The Violence Against Women Act - 2057 Words

Introduction Intimate Partner Violence is a serious public health problem in the United States. On average, 24 people every minute, and 3 in 10 women and 1 in 10 men are victim to some form of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner (CDC). Victims of IPV may suffer from a variety of different physical and psychological symptoms. They may suffer physical injuries, some minor, like cuts, scratches and bruises, and some more serious, that can lead to disability or death. They may also suffer from emotional harm, leading to depression, anxiety or PTSD. Victims of IPV may also try and cope with their trauma in unhealthy ways, such as participating in risky sex or substance abuse (CDC). In order to help address this crises,†¦show more content†¦In 1995, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) was created within the Department of Justice to oversee the allocation of federal grants made available under VAWA. These grants were intended to prevent domestic violence, improve collaboration between law enforcement and judicial personal, and better address the needs of special populations such as the elderly and the disabled. In total, the OVW has authorized over 5 billion dollars in grants to state, local governments, non-profit organizations and universities (Sacco, 2014). Since its initial passage in 1994, VAWA has been amended and reauthorized several times. In 2000, VAWA added stricter federal domestic violence and stealing penalties and introduced protection policy for abused illegal immigrants. In 2005, further enhanced penalties for repeat stalking offenders and additional protection for battered illegal immigrants were included in the reauthorization. And in 2013, VAWA was again reauthorized and enhanced measures were put into place to combat sex trafficking. Criticisms of VAWA In an analysis of the effectiveness of VAWA, there are both arguments to be made in favor and against its continued reauthorization. There are five primary criticisms of VAWA. 1) Opponents of VAWA argue that the act makes law