President Biden (Photo/PBS)
By Karen Stokes
In the final months of his presidency, Joe Biden is solidifying his political legacy, commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act at the White House on Thursday.
The 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) marks the landmark legislation that President Biden authored and championed as a U.S. Senator and has continued to strengthen through bipartisan efforts.
President Biden delivered remarks on Thursday about the substantial progress in reducing violence and supporting survivors, while also addressing the ongoing efforts needed to fulfill VAWA’s promise of a nation where every woman and girl can live free from fear, violence, and abuse.
According to Whitehouse.gov, for over 30 years, combating gender-based violence has been central to President Biden’s career. VAWA was the first comprehensive federal law aimed at preventing and addressing violence against women while offering justice and support to survivors. It transformed the national response to gender-based violence by affirming that domestic violence and sexual assault are not private issues but violations of fundamental rights and dignity.
Between 1993 and 2022, domestic violence rates dropped by 67% and the rate of rapes and sexual assaults declined by 56%.
Marking the anniversary of VAWA, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing the following new actions:
•Providing new funds to address gender-based violence and support survivors. The Department of Justice will announce more than $690 million in FY 2024 grant funding to support survivors of gender-based violence. This includes more than $40 million to implement new grant programs established by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022, including trauma-informed training for law enforcement, pilot programs for serving protection orders electronically, strategies to address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, and victim-centered and trauma-informed restorative practices programs that address gender-based violence.
•Meeting the housing needs of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
•Addressing online harassment and abuse.The Department of Justice will announce a funding award for the new National Resource Center on Cyber Crimes Against Individuals as authorized by the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022.
•Engaging the private sector to combat image-based sexual abuse. Supporting states in using federal funds to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.
•Strengthening enforcement of new provisions to narrow the “boyfriend loophole.” President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which narrowed the “boyfriend loophole” by prohibiting persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes in dating relationships from purchasing or possessing firearms for at least five years.
•Disrupting the cycle of abuse by supporting youth exposed to domestic violence. The Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services within the Department of Health and Human Services will announce $19 million in new funds to support state and local coalitions, Tribal communities, and community-based programs in disrupting the cycle of domestic violence.
“Violence Against Women has remained in the shadows for generations, Joe Biden started a national conversation. He gave women a platform, handing them a microphone that they never had before to shine a harsh light on their abuse. He listened, he forced others to listen and he acted. With his legislative expertise, strong will, and refusal to ever give up, Joe Biden fought to get this legislation passed, the Violence Against Women Act.” said Deputy Assistant to the President and Communications Director for the First Lady Elizabeth Alexander during a press call.
In a statement, President Biden said, “When I presented VAWA to the Senate all those years ago, I envisioned a world where every woman could live free from fear, free from violence, and free from abuse. We have made tremendous strides toward achieving this vision, but there is still much more to do. On this milestone anniversary, let us recommit to creating a society that is truly safe and where we all agree that even one case of gender-based violence is too many. And let us honor the survivors and advocates, whose powerful voices and tireless dedication have changed our world for the better.”