Issue Position: Women's Rights - Violence Against Women

Issue Position

Since my first years in Congress when I helped lead a successful effort in the House Judiciary Committee to make the Violence Against Women Office within the Department of Justice a permanent entity, I have been a strong supporter of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA first passed in 1994 and is an integral part of the national effort to stop domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I support fully funding the numerous grants VAWA provides every year to a wide range of organizations and service providers to combat these problems and create the social change necessary to end sexual violence.

I am the lead sponsor of a resolution to support the goals and ideals of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. Studies show that one in six women and one in thirty-three men will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime and that on average, a person is sexually assaulted in the U.S. every two-and-a-half minutes. In Wisconsin, there were 5,628 sexual assaults reported in 2004, the last year statistics are available. Despite the alarming prevalence of sexual assault, there is a clear and significant need for more public education and awareness. We still have far to go in eradicating the harm inflicted on our communities by sexual assault and domestic violence and I will continue to advocate for an end to all forms of violence against women.

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