In 1994, the first Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law to address the urgent need to create services for women who were victims of domestic or sexual violence.
In 1994, the first Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was signed into law to address the urgent need to create services for women who were victims of domestic or sexual violence.
Since then, each time this law has been reauthorized, lawmakers have focused on ways to strengthen VAWA to provide a wider array of victim services and to hold offenders accountable — until now, in 2012.
For the first time in 18 years, there are now steps being taken to weaken the lifesaving protection this law establishes.
The YWCA Associations across the state of Hawaii join together to voice our opposition to the House of Representatives’ version of the VAWA bill that was recently passed. It is our strong position that putting any woman’s life at risk is unacceptable, especially when she is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault.
The author(s) of the House VAWA bill, H.R. 4970, removed specific protective provisions and added others that could potentially increase the danger for a woman who comes forward for help.
For example, for immigrant women in abusive relationships who seek help, the House version would allow contact with the batterer, thus alerting the batterer that the woman is seeking assistance.
Supporters of the bill believe these provisions are necessary to ensure that these women are “real victims” and aren’t “abusers” of the law.
We cannot return to an antiquated way of thinking where we question whether women in these situations are “real victims.”
We applaud our two U.S. Representatives, Mazie Hirono and Colleen Hanabusa, for their courageous vote against this bill. Their actions reflect the understanding that limiting services for any victim of domestic or sexual violence is wrong.
In contrast to the House’s bill, the strengthening provision included in the VAWA reauthorization that was passed by the Senate this year (S.1925) addressed serious pukas in victim services and offender accountability for three populations: immigrant women, Native American/Alaskan women and LGBT women.
We thank Hawaii Senators Akaka and Inouye for voting in support of the Senate VAWA bill.
We urge our state’s elected officials to continue to put the safety and well-being of every woman first and reject attempts to undermine lawful protection that has been established for victims of domestic and sexual violence. We also urge each of you to contact elected officials across the nation- to voice your support that all women who find themselves in situations of domestic violence and sexual assault remain safe under the law.
YWCA of Hawaii Island – Jeanine Atebara, CEO; Jennifer Tanouye, president, Board of Directors
YWCA of Kauai – Renae Hamilton, executive director; Angela Anderson, president, Board of Directors
YWCA of Oahu — Kimberly Miyazawa Frank, CEO; Lissa Guild Eveleth, chair, Board of Directors