Published on July 06, 2008
Full Funding For VAWA.
Congress’ unanimous reauthorization of the expanded Violence Against Women Act this past December was cause for celebration. Now, however, VAWA’s in trouble and we need your help. For the 5th year in a row, President Bush has not requested full funding for VAWA programs in his budget. What’s more, becasue VAWA wasn’t passed until late last year, no funding at all has been proposed for new VAWA programs!
Congress authorized spending $1 billion per year so that VAWA's effective programs, like the national domestic violence hotline, training for law enforcement, and legal assistance for victims could continue and expand. Unfortunately, the President's budget only requests $546 million in funding for continuing and new programs - just over half of what he could have requested. We need full funding to continue VAWA's existing lifesaving programs plus funding for the new programs that will help ensure an integrated approach to ending domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. These new remedies address gaps in prevention services, housing, health care, and employment issues related to domestic and sexual violence. And they bring VAWA’s effective services to new populations, including youth, Native women, and victims of sexual violence, through funding for rape crisis centers and other service providers not included in previous legislation.
HERE'S WHY VAWA MATTERS
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Congress will begin the appropriations process very soon, where they have the ability to decide how much money to dedicate to VAWA programs. Click the "contact congress" button below to send a message to your legislators urging them to fully fund all VAWA programs.
If you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking, or if you are someone who works with or provides services to victims, please use our webform below to post your personal comments about why VAWA programs are so important. We'll compile your comments into a booklet that will be hand-delivered to legislative offices.
WHY VAWA MATTERS TO ME
PLEASE USE THIS FORM TO TELL PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT HOW VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN HAS AFFECTED YOUR LIFE OR HOW VAWA PROGAMS MATTER TO THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE.
If you are a survivor, use the webform below to tell about what happened to you, what services you used or needed, and why those services were important. Please do not identify anybody by name in your comments.
If you are a service provider or someone who works with victims/survivors tell about the work you do, how it makes a difference and why this funding matters to you. Its especially powerful to tell the story of how your services made a difference for one person or family.
My Comments |
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