[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 19, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S12846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ``WOMEN HELPING BATTERED WOMEN''

 Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure to 
stand before the Senate today and speak of an organization that has, 
for the past 25 years, been committed to ending violence toward women 
and children. The organization is called Women Helping Battered Women 
(WHBW) and their goal is simple: create a living environment for women 
and children that is free from fear of battering--sexual, physical, 
emotional or financial. On the occasion of their 25th anniversary, 
WHBW, through their direct service, their advocacy and their 
educational and outreach programs stands as an example for us all and, 
unfortunately, are as crucial today as they were 25 years ago.
  We must not shy away from the impacts of domestic violence. In the 
United States, a woman is battered by a partner every seven seconds and 
thirty percent of Americans know a woman who has been physically abused 
by their husband or boyfriend in the last year. In my home state of 
Vermont, I shudder when I hear that domestic violence touches over 
16,000 Vermonters each year. In Chittenden County alone, an 
overwhelming 59% of all reported crimes since January 1998 have been 
domestic-related disturbances. We often perceive Vermont as one of the 
safest states in the nation, however, the incidence of domestic 
violence in Vermont continues to rise.
  As a result of WHBW's work, over 3,500 Vermonters' lives were 
positively touched during difficult and dangerous times in their lives. 
I'd like to highlight their PARADIGM project, a joint educational 
partnership with the Woman's Rape Crisis Center. The PARADIGM project 
serves to educate students, churches and professional and community 
groups, in the hope of breaking the cycle of violence in the home and 
in our communities.
  Mr. President, you may see me and others wearing a purple ribbon, to 
symbolize our commitment to ending violence against women and children 
in our state, and across the nation. Yet it is the day to day work of 
Women Helping Battered Women--it is their strength and advocacy--that 
continues to make a difference and helps Congress focus on this issue. 
Congress made a commitment to the women behind the statistics when we 
passed the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). I will 
continue to work to fulfill this pledge to millions of women and 
families who have suffered, by fully funding this important Act which 
supports shelters, counseling, training, and law enforcement. In fact, 
my work helped to double the fiscal year 1997 allocations for community 
level demonstration projects and to increase the domestic violence 
hotline funds. Congress also included funding targeted exclusively to 
combat domestic violence in rural areas--especially important in my 
home state of Vermont. We must continue the work we began with the 
passage of VAWA and pass a reauthorization of these vital programs. I 
am proud to be a cosponsor of S. 51, the Violence Against Women Act II. 
I pledge to work with my colleagues to get this needed legislation 
passed in the near future.
  I applaud WHBW's leadership and the creative initiatives they have 
undertaken to build and maintain a multi-cultural organization which 
empowers staff, volunteers, and the women and families they serve. I 
commend Woman Helping Battered Women for their crucial work in breaking 
the silence for victims, supporting women and children in meeting their 
most basic needs in times of great difficulty, educating our 
communities, and working to heighten public awareness of this growing 
epidemic.
  Mr. President, thank you for the opportunity to provide my colleagues 
with a shining example of a group of dedicated individuals actively 
engaged in the war against domestic violence. I join other Vermonters 
in offering my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Women Helping 
Battered Women for their many years of good work.

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