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Preventing Violence Against Women

Overview: Violence against women is an urgent criminal and public health problem with devastating consequences for women, children, and families. To help break the cycle of violence, the Clinton Administration has made stopping domestic violence and violence against women top priorities.

Since taking office, the Administration has worked to eliminate domestic violence from our communities by working to create a system that not only prevents domestic violence but which also ensures that every woman suffering from domestic violence has access to information and emergency assistance, wherever and whenever she needs it.

The cornerstone of this effort is the Violence Against Women Act, included at the President's urging in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Under the law, the federal government for the first time adopted a comprehensive approach to fighting domestic violence and violence against women, combining tough new penalties with programs to prosecute offenders and assist women victims of violence.

Initiatives at the Department of Health and Human Services are an important part of the Administration's comprehensive strategy. HHS has launched a national toll-free domestic violence hotline, more than tripled resources for battered women's shelters, and worked to raise awareness of domestic violence in the workplace and among health care providers, among others.

The FY 1999 budget includes $156 million for HHS programs to prevent violence against women, including $1.2 million for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. For HHS programs under the Violence Against Women Act, the Department will receive $88.8 million for grants to states for battered women's shelters, $15 million for programs to reduce sexual abuse among runaway, homeless and street youth, $45 million for grants to states for rape prevention and education programs, and $6 million for coordinated community responses.

In addition, $7 million from the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant is earmarked for rape prevention programs. The President's FY 2000 budget includes an additional $27.9 million to fund a Department-wide initiative to prevent violence against women from occurring and to provide services its victims. In total, the Department is requesting $218.2 million for programs to prevent violence against women.

The Violence Against Women Act

The landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), administered by HHS and the Department of Justice, has provided funding to hire more prosecutors and improve domestic violence training among prosecutors, police officers, and health and social services professionals. It has also provided for more shelters, counseling services, and research into causes and effective community campaigns to reduce violence against women.

In addition, VAWA set new federal penalties for those who cross state lines to continue abuse of a spouse or partner, making interstate domestic abuse and harassment a federal offense. VAWA also made it unlawful for any person who is subject to a restraining order to possess ammunition or a firearm, requires states to honor protective orders issued in other states, and has given victims the right to mandatory restitution and the right to address the court at the time of sentencing.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Justice Department are leading the following initiatives under the Violence Against Women Act:

Health and Human Services Programs under VAWA

  • Grants for Battered Women's Shelters. Since 1993, the Clinton Administration has more than quadrupled funding for battered women's shelters, from $20 million in FY 1993 to $88.8 million in FY 1999. These resources will also support related services, such as community outreach and prevention, children's counseling, and linkage to child protection services. The Crime Act provided new resources to extend these services under the existing Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. Overall, the Clinton Administration has granted states, territories, and Native American tribes over $400 million to support the system of 1,400 emergency shelters, safe homes, and related services nationwide.
  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline. In February 1996, President Clinton launched the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a 24-hour, toll-free service which provides crisis assistance and local shelter referrals for callers across the country. The hotline has received more than 292,000 calls since it was launched, and the majority of these calls are from individuals who have never before reached out for assistance. To support the response to this service, the hotline received $1.2 million in funding for FY 1999. The hotline is operated by the Texas Council on Family Violence, through an HHS grant. The voice number is 1-800-799-SAFE, and the TDD number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-787-3224.
  • Education and Prevention to Reduce Sexual Abuse Among Runaway, Homeless and Street Youth. This program provides street-based outreach and education, including treatment, counseling and provision of information and referrals to runaways, homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to or are at risk of sexual abuse. The program was appropriated $15 million for FY 1999.
  • Education and Prevention Grants to Reduce Sexual Assaults Against Women. Under this program, HHS provides grants to states for rape prevention and education programs conducted by rape crisis centers or similar nongovernmental, nonprofit entities. The funds will support educational seminars, the operation of hotlines, training programs, preparation of informational materials, and other activities to increase awareness of and to help prevent sexual assault. States receiving grants must devote at least 25 percent of their funds to education programs targeted to middle school, junior high school, or high school students. HHS funding for the program in FY 1999 is $45 million. In addition, $7 million from the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant is earmarked for rape prevention programs.
  • Coordinated Community Responses to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence. This program, administered by CDC, will help build new community programs aimed at preventing intimate partner violence, as well as strengthen and better coordinate existing community intervention and prevention programs. The program will also evaluate the impact of comprehensive community programs on preventing intimate partner violence. This program was appropriated $6 million for FY 1999. Under the program, HHS awarded 10 grants in FY 1997 for primary prevention activities in communities.

This program was authorized under the Crime Act to provide street-based outreach and education, including treatment, counseling, and provision of information and referrals to runaway, homeless, and street youth who have been subjected to or are at risk of sexual abuse. The program was appropriated $15 million for FY 1999.

