For 30 years, the Violence Against Women Act has provided support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and has enabled Technical Assistance Providers, Law Enforcement Agencies, Victim Advocates, and many others to protect women survivors, including immigrant women, women of color, and underserved survivors.
Many individuals, agencies, and organizations have worked to create, promote, and improve the Violence Against Women Act. Thirty years after its initial passing, it is important to recognize the Advocates and Congressional Staffers who played vital roles in VAWA’s creation in 1994.
See the Policy Advocacy Cycle for a deeper understanding of the process of creating and advocating for public policy.
Through collaborative work on a national level, advocates have made a wide array of public policy achievements towards ending violence against women, and protecting immigrant women, women of color, and underserved survivors. Herstory: Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Public Policy Timeline provides a list of many of these achievements.
Untold Stories: Cases Documenting Abuse by U.S. Citizens and Lawful Residents of Immigrant Spouses provides a compilation of some of the stories of immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence whose immigration status compounded their situations. These stories highlight the importance of providing protections for immigrant victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The threat of immigration protection roll backs in 2012 prompted the development of Stories From the Field, which provides a similar compilation of stories of immigrant survivors designed to showcase the dangers posed to immigrant survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault without the immigration protections under VAWA. These stories illustrate how victims will be harmed if access to lawful permanent residency for u visa victims is denied; why U visa holders need lawful permanent residency, U visa case benefits for victim safety and law enforcement even when no criminal case is opened or pursued; and Perpetrator Interference With Victim Access to VAWA Immigration Relief.
The Violence Against Women Act has had several iterations and reauthorizations. Below are the final versions of the Statutes:
Check here for VAWA’s Legislative History