Three Decades of Progress: Celebrating the Violence Against Women Act
As the United States marks the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Justice Department has announced over $690 million in grant funding through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This funding aims to strengthen services and justice responses for victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking across the country. Originally passed in 1994, VAWA was the first comprehensive federal law designed to prevent and address gender-based violence. Since then, it has been reauthorised multiple times, expanding resources and protections for survivors. This recent funding emphasises three decades of progress and continued commitment to ending violence against women. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, reflecting on VAWA’s journey, stated, “I was privileged to work on the passage of the original Violence Against Women Act thirty years ago — landmark legislation that transformed how our nation responds to domestic violence and sexual assault. Our country’s progress to prevent gender-based violence is not finished, but we have come a long way since 1994 thanks to the hard work of survivors, advocates, and members of law enforcement — including the women and men of the Justice Department — who work every day to hold perpetrators accountable and protect survivors. The grants we’re announcing today reaffirm our commitment to building safe communities for all, free from violence and fear.” Since its inception, VAWA has supported numerous initiatives to enhance services for survivors and increase accountability for offenders. The law’s advancement reflects a growing understanding of the complexities of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and the need for comprehensive, community-based responses. The newly announced funds will be allocated through several grant programs, including over $171 million for the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program. This program fosters coordinated responses among law enforcement, courts, and victim services across all 50 states and six U.S. territories. Additional grants will provide over $52 million for sexual assault services, $40 million for transitional housing, and $24 million to enhance the criminal justice system’s response to these crimes. “The power of VAWA is that it is centred on the lived realities and leadership of survivors,” said Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Director Rosie Hidalgo. “By identifying what works well that can be expanded and enhanced, and identifying gaps and barriers, we can continue to improve VAWA and ensure that we are supporting all survivors, including those from historically marginalized communities and underserved populations who often face multiple barriers to services and safety.” Established in 1995 to implement VAWA, the OVW has provided more than $11 billion in funding. Three decades on, violence against women continues to exist, and so the fight shall continue. As VAWA marks this milestone, it serves as both a reminder of the progress made and a call to action for the work still required to ensure safety, justice, and healing for all survivors. — About the Author My name is Robert Kaiser. I am the author of NEVER A VICTIM: The Definitive Guide to Women’s Safety, a book aimed at helping women prevent both physical and sexual violence. The UK edition will be available from on 20 November 2024, with an international edition following on 22 January 2025. Both editions will be available in hardcover and eBook formats, with audiobook versions scheduled for release in Spring 2025. This extremely comprehensive guide book contains 504 pages, over 110,000 words, and includes numerous safety recommendations highlighted to enhance women’s safety, and empower women to trust in their innate ability to protect themselves and stay safe. Over the past three decades, I have dedicated myself to understanding violence against women, including sexual violence, specific acts of physical violence, and the individuals who perpetrate them. I have had the privilege of listening to and working with hundreds of female survivors of sexual and physical violence, whose incredible support I will forever appreciate. However, I have also engaged in extremely challenging and complex conversations with rapists, predators, and other criminals to help identify alarming behaviour traits and behaviour patterns. This allows us to predict future acts of violence and learn to prevent them. You can follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn.