Reauthorization of VAWA

As Congress returns to session this week, one of the issues in need of attention is the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Not only is VAWA integral for the safety of victims, survivors, and their communities, it is vital for enhancing community safety, preventing violence, serving victims, and holding abusers accountable. However, there are threats to the reauthorization of this legislation due to the current political climate and potential roll backs on important protections for vulnerable communities.

The public’s awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking occurring in our nation has never been greater. Any VAWA reauthorization which rolls back important protections for vulnerable communities or that fails to make important improvements identified by victims and survivors is unacceptable. Simply changing the dates on the existing funding will not address the needs of survivors or our communities.

VAWA has always been, and must always be, bipartisan. NPEIV calls upon Congress to pass a bipartisan VAWA reauthorization that invests in increased evidence-based prevention, enhances survivors’ access to safety and justice, and maintains critical protections for vulnerable communities.

The National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence (NPEIV) is an overarching group of individuals, organizations, agencies, coalitions, and groups that embrace a national, multi-disciplinary and multicultural commitment to violence prevention across the lifespan.

NPEIV is committed to reducing interpersonal violence and its consequences through scientific research and application of empirical findings. It is our mission to make the prevention of interpersonal violence a national and international priority and to encourage healthy relationships by linking science, practice, policy and advocacy.