Support Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act!

By MB -
Seal of the United States CongressOur friends at the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence report that Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas has just introduced a new bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This bill, among other changes:

• Increases authorization for the Rape Prevention and Education Program to $150 million to address skyrocketing need and demand for community prevention programs.
• Strengthens public housing protections for survivors including those seeking housing transfers based on safety concerns.
• Acknowledges the trauma of incarceration on women and their family members, especially their children, and improves health care services and trauma informed responses to better prepare incarcerated women to return to their communities.
• Improves enforcement of current federal domestic violence-related firearms laws and closes loopholes to reduce firearm-involved abuse and intimate partner homicide.
• Expands VAWA's ability to respond to sexual harassment.

Take Action:
  • See if your representative is cosponsoring the bill here. If not, call 202-224-3121 and ask your representative to sign on.
    • Here's a sample script based on one from NCADV - Hello, my name is ________ and I am a constituent of Representative _______. I'm calling today to ask you to cosponosr HR 6545, which reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act. Survivors can't wait for lifesaving responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. HR 6545 is moderate legislation reauthorizing VAWA that Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle can support. Please co-sponsor this legislation today! 
  • Use social media to get more support - here's two examplesL
    • I strongly support programs that prevent sexual and gender-based violence and protect individuals who have experienced violence. ${"["}@YourRepresentative], now is the time to reauthorize #VAWA18
    • Our world sees too much violence, and women are particularly impacted. ${"["}@YourRepresentative], act to prevent abuse and violence by reauthorizing #VAWA4All.


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