Justice Department Programs under VAWA and Related Efforts

  • The Justice Department's STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women grant program assists law enforcement officers and prosecutors in developing better strategies to combat violence against women. The Justice Department has provided $412 million to states and territories to support coordinated approaches to combating domestic violence and sexual assault. In FY 1998, DOJ awarded 56 grants totaling $135 million in formula grants and DOJ awarded 57 grants to tribal governments totaling $4.9 million.
  • In FY 1998, DOJ awarded 57 Civil Legal Assistance Grants totaling $11.5 million -- one grant to every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
  • DOJ awarded states $53.8 million in FY 1998 to encourage policies of arrest of domestic violence offenders at the local level. Justice also provided $19.4 million to fund rural domestic violence programs in FY 1998, up $5.2 million in FY 1997.
  • The Clinton Administration has designed a new $46 million Community Policing to Combat Domestic Violence Program. The Justice Department's COPS office is providing funds to over 300 jurisdictions around the country under this initiative to run innovative community policing programs focused on domestic violence.
  • DOJ has adopted an implementation strategy involving federal leadership through outreach, research and the provision of training, technical assistance and opportunities for collaboration at the national, sate and district levels. The Department's Office of Justice Programs awarded funding for a cooperative agreement with the Battered Women's Justice Project to support the development of a resource clearinghouse and implementation tools. The Department has also funded a regional pilot project in Kentucky to test interstate and intrastate verification systems for facilitating the street level enforcement of protection orders. In addition, the Department has awarded funding for a joint task force of the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators that will focus on full faith and credit.
  • In August, 1996, at the direction of the President, the Attorney General developed and presented a plan for a national registry to track sex offenders, including rapists and child molesters. The FBI is currently implementing that plan.
  • The Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act, enacted as part of the Crime Act, was amended by the federal Megan's Law, signed by the President on May 17, 1996, and by the Pam Lychner Act, enacted October 1996. Under these statutes, sex offenders and child molesters must register information about their whereabouts with appropriate state law enforcement agencies for ten years after release from prison and state prison officials must notify local law enforcement when they are released or move. States must notify the public about the release of registered sex offenders when necessary for public safety.
  • Violence Against Women Act News is a monthly publication of the Violence Against Women Office that provides victims' groups, public agencies, and individuals with current information about legislation, programs, and policies concerning domestic violence and sexual assault. First distributed in July 1996, the newsletter is disseminated through a growing list of subscribers and includes examples from the field of how state and local groups are working against violence.

The Advisory Council on Violence Against Women

The Advisory Council on Violence Against Women was created on July 13, 1995. Co-chaired by Attorney General Janet Reno and Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, the Council consists of 47 experts -- representatives from law enforcement, media, business, sports, health and social services, and victim advocacy -- working together to prevent violence against women.

  • A Checklist for Communities On October 1, 1996, the Attorney General and Secretary Shalala announced the creation of a "Community Checklist," to help ensure that every community in the country has resources in place for domestic violence prevention and intervention.
  • Workplace Awareness The Workplace Resource Center is organized by the Family Violence Prevention Fund and supported by many corporations, state and local governments, labor unions, and the Advisory Council. The Center provides help and education to employees in the private and public sectors concerning domestic violence -- through newsletters, information fairs, and workplace assistance.

The Federal government, under the President's direction, has also implemented an Employee Awareness Campaign on Violence Against Women. In October 1997, the Vice President announced new guidelines, created at the President's direction to help federal departments and agencies create a safer work environment. These new guidelines explain how to develop programs to respond to violence against federal employees, including domestic violence as well as threatening, harassing, and intimidating behavior.

To address domestic violence concerns among its own employees, an HHS human resources task force compiled an action guide entitled, " Understanding and Responding to Domestic Violence in the Workplace." The guide assists HHS employees in understanding the nature of the problem, finding help for domestic violence problems, and developing safety plans. It also addresses concerns of co-workers and supervisors.

Executive Action on Domestic Violence

On October 3, 1996, President Clinton urged all states to implement the Family Violence provisions included in the welfare bill he signed on August 22, 1996. To help welfare recipients who are victims of domestic violence move successfully into work, the provisions give states the option to screen welfare recipients for domestic abuse; refer them to counseling and supportive services; and temporarily waive any program requirements that would prevent recipients from escaping violence or would unfairly penalize them. The President also directed the Department of Health and Human Services and the Justice Department to assist states in implementing the provisions.

Federal Anti-Stalking Law and Domestic Violence Gun Law

On September 23, 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention Act of 1996, which dramatically toughens the law against stalkers. For the first time, this law makes it a federal crime for any stalker to cross state lines to pursue a victim, regardless of whether there is a protection order in effect, they have committed an actual act of violence, or they are a spouse or intimate of the victim. In addition, on September 30, 1996, the President signed legislation to keep guns away from people convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.

Immigration Bill Provision for Domestic Violence Victims

At the Administration's urging, Congress included a provision in the immigration bill that the President signed on September 30, 1996, to ensure that immigrant women and children who are victims of domestic violence are eligible for vital public health services and are not denied services due to changes in deeming rules. The Administration also succeeded in removing provisions from the bill that would subject battered immigrants to deportation for receiving these vital services. In addition, the immigration bill now makes battered immigrants eligible for cash assistance and Medicaid if the states exercise their option under the welfare law to make legal immigrants eligible for such programs.

