[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Pages 22012-22013]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, October is Domestic Violence Awareness 
Month and as an Alaskan, I welcome this opportunity to discuss a 
problem my State has been combating for decades.
  In 2002, more women per capita were killed by men they knew in Alaska 
than in any other State. During the last 5 years, over 18,000 domestic 
violence charges have been filed in Alaska, and this statistic does not 
include incidences where a women decided not to press charges. Since 
1976, Alaska has ranked in the top five States for the highest rate of 
rape per 100,000 total inhabitants.
  The epidemic domestic violence and sexual assault rates in Alaska 
constitute a serious public crisis and our State is dedicated to 
finding solutions for this problem. In the spirit of that commitment, I 
helped organize a summit with the Department of Justice to discuss the 
unique challenges that Alaska faces. The summit provided a forum for 
law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, governmental entities, health 
personnel and advocates to come together to openly discuss the multiple 
issues associated with this crisis. The summit covered a wide range of 
topics, including the role of responders to domestic violence, the best 
practices to implement in communities and the identification of 
training needs.
  The summit gave different entities the opportunity to convene, 
collaborate, and openly discuss solutions that will help us prevent 
domestic violence and sexual assault. The summit was a solid first step 
in an ongoing effort in our State.
  There are no simple solutions to the problem of domestic violence, 
but we do know that education and programs that take a proactive 
approach can help turn the tide on this issue. This year I secured 
several earmarks in the CJS appropriations bill in response to the 
domestic violence problem that Alaska is facing. Funds will be provided 
to the State of Alaska for a sexual assault/domestic violence 
prosecution unit. Funds will also be available for a new domestic 
violence prevention project to allow for a comprehensive evaluation and 
assessment of domestic violence cases. Money was also attained to offer 
services to victims whose lives have been impacted by violent crime.
  Addressing the public crisis posed by domestic violence and sexual 
assault is a two-front effort. On one front, we are working to meet the 
immediate needs of the victims of these crimes, ensuring they have the 
resources they need to recover. On the other, we are working on the 
long term goals of raising awareness and educating the public. Domestic 
Violence Awareness Month is a vital part of that effort.
  In many cases, victims of domestic violence wrongly believe they are 
responsible for what has happened to them. We must work to alter the 
social stigma associated with being a victim of domestic violence. That 
stigma belongs to those who commit crimes, not their victims. By taking 
care of victims, prosecuting offenders, and educating the public about 
this issue, I believe we can begin to end a serious problem that has 
plagued our communities and our citizens for far too long. Many of my 
colleagues have pledged their support in this effort, and I look 
forward to working with them on additional solutions to address this 
problem.
  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President I rise today to mark the beginning of 
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, NDVAM and to acknowledge 
the tenth anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA. NDVAM 
began in 1987 as a way to draw attention to the problem domestic 
violence. Seventeen years later, domestic violence is still a blight in 
our communities. As such, we must do what we can to combat domestic 
violence. A timely reauthorization of VAWA is a critical step in this 
effort.
  Ratified in 1994 as title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law 
Enforcement Act, VAWA established protocol and discretionary grant 
programs that are managed by the Department of Justice, and the 
Department of Health and Human Services. As indicated by Congressional 
Research Service reports, grants administered by DOJ aid law 
enforcement, establish and operate training programs for victim 
advocates and counselors, and train probation and parole officers who 
work with released sex offenders. Grants provided by the HHS fund 
shelters for battered women, rape prevention programs, and community 
programs on domestic violence. Grants also provide funding for efforts 
to reduce sexual abuse of runaway and homeless street youth.
  VAWA also finances and annually publishes a series of reports on the 
methods of assessing and preventing gender-related crimes. The findings 
of these studies are used to develop existing programs and create new 
ones in areas that require more attention. As a result, VAWA's efforts 
have initiated critical changes in Federal laws regarding interstate 
stalking, intrastate domestic abuse, the rules of evidence concerning 
the use of a victim's past sexual behavior, and HIV testing in rape 
cases.

[[Page 22013]]

  Additionally, VAWA instituted a pilot program for safe custody 
exchange for families of domestic violence, as well as a domestic 
violence task force. These initiatives greatly enhance the enforcement 
of protective orders across state lines. Without VAWA's assistance, 
battered women who relocate to other states would be extremely 
vulnerable, as would these States' resources.
  Despite the enormous strides the VAWA has made for victims of 
domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, Native American women 
still experience the highest rate of violence of any group in the 
United States. This is of particular concern to the Lakota, Nakota, and 
Dakota tribes located in my home State of South Dakota. A Department of 
Justice report titled, ``American Indians and Crime,'' found that 
Native American women suffer from violent crime at a rate three and a 
half times greater than the national average. Researchers also estimate 
that this number is actually much higher, as according to the 
Department of Justice, over 70 percent of sexual assaults are never 
reported. Many Native American women remain silent due to cultural 
barriers, a high level of mistrust for white dominated agencies, and a 
history of inactivity by state and tribal agencies to prosecute crimes 
committed against Native Americans.
  Furthermore, it is important to address the fact that police and 
courts tend to ignore cases of violence involving Native American 
women, due to alleged confusion between Federal and tribal 
jurisdictions. Cases involving a non-Native American perpetrator and a 
Native American victim fall under Federal jurisdiction. Tribes do not 
have criminal jurisdiction over nontribal members even for crimes 
committed against Native women on the reservation, and regrettably, 
States are not effective enough in enforcing tribal protection orders. 
Fortunately, VAWA provides victims with access to critical resources by 
establishing key grant programs that improve the criminal and civil 
justice systems' response to victims, as mentioned above. However, even 
with the best efforts of antiviolence advocates, law enforcement 
officials and judicial personnel have yet to reach everyone in need of 
assistance. Despite the successes of VAWA, Native American women are 
still at greater risk of becoming victims of violence, and the 
jurisdictional issues they face only further complicate the problem.
  On the tenth anniversary of the VAWA, I call on my colleagues to 
continue supporting this important piece of legislation. Its 
contributions to society, while unfinished, are essential to combating 
abuse against women.

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