[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Pages 21355-21358]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT REAUTHORIZATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 2005, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ginny Brown-Waite) 
is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is often said by 
politicians of both parties that Members of Congress must act with 
compassion and legislate from the heart. It is my strong and fervent 
belief that there are few pieces of legislation that this body will 
consider that are more relevant to the hearts and souls of our 
constituents than the passage of the Violence Against Women Act.
  I have looked into the eyes of women beaten by men. Those women 
thought that that person was their partner for life, their soulmate and 
their lover. I have seen the pain and rejection and the hurt on their 
faces as these women struggle to recover their dignity and their 
strength.
  I have spent a great deal of my public life being involved in raising 
money for domestic violence shelters. In the small county where I lived 
and was first a county commissioner, I raised money, because I saw the 
need. I was involved in the board of the domestic violence shelter. For 
years, the Founding Fathers of the county, the power brokers, were in 
denial that domestic violence actually occurred in the county. When I 
finally got elected to the Florida State Senate, I fought long and hard 
to get funding for domestic violence shelters so that women and their 
children would have a place to go.
  The purpose of this hour this evening is to highlight the Violence 
Against Women Act, which was first passed in 1994 and which will be on 
the House floor tomorrow. Before I go into any more detail, however, I 
would like to yield to my colleague, the gentlewoman from West Virginia 
(Mrs. Capito), a woman with whom I have worked closely over the 3 short 
years I have been here on issues affecting women and the former Chair 
of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues.
  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. 
Ginny Brown-Waite) for yielding to me, and for her steadfast support of 
women's issues, and particularly the reauthorization of the Violence 
Against Women Act. She has been a leader in this area and, as she said, 
she legislates from the heart on this issue. I appreciate her and all 
of the bipartisanship that has been shown in the reauthorization of 
this bill.
  In the 5 years since the Violence Against Women Act of 2000 was 
enacted, we have made remarkable gains towards stopping domestic and 
sexual violence. But the Violence Against Women Act is due to expire at 
the close of September and it is time for Congress to renew its 
commitment.
  Since its inception in 1994, VAWA funding has provided tremendous 
resources and protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual 
assault in my home State of West Virginia and nationally. Violence 
against women programs provide increased training for police, 
prosecutors, and court officials, and greatly improves the response of 
the criminal justice system to victims of domestic violence and sexual 
assault. These programs have been successful at providing victims with 
emergency shelters, hotlines, and supportive services.
  In my hometown of Charleston, West Virginia, we have a domestic 
violence shelter that is run very well by the YWCA of Charleston, West 
Virginia. It is professional, it is safe, and it is that harbor for 
women and families who are subjected to the violence that occurs in so 
many of our families and in domestic situations.
  Due to the Violence Against Women Act's worthy accomplishments, many 
more victims are now referred for services, and demand has steadily 
risen for the services provided by the grants. The Violence Against 
Women Act has helped transform the perception of domestic abuse as a 
situation that should be dealt with in the home. It has moved it to a 
serious crime that should be addressed in the courtroom. What used to 
be considered a family matter is now a crime. This bill is a crucial 
part of this perception change.
  At issue now is more than just a reauthorization. Rather, Congress 
has an opportunity to make a statement by expanding and improving VAWA 
Acts passed in 1994 and 2000. This year's reauthorization builds on the 
successes, just what we want to see when we are reauthorizing 
legislation; to find out what is working, build on that, and remove 
those elements of a law that maybe are not working or not working as we 
had thought they might.
  Reauthorization of VAWA will improve the help victims receive from 
the Department of Justice in several ways. One of its more important 
provisions gives grants to States to ensure victims have better access 
to trained attorneys and lay advocacy services, such as the one at the 
YWCA in Charleston, West Virginia. This means grief-stricken victims of 
violence, stalking and sexual assault will receive vital professional 
support in the moment they need it the most. This support can make all 
the difference in the time of tragedy.
  Domestic violence, unfortunately, strikes everywhere, among the rich, 
the poor, within urban and rural communities. As a West Virginian, I 
have been especially sensitive to the needs of rural communities. That 
is why I am pleased that the reauthorization of VAWA will expand 
assistance to rural areas through amendments made to the rural domestic 
violence and child abuse enforcement assistance program. The Department 
of Justice is authorized to award 3-year grants for education, 
training, and services to combat violence against women in rural areas.
  All told, $50 million in funding each year from 2006 to 2010 is 
authorized and will go to VAWA programs that address rural domestic 
violence, dating violence, and sexual assault. And when it comes to 
grants that address sexual assault, rural communities are guaranteed to 
receive a minimum of 25 percent of the funds allotted.
  In addition, when we reauthorize VAWA, the Federal Government will be 
sending a strong message to the criminals who have committed violence 
against women. Reauthorization will permit the doubling of applicable 
penalties for repeat Federal domestic violence offenders.
  This bill also addresses the accessibility of funding and program 
dollars for colleges. As the mother of a college student, a young woman 
college student, I know that the area of sexual assault and dating 
violence is something that is ever present on the mind of every mother 
of a young daughter in college.

