[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 36 (Friday, March 15, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2143-S2144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE

  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I thank my colleague for his 
graciousness in allowing me some time to announce the realization of 
another component of our initiative to prevent violence against women: 
the national domestic violence hotline. The hotline, which officially 
opened on February 24, signifies the realization of the key provision 
of the Violence Against Women Act passed by the Congress as part of the 
1994 crime bill.
  I urge my colleagues, as we go into appropriations, to continue to 
fully fund this. The toll-free number is 1-800-799-SAFE. This will 
provide immediate crisis assistance counseling and local shelter 
referrals to women across the country 24 hours a day. And for women 
that are watching right now on C-SPAN, again, I want to repeat this 
number: 1-800-799-SAFE. There is also a TDD number for the hearing 
impaired: 1-800-787-3224.
  The hotline will help to ensure that any person suffering due to 
violence in their home will have immediate access to information and 
emergency assistance whenever they need it. This is an important part 
of our initiative to end the family violence that has such devastating 
consequences for women, children, and families in Minnesota and 
throughout the country.
  Roughly 1 million women are victims of domestic violence each year, 
and battering may be the single most common cause of injury to women--
more common than auto accidents, muggings, or rapes by a stranger.
  According to the FBI, one out of every two women in America will be 
beaten at least once in the course of an intimate relationship--one out 
of every two women in America. The FBI also speculates that battering 
is the most underreported crime in the country.
  It is estimated that the new hotline will receive close to 10,000 
calls a day. And for all women that are watching, again, the number is 
1-800-799-SAFE,

[[Page S2144]]

and the TDD number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-787-3224.
  Mr. President, my wife, Sheila, speaks about domestic violence all 
around Minnesota. Sheila was speaking in southern Minnesota 2 days 
before the hotline opened. She spoke with a woman who had been living 
in New York with her abusive husband and 5-month-old child. Her husband 
had moved to New York following their marriage, and he kept his wife 
and child very isolated there. The husband was very controlling and 
made it impossible for his wife to socialize, make friends, or have a 
job. He checked on her all the time to make sure that she was at home 
with their baby. In addition to beating her routinely and savagely, he 
took out a life insurance policy on her. So she lived in constant fear 
of being killed.
  This woman told Sheila that every time she opened the apartment door, 
she was sure someone would be on the other side with a shotgun. Her 
husband at one time had been out of town on a business deal. He left in 
the afternoon and planned on returning the following morning. After he 
left, she decided that it was her only chance to get away. Panicked and 
pressed for time, she called a local hotline number but found it was 
disconnected. She was devastated. She called the legal aid society in 
New York City and was initially told that they could not help her.
  Out of sheer desperation, Mr. President, she persisted with legal aid 
and was finally given a local agency phone number. Calling the local 
agency, the woman informed them that she wanted to return home to 
Minnesota. They were able to access a computer and put her in touch 
with a battered women shelter in her hometown. She and her baby were on 
a plane the next morning before her husband got home.

  Mr. President, this woman was lucky. She was able to find the 
information she needed. But how much better it would have been if the 
hotline had been up and running to give her the information 
immediately. Unfortunately, some women might not have the whole day to 
track down information.
  I think this shows how crucial the national network like the hotline 
will be for keeping women and children safe--even, literally, saving 
their lives. When a woman calls the hotline, her call will be answered 
by a counselor who can provide crisis assistance and who can also 
access a nationwide data base and provide the caller with up-to-date 
information about shelters and other services in her community. If the 
caller wishes, the hotline counselor can even transfer her call to a 
local counselor.
  Because the hotline is toll-free, women can call in complete privacy, 
never having to fear a long-distance number will appear on their 
telephone bill and, therefore, alert an abusive partner. Help is also 
available in Spanish and other languages.
  I hope that the new national domestic violence hotline will help 
women and families find the support, the assistance, and the services 
they need to get out of homes where there is violence and abuse.
  In addition to establishing networks between counselors, shelter 
workers, law enforcement officers, and service providers, the hotline 
will help make sure that anyone who is not safe in their home has 
access to their services.
  Mr. President, once again, the toll free number from the floor of the 
U.S. Senate is 1-800-799-SAFE, and for those that are hearing impaired, 
the number is 1-800-787-3224.
  What I wish to do with the indulgence of my colleagues is for the 
next several weeks come to the floor of the Senate at least once a day 
when I can find the time--and I will find the time because this is a 
priority--to read this number. It is important that as many women and 
as many children and as many families as possible understand this new 
initiative. It is very important to making sure that women and children 
have the protection they needed.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. CHAFEE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Kempthorne). The Senator from Rhode 
Island.
  Mr. CHAFEE. I ask unanimous consent I may proceed for 10 minutes as 
in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection? The Chair hears none, and 
it is so ordered.

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