This week, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). We use this time to recognize the right of every individual in America and in the world to be free from violence and fear.Before this law was passed, there was very little federal funding for sexual assault or domestic violence centers. Our government didn’t seem to consider services for victims a national priority. And in some ways, the government’s views merely reflected society’s at the time.
Sexual assault was not something that people believed happened in their town, in their community. But it did, and it still does. If a woman was raped or beaten by her husband authorities assumed she must have deserved it, and that the husband was well within his rights to teach her a lesson. Rape victims weren’t believed when they came forward to report their crime. It wasn’t until 1990 when then Senate Judiciary Committee member, Joe Biden, decided to introduce VAWA. Biden used health care professionals and advocates to testify in favor of the act, but it wasn’t until the committee heard the stories of courageous survivors that minds started to change. This was one of the first steps that the government took to show that ending gender-based violence and serving victims was a national commitment. On September 13, 1994, President Clinton signed the bill into law, and with each reauthorization, improvements have been made including more protection for women, Native Americans and the LGBTQ community.
Although a lot has improved since the Violence Against Women Act has come into play, there is still room for improvement. One in five women in America experiences rape or attempted rape. Myths like “she deserved it” or “she wore a short skirt” still fogs our criminal justice system making it difficult to charge perpetrators. So let’s use this week to appreciate how far we’ve come, and how far we still have to go. Happy 20th anniversary, VAWA!
AyanaJessica 