Department of Justice Seal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AG

WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2000

(202) 514-2007

WWW.USDOJ.GOV

TDD (202) 514-1888


STATEMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ON

REAUTHORIZATION OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT


"Thank you Senator Biden, Senator Schumer, Representative Conyers, Representative Morella, Representative Baldwin, and the other members here, for your leadership in combating violence against women. I would also like to thank Bonnie Campbell for the important work she has done as the Director of the Violence Against Women Office. We are here today to express our support for legislation that will reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and make improvements to this statute that Senator Biden has described.

"In 1994, Congress sent a clear message to this nation that violence against women is not just wrong -- it is a crime. Today, we must fortify that message by reauthorizing and strengthening the Act.

"This morning, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a Special Report on Intimate Partner Violence that tells us that we have made real progress -- intimate partner violence has decreased. Violence against women by intimate partners fell by 21% from 1993- 1998. However, the study tells us that violence still devastates too many lives and too many women, children and families in this country.

"Intimate partner violence made up 22% of violent crime against women between 1993 and 1998. That is too much. In 1998, women made up nearly 75% of the 1,830 intimate partner murder victims. And the percentage of female murder victims killed by intimate partners has remained constant at about 30% since 1976.

"We must continue our efforts -- by police, by prosecutors, by physicians, by judges, by advocates, by community leaders, and here, in Congress. We must work together to keep victims safe and hold offenders accountable. With the authorization for VAWA funding set to expire this year, we cannot fail to act when so many women in this country are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

"As Secretary Shalala and I outlined in a letter delivered this morning to chairmen Hatch and Hyde, we need this legislation that continues to support community-based efforts, strengthens federal criminal enforcement and protects all victims, including battered immigrant women, Native American women, and those in dating relationships.

"As you know, on Monday, the Supreme Court in United States v. Morrison invalidated one aspect of the Act-- the federal civil suit remedy for victims of gender-motivated violence. I

am deeply disappointed by the Court's ruling, but that decision does not affect the other important aspects of VAWA, including our responsibility to implement the criminal provisions of VAWA. Nor does it affect Congress' authority to re-authorize and improve VAWA. I urge Congress take prompt action to get this Act passed to end violence against women.

"Finally, I want to say - as I have said time and again - that we will not stop violence on our streets and in our neighborhoods, unless we first stop violence in our homes. With crime down eight years in a row, we have a unique opportunity to end the culture of violence in this county - wherever it takes place. Now, we must seize that opportunity."

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