the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA) in 2010 with bipartisan support. If passed, IVAWA will implement programs to protect women around the world against violence, support programs for survivors, and improve women's legal and economic situations.

As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end, let us stand with the millions of victims of domestic abuse by speaking out against its perpetuation. Join in the effort to put an end to violence against women. Tell Congress to reauthorize VAWA and pass IVAWA.