Every day, more than 700 women are abused or sexually assaulted by their partner - and four are murdered.
If Congress fails to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), these numbers could get a whole lot worse. With passage of VAWA in 1994, rates of domestic violence incidents have dropped by almost 50% and incidents of rape are down by 60%.
VAWA is up for reauthorization in September and we
must send a loud and clear message that 700 women a day is 700 too many. Urge your Congressmember to reauthorize VAWA. It provides desperately needed shelter, counseling, medical, and justice services for the 700 women and children who are affected by domestic violence every single day in this country.
There is a good chance that VAWA could be cut. If it is, funding for domestic violence shelters is at risk. Children who witness domestic violence are at even greater risk. And, we may slow the progress that we've made in preventing violence against women.
We signed the “Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act” petition!
# 36,673:
4:02 pm PST, Dec 14,Name not displayed, Michigan
# 36,672:
3:38 pm PST, Dec 14,Johnny Mathis, Tennessee
# 36,671:
10:21 am PST, Dec 14,Carol Burdett, Washington
# 36,670:
11:12 pm PST, Dec 13,Melissa Hess, Washington
# 36,669:
9:42 pm PST, Dec 13,Marcel Sneddon, Washington
Did experience a battering relationship. Was beat, was raped, was verbally abused. No one has a right to do that to another person. Where do men get off? Where is God in men's lives? Would Jesus ever beat a woman? NOOOOO!
# 36,668:
6:33 pm PST, Dec 13,MARILYN SORENSEN, Colorado
# 36,667:
6:21 pm PST, Dec 13,Gayle(silly nilly) Mcintyre, Canada
because to do otherwise would be a violation of ones civl rights and human obligation
# 36,666:
4:18 pm PST, Dec 13,Tania Reyes, Mexico
# 36,665:
6:17 pm PST, Dec 12,Alexandra Witteveen, Netherlands
Enough with violence against women!!!
# 36,664:
5:29 pm PST, Dec 12,Gary B, California
# 36,663:
5:21 pm PST, Dec 12,Lynne Shanahan, Indiana
As a person who has been physically and mentally abused by a man, I want to emphasize how important it is to have shelters for women and children to be safe. There are three times as many animal shelters as there are shelters for abused women. Most men get a slap on the wrist. No counseling. No fines. Nothing but a few hours in jail. I was even told by a police officer that it was all my fault. Police officers especially MUST be properly educated about the problem. In my opinion, they are one of the biggest problems battered women face today.
# 36,662:
2:07 pm PST, Dec 12,Meridee Marsh, Washington
# 36,661:
1:00 am PST, Dec 12,Karen Atkinson, New York
# 36,660:
9:44 pm PST, Dec 11,Leigh Bernacchi, California
Women hold families and communities together. We all deserve protection, but especially those who care for children and their neighbors. Please help women to feel safe and legally protected.
# 36,659:
8:33 pm PST, Dec 11,Jessica Jackson, Pennsylvania
# 36,658:
8:00 pm PST, Dec 11,Maria Marquez, Venezuela
No living creature should be abused, no single element should be abused, nothing in this universe should be hurt, we all belong to something greater, we are all part of the same whole, we should respect every single thing surrounding us, and protect it as we protect ourself, cus at the end we all are one same soul, we all deserve the same respect, love and care...life's to short, don't make it harder. And remember, woman is our mother, woman hers...if it weren'r for women we there wouldn't be life on earth ;)
# 36,657:
7:33 pm PST, Dec 11,Kathleen Conroy, Massachusetts
Women deserve to live a decent life without being afraid of being raped or killed. They are human beings not the property of some idiot who treats them like dirt.
# 36,656:
7:18 pm PST, Dec 11,Reta Goldman, Virginia
# 36,655:
6:56 pm PST, Dec 11,Name not displayed, Australia
As a victim of domestic vioence myself, I believe that all women should be protected from abuse.
# 36,654:
3:35 pm PST, Dec 11,Heather Prouty, Tennessee
# 36,653:
1:30 pm PST, Dec 11,Candi Vis, Wisconsin
# 36,652:
6:26 am PST, Dec 11,Donna Hodsdon-Trips, Idaho
# 36,651:
7:20 pm PST, Dec 10,Karl Ford, Texas
# 36,650:
4:41 pm PST, Dec 10,Susan Bardin, California
# 36,649:
4:06 pm PST, Dec 10,Franchezska Zamora, California
# 36,648:
2:53 pm PST, Dec 10,Heather Justice, Oklahoma
# 36,647:
8:08 am PST, Dec 10,Jenn Kang, California
# 36,646:
1:40 am PST, Dec 10,Karenlee Elliott-Roose, California
I have been in this situation and no one would help, not even local authorities.
