Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

Violence against women takes many forms, including domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. These crimes impact millions of individuals and families in every community in our nation. In 1994, Congress passed the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a comprehensive approach to addressing and ending violence against women. VAWA established grants to create and improve law enforcement and prosecution strategies at the state and local levels and provides a framework for collaboration between federal, state and local governments; direct service providers; law enforcement personnel; prosecutors and the courts. VAWA proves that it is possible to combat violence against women. Yet, there is more work to be done.

YWCA Position:

The YWCA supports anti-violence policies that protect victims, hold perpetrators accountable, and work to eradicate sexual assault and domestic violence, trafficking of women and girls, and dating violence. Specifically, we support the continuance and full funding for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and legislation that ensures employment stability and economic security for victims of violence against women.

Fact Sheet - Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)