The Violence Against Women Act

In the early 1990's, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The act was intended to change attitudes toward domestic violence, foster awareness of domestic violence, improve services and provisions for victims, and revise the manner in which the criminal justice system responds to domestic violence. This legislation created new programs within the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services that aimed to both reduce domestic violence and improve response to and recovery from domestic violence incidents. VAWA primarily addresses certain types of violent crime through grant programs to state, tribal, and local governments; non-profit organizations; and universities. VAWA programs target the crimes of intimate partner violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This book provides a brief legislative history of VAWA and an overview of the crimes addressed with a focus on legislation and funding issues.