                              {time}  2000

  So this bill recognizes that and will help strengthen our 
institutions to deal with this problem.
  This October will be the 19th annual Domestic Violence Awareness 
Month. I cannot wait for the day we no longer need a month to recognize 
domestic violence. For years, we in Congress have told women that 
domestic violence is not their fault and is no cause for shame. I 
believe we have the opportunity this year to redouble our efforts, to 
say that domestic violence is

[[Page 21356]]

not just the victim's problems, it is America's problems. That means we 
in Congress must demonstrate to all Americans that it is incumbent on 
us as a Nation to stop this violence.
  This year, let us usher in Domestic Violence Awareness Month by 
reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the 
gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito). Certainly hearing the 
story about the domestic violence shelter close to her home is one that 
many Members of Congress certainly can relate to, and I appreciate her 
sharing that with us tonight.
  Whether the victim's name is Mary, Laurie, Kate, Stephanie or 
Florence, they are all victims. Let me tell about a woman I know who 
was a victim named Florence. She found herself pregnant at the age of 
17. She went on to have several other relationships and a total of four 
children, all daughters. Those daughters grew up seeing their mother 
being a victim. These children believed that abuse was normal because 
all of Florence's partners were abusive. Three of her four daughters 
turned out to be victims or abusers themselves. It is true that 
children learn what they live.
  Given that story and my background of advocacy for victims, I know 
how important it is for Congress to recognize that there are millions 
of Americans out there who have had similar harrowing experiences. I 
rise this evening to highlight the Violence Against Women Act, which we 
will be discussing on the floor tomorrow. VAWA, as it is commonly 
known, is landmark legislation that provides real solutions to reduce 
the incidence of violence against women.
  Mr. Speaker, domestic violence affects our most vulnerable 
constituents: battered women and their families. I think that every 
Member of Congress has heard stories of women who wish to leave an 
abusive situation and face threats, severe physical harm, and in some 
cases even death. Evidence suggests that the past incarnations of VAWA 
have been effective in reducing the violence.
  I am delighted to see that I am joined by a fellow Floridian this 
evening, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris).
  Ms. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, today much attention is focused on our 
ability as a Nation to respond to the events, natural or unnatural, 
which have emerged on a visibly grand scale. Mother Nature's naked 
fury, clothed in hurricanes Katrina and Rita, exposed our vulnerability 
to her indiscriminate forces and its cruelty, but also its charity, 
exhibited by thousands of citizens who reached out to the victims' 
grasping hands. We also continue to respond to terrorism by engaging in 
a vigilant battle against religious and ideological extremism at home 
and abroad.
  No less vital to the security of our society is our response to the 
perniciously pervasive scourge of domestic violence. In 1994, this 
Congress recognized the threat posed by violence against women to the 
fabric of our society when it passed the Violence Against Women Act, 
VAWA.
  Set to expire in October, I strongly support the reauthorization of 
VAWA, which has made a valuable contribution to declining rates of 
violent crime. Yet it is not enough to simply herald the falling 
violent crimes rates for both males and females since 1984. It is not 
enough to celebrate the fact the number of total domestic violence 
cases in Florida started to decline in 1998 and, in 2004, fell a 
further 3.3 percent.
  For the 119,772 Floridians who were victims of abuse or violence in 
2004, statistics provide neither comfort nor shelter. By reauthorizing 
and reinforcing the provision of VAWA, we demonstrate to those victims 
and their families that we have not lost focus or lost sight of them.
