In the making for over four years, The Violence Against Women Act is finally law. Now it is time to turn the Act into action. Beginning in 1990, through a series of hearings and reports, the Senate Judiciary Committee studied the kinds of crimes- namely rape and family violence- that disproportionately burden women. What we learned is that our society and our criminal justice system routinely ignore and dismiss this violence, with tragic consequences for women, for their children, and ultimately for all of us.