[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 23 (Wednesday, March 6, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

  (Ms. CARSON of Indiana asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, historically, domestic violence 
has been a silent epidemic. According to a recent study conducted by 
the Commonwealth Fund, almost 4 million women are physically abused 
each year in the United States. In my district alone, domestic violence 
remains unabated. We had the tragic situation where a young man went to 
court, was convicted of domestic violence, was allowed to leave the 
courtroom and go home and prepare himself for prison. Instead, he 
visited his wife's job and killed her and another day care provider.
  Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women in this 
country, where they are more likely to be assaulted, injured, raped or 
killed by a male partner than by any other type of assailant. We need 
to expand the Call to Protect program, continue funding of VAWA and 
demand that the Violence Against Women Office in the Department of 
Justice become permanent.
  Ensuring that domestic violence victims receive necessary services to 
protect themselves and their children is one of the most important 
things that this legislative body can do while we attempt to sensitize 
those who are guardians of law, who are sworn to uphold the meaning of 
the law, will be further sensitized to the violence against women and 
how it can be abated.

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