  By strengthening the enforcement provisions of VAWA and by making it 
gender-neutral, I believe it will serve to protect not only women but 
all victims of domestic abuse and those who suffer its effects. The 
effects of domestic violence are neither discriminatory nor confined to 
the bruises of the body.
  According to the Child Welfare League, between 3.3 million and 10 
million children witness some form of violence in the home each year 
and children from violent homes exhibit more aggressive or delinquent 
behavior compared to their peers of nonviolent homes. Furthermore, it 
has been reported that between 50 and 70 percent of men who abuse their 
partners also abuse their children. And the cycle continues.
  Tomorrow I will proudly lend my support to extending the lifeline 
VAWA provides to thousands of families and the community organizations 
which provide them safety and refuge each year. I will reaffirm my 
support for putting the full force of the law behind the enforcement of 
our criminal laws while placing my full faith in the families and 
communities this program serves.
  I would also encourage my colleagues to offer the same support to 
language in the overall measure to prohibit the personal information of 
victims of domestic violence from being entered into the Homeless 
Management Information Systems Database. This would permit the use of 
nonpersonally identifying information for data collection and 
statistical purposes while safeguarding the identities of women who are 
most vulnerable to the violence and often dangerous ramifications of 
reporting domestic abuse. Our Nation faces many challenges, but few are 
more important than providing shelter for the body and hope for the 
soul.
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Harris). She and I worked together on 
both funding issues and strengthening Florida's laws to protect the 
victims and to make sure that the perpetrators were swiftly and 
adequately punished for their deeds.
  She cited the rate of violence against females declining between 1993 
and 2004. It has declined and we are glad that that occurred. However, 
until the violence is entirely wiped out, I do not think there is a 
person in this body on either side of the aisle who will rest.
  Too many people continue to be abused and victimized by family 
members whom they should be able to trust. Before we voted this 
evening, I spoke to a person in Tallahassee who confided about the 
abuse that the daughters in the family sustained. When you realize it 
has absolutely no economic boundaries, that it happens in the best of 
families, the wealthiest of families, those middle-class families and 
those families who are on the lower economic spectrum, you realize how 
pervasive, unfortunately, it is in our society.
  A study was released by the U.S. Department of Justice in June 2005 
that reports that roughly 22 percent of murders in 2002 were 
perpetrated by family members actually against family members. This 
study also shows that women are much more likely than men to be victims 
of domestic violence. In fact, three-quarters of violence victims are 
female while three-quarters of domestic violence perpetrators are male. 
The study also found that family members are also responsible for the 
murders of an astounding 43 percent of female victims.
  I think we can all agree that these statistics are totally 
unacceptable. Love should not hurt, nor should it kill innocent 
victims.
  Sometimes we are in a grocery store or at an event and you come 
across a woman who you may see bruises on and a black eye, and there 
are some warning signs that I think every American should be looking 
for. Some of these warning signs are, for example, if the person's 
partner acts controlling and puts her down in front of others. That is 
one sign. Another sign is that he is extremely jealous of any attention 
she gets or perhaps she may get quiet when he is around and seem afraid 
of making him angry.
  Your friend or the person that you may know casually may become 
increasingly isolated and is seeing less and less of friends and 
family. Your friend may cancel plans at the very last minute. The 
perpetrator may also control her finances and her behavior and also her 
social life. You sometimes see him violently lose his temper,

