Violence Against Women Act
Legislation recently introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (VT-D) and Mike Crapo (ID-R) would reauthorize and amend the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Federal law aimed at reducing and prosecuting domestic violence and sexual assault cases. The law’s current authorization expired in September. Although the proposed legislation would reduce funding for VAWA by more than $144 million, advocacy groups are pleased by the policy changes it contains. These include extending protections to people who have been abused because of sexual orientation or gender identity; consolidating programs that train judges about the intersection of domestic violence and family courts; and creating a…
