wfn.org | [ENS] October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (Daybook)

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Daybook, from the Episcopal News Service

September 30, 2005 -- Friday Forum

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Violence Against Women Act set to expire

[Episcopal News Service] While Congress passed a resolution this week in
recognition and support of October as "Domestic Violence Awareness
Month,"
it left uncertain legislation renewing the Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA), which is set to expire September 30, according to the Episcopal
Church's Office of Government Relations in Washington, D.C.

The House on September 28, by a 415-to-4 margin, approved bipartisan
Justice
Department legislation that reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act.
The legislation, H.R. 3402, was introduced by House Judiciary Committee
Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-WI), who is also an
Episcopalian.
The U.S. Senate was expected to take up the legislation Friday, but as
of
press time, debate had not occurred.

Nearly one in four women experiences at least one physical assault by an
intimate partner during her adult life.  Domestic violence is the
largest
cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United
States-more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.  In
addition,
according to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, domestic violence costs the country $5.8 billion a year in
health
care expenditures and lost productivity.

Reauthorizing VAWA would renew critical programs while responding to
evolving community needs by expanding funding for local groups working
with
underserved communities particularly communities of color, legal
immigrants,
the disabled, elderly and Native Americans.  It would allow development
of
innovative VAWA programs to ensure that victims and their children can
obtain safe housing, ensure job security, receive legal assistance and
provide a safe workplace. The reauthorizing legislation would also
create
the Sexual Assault Services Act and give Congress a unique opportunity
to
help children and youth who experience or witness violence.

The Episcopal Church has strongly supported this legislation since its
inception in 1994.  In that year the 71st General Convention of the
Episcopal Church passed a resolution urging "adequate government funding
and
support for research and development, prevention and treatment in
matters
affecting the health and quality of life of women, including domestic
violence."  In 2000, the year of VAWA's first reauthorization, the 73rd
General Convention reaffirmed and expanded that support by calling the
church to address these important issues within its own community.

"If the Senate fails to act, a number of these programs could face cuts
or
total elimination" said John Johnson, domestic policy analyst in the
government relations office in Washington.

Episcopalians earlier this month responded to an Episcopal Public Policy
Network alert by sending thousands of e-mails to Congress in support of
VAWA
reauthorization.

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