[[Page 21357]]

striking or breaking objects. Sometimes she has unexplained injuries or 
the explanations she offers just do not add up. Sometimes she has 
mentioned violent behavior that she has experienced, but she kind of 
laughs it off.
  When I am back in the district, I carry a card with me that gives the 
telephone number of the domestic violence shelter. I will give it to 
people when I suspect a case of domestic violence. No one has ever been 
embarrassed that I gave it to them. Some women just quietly and 
discreetly tuck it in their purse, and I can only pray that they use it 
at a later time. We are fortunate that we do have some excellent 
domestic violence shelters in Florida. They are run very, very well. Of 
course, they are always running low on money, especially around the 
holiday times because that is when the domestic violence has a tendency 
to increase as a result of the stresses of the holidays. Very often 
those domestic violence shelters can use financial support from members 
of the community.
  Over the last 10 years, we have learned from VAWA what methods are 
effective in combating violence against women. That learning process is 
why VAWA of 2005 not only reauthorizes the effective provisions of the 
existing law but it adds some new provisions to strengthen and improve 
the law.
  VAWA 2005 incorporates the best practices of States and expert 
opinions. The provisions in this new bill include new grants for court 
training and improvements. This program improves the court's response 
to adult youth and minor domestic violence, dating violence, sexual 
assault, and also stalking cases. There is a provision for access to 
justice for teens. This program encourages crosstraining and 
collaboration between the courts, domestic violence and sexual assault 
service providers, youth organizations, violence prevention programs, 
and law enforcement agencies so they may establish and implement 
policies serving youths age 12 to 24.