Other Efforts at the Department of Health and Human Services

  • HHS is working to increase the ability of battered women, including those on welfare, to obtain and retain employment and access child support, through technical assistance to state welfare and child support administrators and through grant programs. As part of this effort, HHS is working to increase collaboration between domestic violence and welfare agencies.
  • HHS is encouraging greater linkages and collaboration between the child welfare, family and intimate violence, and criminal justice fields to protect better both children and parents in homes where violence occurs. As part of this effort, HHS has funded 26 grants over three years to local programs to stimulate collaboration between child welfare agencies and domestic violence providers. These projects primarily train child welfare staff to identify and respond appropriately to instances of domestic violence in their caseloads. In addition, HHS has awarded five child welfare training grants to schools of social work to develop curricula and train social workers in family violence.
  • In FY 1997, HHS established a National Technical Assistance Center on Welfare Reform and Disability. One focus of this center is to increase our understanding about linkages between welfare, disability, and domestic violence.
  • HHS is working to strengthen the health care system's ability to screen, treat, and prevent family and intimate violence by evaluating and helping to improve training of health professionals. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) is supporting research on the effectiveness of team training to help primary care providers identify and manage domestic violence. In another AHCPR study, researchers are examining the relationship between exposure to domestic violence, health status, and use of health care services in Kaiser Permanente's northwest region. As part of this effort, HHS is supporting a National Nursing Violence Against Women Strategy Initiative with participants from national nursing organizations to begin collaborations and develop a national nursing strategy. The first National Nursing Summit on Violence Against Women was held on October 27, 1997.
  • HHS is working with the Department of Justice, state and local agencies, and private organizations to increase the knowledge base about family and intimate violence, through data collection and research.
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) administers several programs that both research and work to address substance abuse and mental health issues among victims of domestic violence. SAMHSA has developed a comprehensive domestic violence curriculum for training substance abuse, mental health and other health and human service professionals on how to address violence against women. A component of the program is the Violence Data Exchange Team (VDET), which has trained teams in 28 cities to gather, interpret, and report information about local substance abuse-related violence for use in policy making and program planning.
  • Since 1993, ACF has funded a network of four domestic violence resource centers. In 1998, ACF expanded their resource centers to include Sacred Circle, the National Resource Center to End Violence Against Native Women. These centers provide information, technical assistance, and research funding on domestic violence.
  • The Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center will conduct research, provide researchers and practitioners with training in this field, and disseminate information about effective prevention strategies.
  • Coordinated Community Response Projects in 6 communities were funded by CDC for three years starting in Fiscal Year 1996. Three of these projects were designed for rural and Native American communities to develop and evaluate a coordinated community response. The remaining three were intended for larger communities with existing coordinated responses.
  • Community-based Primary Prevention Projects are designed to develop, implement, and evaluate programs that prevent family and intimate violence. Some of these projects will focus on intimate partner violence among ethnic and racial minority populations.
  • The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has funded a number of research studies focusing on factors that directly influence the initiation and escalation of physically aggressive behavior in intimate relationships. A number of these projects are investigating complex individual and interpersonal mediational processes in physically abusive intimate partner relationships.

These studies have significant implications for interventions to prevent the occurrence and to ameliorate the mental health consequences of domestic violence by identifying potent targets for intervention; research on helping interventions for victims of violence against women continue to be a research priority to help reduce the extent and consequences of violence against women.

In addition to programs focusing specifically on violence against women, the HHS has a number of related programs, including:

  • The Administration on Aging (AoA) has funded the creation and operation of the National Center on Elder Abuse, which focuses on training, technical assistance, research, and information dissemination related to elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. A previously funded AoA grantee, the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence, has integrated its AoA demonstration program serving older women into its permanent ongoing program and provides technical assistance and resources to others who are starting similar programs.
  • HHS also funds several programs that aim to strengthen families, prevent the abuse of women and children, and help families provide a healthy and safe environment for children. These programs include the Family Preservation and Support program; Community Schools; and Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act grants. AoA funds state elder abuse prevention programs in all 50 states that focus on the prevention of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, which significantly impact older women. A recent released study funded by AoA and HHS' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) found that -- after accounting for their larger proportion in the aging population -- older women are abused at a higher rate than males, and are often abused by a family member.
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has published and distributed a best practices guide to help drug addiction counselors recognize when clients are victims or perpetrators of domestic violence, and to help counselors of abused women in need of protection to recognize drug and alcohol addiction.
  • AoA also operated the National ElderCare Locator, a national toll-free information and assistance service to assist family members and others to learn about and access services for their loved ones. Included among the information available through the ElderCare Locator is information about programs to identify and prevent elder abuse. The ElderCare locator number is 1-800-667-1116. It operates from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. E.S.T.
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