# 36,645:
3:25 pm PST, Dec 9,Amy Belleville, Missouri
# 36,644:
1:23 pm PST, Dec 9,Mi Robson, Canada
Violence, in any setting, reveals the darker side of humanity. Let us rise above such use of force against others, especially within a domestic setting.
# 36,643:
10:37 am PST, Dec 9,Linda Williams, Indiana
we need to do everything we can to protect women from unnecessary violence.
# 36,642:
12:18 am PST, Dec 9,Christina Bartel, Oregon
# 36,641:
8:47 pm PST, Dec 8,Desiree Wright, Illinois
# 36,640:
8:39 pm PST, Dec 8,Lori Winchell, Kansas
# 36,639:
6:32 pm PST, Dec 8,Name not displayed, California
# 36,638:
3:20 pm PST, Dec 8,Joy O'Brien, California
# 36,637:
11:43 am PST, Dec 8,Erin Lund, Washington
# 36,636:
9:32 am PST, Dec 8,Name not displayed, Virginia
# 36,635:
5:49 am PST, Dec 8,Jerrilynn Hull, Florida
# 36,634:
5:25 pm PST, Dec 7,ARIANNE TRUJILLO, California
# 36,633:
9:50 am PST, Dec 7,Rebecca Hall, Texas
# 36,632:
8:34 am PST, Dec 7,Sherry Moran, West Virginia
# 36,631:
8:07 pm PST, Dec 6,Britny Raymond, Connecticut
# 36,630:
2:59 pm PST, Dec 6,Name not displayed, Georgia
# 36,629:
3:53 am PST, Dec 6,Oliver Taylor, United Kingdom
Violence of any kind makes a mockery of humananity, Violence within a marriage make a mockery of love.
# 36,628:
11:11 pm PST, Dec 5,Ashok Prabhakar, India
# 36,627:
4:28 pm PST, Dec 5,Debra Collins, Arkansas
# 36,626:
8:01 am PST, Dec 5,Ian Lim, Malaysia
Women do not deserves these! We are equal and stop the violence on us!!
# 36,625:
11:39 am PST, Dec 4,Cindy Sloan, Tennessee
# 36,624:
4:23 am PST, Dec 4,Trudy Perkins, Indiana
# 36,623:
3:12 am PST, Dec 4,Genie Brooks, Maryland
Stop the abuse...no women should be abuse by thier spouse
# 36,622:
12:25 am PST, Dec 4,Renee Shelburne, Kentucky
Violence is still happening!!!
# 36,621:
5:13 pm PST, Dec 3,Rachel Tendick, Illinois
# 36,620:
3:42 pm PST, Dec 3,Name not displayed, Kentucky
# 36,618:
9:02 pm PST, Dec 2,Howard Woo, California
# 36,617:
7:05 pm PST, Dec 2,Cheryl Vinson RN, M.ED, Minnesota
It is critical that women be assured of help, when they are involved in a physically or emotionally abusive relationship. They need supportive services to help them develop a plan to escape. They need a safe place to be, counseling to heal and re-establish self-esteem, job training & job opportunities, and legal protection from the abuser. All of this requires funding to resources to make this happen. We can no longer allow the Bush administration to issue programs or require services, without adequate funding. The "No Child Left Behind" Act is an excellent example of a program that is required by law, but no funding was appropriated to Education. Protecting women also protects children and helps them grow up in a safe and healthier environment. Our investment in this is priceless!!!
# 36,616:
4:28 pm PST, Dec 2,Name not displayed, Ohio
# 36,615:
4:08 pm PST, Dec 2,Enrique Martinez, Mexico
# 36,614:
8:38 am PST, Dec 2,Name not displayed, Oregon
I am a domestic violence survivor. Without the women's shelters who assisted me I would have gone back to my abuser. I am lucky. I am alive.
# 36,613:
10:23 pm PST, Dec 1,Verna Stroud, Illinois
# 36,612:
3:33 pm PST, Dec 1,Name not displayed, Oregon
# 36,611:
3:10 pm PST, Dec 1,Clay Cross, Illinois
# 36,610:
11:25 am PST, Dec 1,Kimberley Robinson, New York
My mother suffered extreme physical and mental abuse by my father for sixteen years because she lived during an era when there really was no way out. Thank God she lived to tell about it. Those sixteen years of abuse had detrimental residual effects, on me and my siblings. Domestic violence does not have a trickle down effect, it's a diluge that can take years of repairing once the damage has been done. This act is crucial for not only the women, but even more imperative for the welfare of the children.
