Violence Against Women Act on the Brink
This is a big week for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), legislation that has had a hard time in Congress recently. Originally passed in 1994, VAWA provides critical care, support and shelter for those suffering from domestic violence. Though technically still in place and funded, VAWA legislation has expired and is in need of congressional re-authorization. VAWA has already been expanded twice. It came up against conservative opposition last year in the 112th Congress and was debated until the session ended.
The current dispute is over new additions that include provisions to immigrants, Native Americans and the LGBT community. However, on Monday, a significant bi-partisan majority voted VAWA (with these add ons) through the Senate. Now the issue lies with the House of Representatives and in a quagmire of partisan politics.
Ultimately, Republican House leaders will determine if the re-authorization bill moves forward or ends up on the congressional back-burner yet again.
At this time, we need more progress for the domestic violence community, not less. Law enforcement, judges, CPS and DHS workers are not trained in the dynamics and patterns of abuse, do not know anything about the effects of abuse, and instead of providing much needed assistance for victims and their families, they further victimize these vulnerable and tortured people. My experience has been horrible, CPS workers lie to get consent and release children to perpetrators, and then encourage the perps to seek full custody from protective mothers. MOthers are held to strict scrutiny and high levels of perfection, and the judges dismiss them as if they are “liars.” The gender bias is blatant and unchecked. There is no remedy to relieve dv victims from the abuse of the superior court judges. Social abuse runs rampant and we suffer injustice with no avenue of recourse. It is an outrage.