Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act

Floor Speech

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam President, I rise to speak in support of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2011, which I am pleased to cosponsor today. As attorney general of Rhode Island, I saw firsthand the good work the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA, has done to protect victims of domestic violence, to provide crucial services to those in need, and to hold batterers accountable. The VAWA Reauthorization Act builds on that record of success and makes important updates to strengthen the law, while cognizant of the challenging budget circumstances we face. I congratulate Senators Leahy and Crapo for their hard work and leadership on this bill.

I am particularly appreciative that Senators Leahy and Crapo have included the Saving Money and Reducing Tragedies through Prevention Act of 2011, or the SMART Prevention Act, which I previously introduced, within the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.

Far too many teens suffer abuse at the hands of a dating partner. According to the Centers for Disease Control, for example, 1 in 10 teenagers reported being hit or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend at least once in the past year. The SMART Prevention Act will support innovative and effective programs to protect our children from this dangerous abuse.

Earlier this year, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, I held a field hearing in my home State on ``Preventing Teen Violence: Strategies for Protecting Teens from Dating Violence and Bullying.'' With hundreds of students from Tolman High School in Pawtucket, RI, in the audience, prominent advocates and experts testified about the importance of educational and community programs in preventing dating violence among teenagers.

The witnesses explained that teen dating violence remains a serious problem, but that we can take important preventive measures. Ann Burke, a leading national advocate, explained that school-based teen dating violence prevention programs, especially those focused on middle schools, have proven effective in changing behaviors. The Lindsay Ann Burke Act, named in memory of Ann's daughter, a victim of dating violence, supports abuse education programs for teens in Rhode Island. Since its passage, physical teen dating violence rates in our State have decreased from 14 percent in 2007 to 10 percent in 2009.

These preventive measures are most effective when part of a community-wide approach. As Kate Reilly, the executive director of the Start Strong Rhode Island Project, explained at the hearing, effective prevention programming should not be limited to schools alone, but should ``meet kids where they live and play.'' That requires involving parents, coaches, mentors, and teen and community leaders, as well as using new technology and social media in innovative ways.

One group of children needs particular attention: children who have witnessed abuse in their home. Deborah DeBare, the executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence, explained at the hearing that ``growing up in a violent home may ..... lead to higher risks of repeating the cycle of abuse as teens and young adults.'' By supporting robust services for children exposed to domestic violence in the home, we can help break the intergenerational cycle of violence.

The SMART Prevention Act builds on each of these insights. It would create a new grant program within VAWA to support dating violence education programs targeting young people, with a particular focus on middle school students. The bill would also support programs to train those with influence on youth, including parents, teachers, coaches, older teens, and mentors. The new teen dating violence prevention program would be coordinated with existing grant programs focused on prevention, including a program directed at children who have witnessed violence and abuse. By requiring coordination with these programs, and focusing resources on prevention, the SMART Prevention Act is also smart policy fiscally. Abuse that is prevented reduces the strain on our already overburdened health and education systems.

New laws in several States, as well as innovative and hard-working organizations such as the Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund and the Katie Brown Educational Program in New England, have demonstrated how effective such prevention programs can be, so now is the time for Congress to act.

I again thank Senators Leahy and Crapo for their leadership in reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. I look forward to working with them and other Senators from both sides of the aisle toward a country that is free from dating and domestic violence.

Source