[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21598]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, this week we celebrate the 15th anniversary 
of the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, one of our most powerful tools 
to combat domestic violence and other crimes perpetrated against women 
and families.
  The enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 marked an 
important national commitment to survivors of domestic violence and 
sexual assault. This landmark legislation filled a void in Federal law 
that left many victims without the help they needed. In commemorating 
this milestone, I would like to recognize the leadership of Vice 
President Joe Biden. His dedication to eliminating violence against 
women and families was vital to our success in passing the original 
legislation and subsequent reauthorizations. I am proud to have worked 
with him on this important matter for nearly two decades.
  As a prosecutor in Vermont earlier in my career, I witnessed the 
devastating impact of domestic violence and sexual assault. I saw how 
it affects people from all walks of life, regardless of gender, race, 
culture, age, class or sexuality. Our Nation has made remarkable 
progress since that time in recognizing that domestic violence and 
sexual assault are crimes, and we have responded with better laws, 
social support, and coordinated community resources.
  Since the Violence Against Women Act became law, domestic violence 
reporting rates by women have increased by as much as 50 percent, and 
reporting rates by men have risen by 37 percent. At the same time, the 
number of individuals killed by an intimate partner has decreased by 24 
percent for women and 48 percent for men. These are huge improvements, 
and we should be proud of the work we have accomplished together. There 
is, of course, more work to be done. Millions of women, men, children, 
and families continue to be traumatized by abuse, leading to increased 
rates of crime, violence and suffering.
  Earlier this year, I chaired a Judiciary Committee hearing on the 
ongoing importance of VAWA. We heard from individuals around the 
country who shared with us the impact the law has had on their lives 
and the continuing need to strengthen it. We have been hearing for some 
time about important steps we can take to enhance VAWA, which is why at 
the beginning of this year I introduced the Improving Assistance to 
Domestic and Sexual Violence Victims Act of 2009, a bill to make 
several needed corrections and improvements to VAWA. Among other 
important changes, this bill would bolster privacy protections for 
victims of domestic violence and offer greater help in rural and tribal 
areas. These improvements would ensure that the law is as effective and 
strong as it was intended to be and that it meets the needs of those it 
seeks to protect. We were able to report this bill from the Judiciary 
Committee in May but with an amendment that has complicated further 
progress.
  On this 15th anniversary, it is important that we pause to celebrate 
what we have accomplished. There is no doubt we have made great strides 
in reducing domestic violence and sexual assault, but we know more work 
remains to be done. I look forward to working together with other 
Senators, the Obama-Biden administration, and experts in the field to 
ensure that VAWA remains a vital resource for prosecutors, law 
enforcement agencies, victim service providers, and, most importantly, 
the women and families who are threatened with violence and abuse.

                          ____________________