Almost two decades ago, now Vice President Joe Biden sponsored an act that would expand on the already in place Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. This act, the Violence Against Women Act â now frequently referred to as âVAWAâ â would enable law enforcement and the overarching criminal justice system to take better action when responding to acts of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Needless to say, VAWA became the tool of action for millions of women in the United States who had been or were currently being abused by their partners. The numbers speak for themselves, and the rate of domestic violence reportedly fell âby 67 percent between 1993 and 2010â. The act also pushed states to reform previous laws (because of which, now every single state has some law prohibiting stalking), and led to the passing of the federal rape shield law â which makes it illegal for a prosecutor to use a victimâs previous sexual history as a reason for their assault.
Of course the act hasnât had the most pleasant of pasts. Somehow, somewhere, some people have found ways to argue against the measures the act takes to protect women from domestic abuse and sexual assault (generally these arguments come from the same people who think rape is caused by short skirts, yoga pants, or cleavage). In an argument from U.S. Newsâ Debate Club, author Janice Shaw Crouse (âChildren at Riskâ) said VAWA âvictimizes both women and men while building a feminist power structureâ, and that the act âshould outrage decent peopleâ â because according to Ms. Shaw, feminism is entirely about overthrowing men and not at all about the struggle for equality in areas like, I donât know, the job market.
Moving on from VAWAâs history, we now come to the re-signing and expansion of the act. On March 7th, 2013, President Obama sat down to sign VAWA into action once more after its expiration in 2011. The new version of the act would largely remain the same, but will now include further actions against stalking, video monitoring, and now specifically ensures the same protection and services to those of the LGBT, Native American, and immigrant communities. Colleges may be concerned â and should be definitively supportive â of VAWA for the simple fact that it provides protection for those who are victims of rape and/or sexual assault in the forms of legal aide, funding for rape crisis centers and programs, and training for law enforcement to better handle cases involving domestic violence and assault.
In a country where just under 3% of college women report being raped, these protections are dire. Sure, 3% seems low â but according to a report by the Department of Justice, it translates to roughly 35 out of 1,000 women report being raped (further translation equates it to 350 out of a population of 10,000 college women reporting cases of domestic or sexual assault). And thatâs just the numbers of reported cases. Even with the services VAWA provides, some women still do not report their abuse. The sad fact is that this country still has a problem with domestic and sexual abuse. Too often we see posters and signs telling women that what they wear or how they act is the reason for their abuse â and it isnât. Instead of telling women about their alleged problems, we need to start telling men to just not rape.
To just not be assholes, really.
This country still has a very real problem with domestic and sexual abuse, and while the Violence Against Women Act may not entirely fix our cultural issues and our problems, it is â and will continue to be â an effective tool in helping women protect themselves from those who have abused them so long as we continue to keep it active.Â