As Domestic Violence Continues to Plague Upstate NY Communitites, Schumer Calls for Stronger, Tougher Federal Legislation

AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO PLAGUE UPSTATE NY COMMUNITIES, SCHUMER CALLS FOR STRONGER, TOUGHER FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO STIFFEN PENALTIES, SUPPORT VICTIMS

With Violence Against Women Act Due to Expire, Senate Judiciary Committee Held Recent Hearing On Law That Protects Victims of Domestic Violence

Schumer Urges Inclusion of New Provisions That Expand Grant Programs, Support Rural Areas, and Protect Victims

Senator Reveals Reports of Domestic Violence For Each Upstate County Since 2000; 45,000 Reports in Capital Region; 34,000 Central NY; 30,000 Rochester/Finger Lakes; 43,000 Hudson Valley; 16,000 North Country; 14,000 Southern Tier; 25,000 Western NY

With the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) set to expire, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer explained the importance of reauthorizing the landmark legislation. Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the bill at which law enforcement officials, domestic violence activists, and Department of Justice representatives testified on possible improvements to the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. Schumer will fight to strengthen the VAWA by expanding grant programs, supporting rural areas, and protecting victims.

"We need to send an unequivocal message that violence against women is an awful problem that plagues our communities," Schumer said "Battered women should never have to think twice about whether or not to report their abusers. If you look at the New York numbers, we need this legislation now more than ever. I'm going push to include crucial funding for all the services that have made a difference in the lives of thousands of victims: shelters for battered women, doctors and nurses who treat victims, counseling and other programs."

The original VAWA bill, authored by Schumer in the House of Representatives, is set to expire in September. This legislation renews several successful programs and provides funding for training, education and outreach so that state and federal agencies can do a better job of preventing violence against women and assisting victims of domestic violence.

According to the Department of Justice, on average, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in this country every day. More than 2.5 million women are victims of violence each year and nearly one in every three women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. Reports also indicate that up to ten million children experience domestic violence in their homes each year.

In upstate New York, there were nearly 207,000 reports of domestic abuse from 2000-2004. Schumer also found that:

• In the Capital Region the police have reported 45,245 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $4,632,227 through Violence Against Women's Act programs.

• In the Central New York the police have reported 34,361 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $ 1,369,624 through Violence Against Women's Act programs.

• In the Rochester/Finger Lakes region the police have reported 29,964 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $1,305,487 through Violence Against Women's Act programs.

• In the Hudson Valley the police have reported 45,548 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $1,401,245 through Violence Against Women's Act programs.

• In the North Country the police have reported 15,527 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $496,585 through Violence Against Women's Act programs.

• In the Southern Tier the police have reported 13,575 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $145,180 through Violence Against Women's Act programs.

• In Western New York the police have reported 25,472 incidents of domestic violence since 2000. In 2004 the U.S. Department of Justice has granted the Capital Region grants worth $2,359,284 through Violence Against Women's Act programs

Schumer today announced he is not only pushing for the reauthorization of the bill, but also for several new provisions that will make it stronger and more helpful for New York law enforcement, including:

• Ensure that no victim pays for a forensic exam by allowing states to use Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors (STOP) funds to pay for forensic exams that are performed by specially trained examiners as long as states do not require victims to seek reimbursement from their private insurance.
• Create additional funding to expand services that address dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.
• Protect women by including housing support and employment protection by addressing the needs of children who grow up in violent homes, and providing extra support to at-risk families and communities.
• Require grantees to maintain confidentiality of identifying information about victims served with OVW funds by adding a provision to all Office on Violence Against Women. Although some states have confidentiality provisions protecting victim information, not all do. This would ensure that grantees safeguard the confidentiality of victims and improves victim safety.
• Reauthorizing grant programs through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to support investigating and prosecuting cases of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking and assisting those victimized.
• Define "rural" based on region rather than state to provide funds directly to all rural areas, the intended beneficiaries of the Rural Program.

A summary of the bill (S. 1197) follows:

The criminal justice system will: (1) renew and increase funding to over $400 million a year for existing grant programs for law enforcement, lawyers, judges and advocates; (2) stiffen existing criminal penalties for repeat federal domestic violence offenders; and (3) update the criminal law on stalking to incorporate new surveillance technology like Global Positioning Systems (GPS).

Critical victim services will: (1) create a new, dedicated grant program for sexual assault victims that will strengthen the 1,300 rape crisis centers across the country; (2) reinvigorate programs to help older and disabled victims of domestic violence; (3) strengthen existing programs for rural victims and victims in underserved areas; and (4) increase funding to $5 million a year for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Youth and children includes measures to: (1) promote collaboration between domestic violence experts and child welfare agencies; and (2) enhance to $15 million a year grants to reduce violence against women on college campuses.

Prevention strategies includes programs supporting home visitations and specifically engaging men and boys in efforts to end domestic and sexual violence.

Health care system's response to family violence with programs to train and educate health care professionals on domestic and sexual violence, foster family violence screening for patients, and more studies on the health ramifications of family violence.

Easing the housing problems for battered women by, including (1) $20 million grant programs to facilitate collaboration between domestic violence organizations and housing providers; (2) programs to combat family violence in public and assisted housing, including new requirements that domestic violence victims may not be evicted or cut off from voucher services because of the violence; and (3) enhancements to transitional housing resources.

Helps abused women maintain secure employment by permitting battered women to take limited (up to 10 days) employment leave to address domestic violence, such as attend court proceedings, or move to a shelter. Because the type of leave needed can differ significantly from leave covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act -- and often will be non-medical -- these provisions do not amend the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in any way; however, the notice and certification requirements are very similar to those required under the FMLA.

Improves and expands the immigration protections for battered women. In addition, it would ensure that victims of trafficking are supported with measures such as permitting their families to join them in certain circumstances, expanding the duration of a T-visa, and providing resources to victims who assist in investigations or prosecutions of trafficking cases brought by state or federal authorities.

Focuses more closely on violence against Native American women by creating a new tribal Deputy Director in the Office on Violence Against Women dedicated to coordinating federal policy and tribal grants. Authorizes tribal governments to access and upload domestic violence and protection order data on criminal databases, as well as create tribal sex offender registries, and strengthens available criminal penalties.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/press_releases/2005/PR41782.Upstate%20VAWA.072705.html