                              {time}  2015

  There are additionally in this excellent legislation new penalties 
for stalking violations. The measure strengthens anti-stalking laws by 
including stalking over the Internet to the current list of violations 
and doubles the prison sentence for repeat offenders of interstate 
domestic violence violations. Interstate violation of protection orders 
or interstate stalking violations. Certainly, the Internet can be used 
these days to benefit a stalker and this portion of the legislation is 
long overdue. The national stalker database is also reauthorized 
through 2010.
  VAWA reauthorizes grants to combat violent crimes on campuses. So 
many times we hear of young women who go away to college who are the 
victims of date rape. Additionally, VAWA 2005 creates new grant 
programs aimed at mitigating the effects on children exposed to 
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
  A while ago, I mentioned the story about Florence, who had four 
children and who was always in abusive relationships, and how three of 
her four children ended up being either an abuser or a victim. It is 
important to remember that children who experience this phenomena of 
domestic violence in their childhood often think that this is normal. 
Clearly the majority of families know that this is abnormal, that this 
is not the way that families should get along or that children should 
be treated or that children be exposed to this violence.
  In order to continue the learning process, VAWA 2005 requires a 
government accountability office, or GAO, as most people know it as, 
study to determine the extent to which men, women, youth, and children 
are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and 
stalking. The report also should examine the availability of shelter, 
counseling, legal representation, and all other services to all 
victims.
  I, today, submitted an amendment to the Violence Against Women Act 
also calling for a study to be done correlating the instance of 
perpetrator's abuse of substance, whether it is alcohol or whether it 
is drug abuse, and the fact that he was a violent person and committed 
a violent act on a woman. I know in Florida we did such a study, and we 
were amazed that the very strong correlation was there. I think once we 
are armed with this information, we will be able to provide a lot more 
funding and assistance for drug prevention and alcoholism treatment 
programs and not just throwing money at the issue, but supporting those 
programs which truly are effective, not those that just take the money 
and have no efficacy to them.
  Mr. Speaker, as the Members can see from these new programs 
highlighted here tonight, this VAWA reauthorization is a step forward 
for victims of domestic violence as well as their families and loved 
ones. It is frustrating for policymakers to know that we cannot just 
wave a magic wand and eradicate violence in our society. Yet, Mr. 
Speaker, it is comforting to know that there are wonderfully generous 
people who dedicate their careers to making the lives of their fellow 
man better.
  I have been privileged to personally witness the generosity of spirit 
at the Dawn Center, a domestic violence shelter in my district. I also 
regularly visit the one in Pasco County. The Dawn Center happens to be 
in Hernando County, and Sunrise is in Pasco County.
  I will tell the Members a little bit about the director of Sunrise, 
whom I have known for about 18 years now. Penny was a nurse, and 
certainly as part of her training being a nurse, as nurses tend to be 
very caring and very nurturing, she learned that there was an opening 
as the director of Sunrise and applied for the directorship. Penny has 
risen in the ranks of directors of domestic violence shelters over the 
years to be one of the absolute premier shelter directors. She is 
innovative, she has fundraisers in the community which are fun. This 
past weekend, as a matter of fact, she had a lobster bake where they 
sold tickets and had lobsters flown in from Maine so that they could 
have a really upscale party to raise funds and also raise awareness for 
domestic violence and the need for the shelters.
  Penny is certainly indicative of the commitment that many people make 
once they enter into the field of being a staff person or a director or 
a counselor or a caseworker at a domestic violence shelter.
  The domestic violence shelters throughout our Nation depend a lot on 
State and Federal moneys for their support. In addition, certainly they 
are great at fundraising in the community. It seems like every maybe 4, 
5 months, I get a solicitation letter from one of the domestic violence 
shelters.
  I would ask the viewing public that as the holidays approach, that 
they remember the domestic violence shelters. Government cannot do it 
all, and to remember that the violence does escalate during time of the 
holidays. So having a generous spirit of the public who can afford to 
help these centers is a very important.
  My husband was a law enforcement officer for over 20 years, and years 
ago a domestic violence call was one that too many times law 
enforcement officers kind of did a wink and a nod at. Why? Because too 
many times women were forced into changing their mind the next day, or 
when the law enforcement officer got there, they would say do not press 
charges because they were stay at home moms and realized that if he 
spent a couple of nights in jail, he might very well lose his job.
  Thankfully, we have come a long way from that time and domestic 
violence is no longer given a wink and a nod by law enforcement. As a 
matter of fact, I am very proud to say that in most of the counties I 
represent, the sheriffs' offices actually have a member of their staff, 
if not the sheriff or first deputy, actually serving on the boards of 
the domestic violence shelters. This is a message that is being sent, 
and that message is a strong one. That message is that law enforcement 
is serious about cracking down on those who would perpetrate harm on 
women and children. That cycle of abuse, unless it is stopped, unless 
women have a place to go to with their children, unless the Violence 
Against Women Act is reauthorized, women and children certainly will be 
in jeopardy.

[[Page 21358]]

  In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I want to remind Members that domestic 
violence is not just a man against woman phenomenon. When a man hits a 
woman or a woman hits a man, oftentimes it is the lasting impression of 
that violence that affects the children and the young adults that are 
witness to the abuse. Studies show that young men exposed to domestic 
abuse are more likely to be abusers themselves in the future.
  As a matter of fact, I counseled a young woman to that very effect. I 
knew her family, and I said to her, ``I know you did not grow up in 
this kind of a violent situation and you have sons. Why would you want 
your sons to grow up to be abusers? Because if they see your husband 
abusing you, they are going to think that that is okay, and that cycle 
of abuse will never stop.''
  She sought counseling. She ended up turning this marriage around, and 
her husband received extensive counseling. Thankfully, that was a 
success story where the abuse did stop. And he also taught his sons 
that abuse is wrong and that he was man enough to say, hey, I was 
absolutely wrong in what I did.
  This vicious cycle is one that can be combated, Mr. Speaker, 
effectively through education, support networks, increased law 
enforcement programs, and family counseling programs.
  Mr. Speaker, once again, I would urge my colleagues to support the 
reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

                          ____________________