[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 16]
[House]
[Page 21487]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     IMPRISONED IN THEIR OWN HOMES

  (Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, every day in this land of the free there are 
some women who live lives of quiet desperation. These women are not 
free, but are imprisoned in their own homes. Their crime? Being with 
the wrong person. Their warden is their spouse or their boyfriend. 
Their sentence? A lifetime of abuse, sexual assault, intimidation, 
mental turmoil, and even death.
  As a judge in Texas, I saw these victims appear in court to tell 
their compelling, sad stories of their incarceration in their own 
homes.
  This is a family issue. This is a national health issue. This is a 
public safety issue. And this is a criminal issue. This is an issue 
that must not go unnoticed by this House. We need to stand beside these 
victims that are battered, beaten, and bruised. The criminals will be 
held accountable for their actions. The protections in the Violence 
Against Women Act need to be reauthorized so women can truly enjoy 
living in the land of the free.
  Mr. Speaker, love should not hurt.

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