[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 50 (Friday, April 6, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S3698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  ADDRESSING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN SOUTH DAKOTA AND AROUND THE COUNTRY

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, domestic violence is often the crime that 
victims don't want to admit and communities don't want to discuss. 
However, almost 15,000 domestic violence victims in South Dakota last 
year secured help from the Department of Social Services. This 
represents a low estimate of the number of South Dakotans who are 
victims of domestic violence, as many victims fail to seek help.
  Since enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, the number 
of forcible rapes of women have declined, and the number of sexual 
assaults nationwide have gone down as well. Despite the success of the 
Violence Against Women Act, domestic abuse and violence against women 
continue to plague our communities. Consider the fact that a woman is 
raped every 5 minutes in this country, and that nearly one in every 
three adult women experiences at least one physical assault by a 
partner during adulthood. In fact, more women are injured by domestic 
violence each year than by automobile accidents and cancer deaths 
combined. These facts illustrate that there is a need in Congress to 
help States and communities address this problem that impacts all of 
our communities.
  Last year, I was pleased to join the successful effort to reauthorize 
the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. In addition to reauthorizing the 
provisions of the original Violence Against Women Act, the legislation 
improves our overall efforts to reduce violence against women by 
strengthening law enforcement's role in reducing violence against 
women. The legislation also expands legal services and assistance to 
victims of violence, while also addressing the effects of domestic 
violence on children. Finally, programs are funded to strengthen 
education and training to combat violence against women.
  This year, I am cosponsoring legislation, S. 540, that would 
establish a permanent Violence Against Women Office in the Department 
of Justice. This bill would guarantee that the office will continue its 
work into future administrations and ensure that the Congress' goals 
regarding domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking will be 
carried out.
  As a State lawmaker in 1983, I wrote one of the first domestic 
violence laws in South Dakota which dedicated a portion of marriage 
license fees to help build shelters for battered women. I was also a 
cosponsor of the original Violence Against Women Act in 1990 in the 
House of Representatives. Even at that time, many people denied that 
domestic violence existed in our state. Finally, in 1995, the President 
signed legislation to strengthen federal criminal law relating to 
violence against women and fund programs to help women who have been 
assaulted.
  Since the Violence Against Women Act became law, South Dakota 
organizations have received over $6.7 million in federal funding for 
domestic abuse programs. In addition, the Violence Against Women Act 
doubled prison time for repeat sex offenders; established mandatory 
restitution to victims of violence against women; codified much of our 
existing laws on rape; and strengthened interstate enforcement of 
violent crimes against women.
  The law also created a national toll-free hotline to provide women 
with crisis intervention help, information about violence against 
women, and free referrals to local services. Last year, the hotline 
took its 300,000th call. The number for women to call for help is: 1-
800-799-SAFE.
  I am hopeful that, with my support, the Senate will approve S. 540 
this year so that we can continue fighting domestic abuse and violence 
against women in our state and communities.

                          ____________________