Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is an alarming social problem with severe consequences for individuals and even society as a whole. For decades, victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence were usually without legal protection and support. Too many suffered silently, with limited recourse against an abuser. That changed in 1994 with the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a landmark bill that changed how the U.S. approached issues of gender-based violence.
What is the Violence Against Women Act?
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 is a federal law that enhanced legal protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence while allocating funds for critical programs that support them. First passed in 1994, VAWA was the first major law in the United States to comprehensively address violence against women. It was championed by then-Senator Joe Biden and received bipartisan support, which turned a page in the fight against gender-based violence.
For most, there were no doors to knock on before VAWA. Domestic violence was all too often viewed as a “private matter,” law enforcement responses were inconsistent, and few resources were available for victims. Many women feared reporting their abuse, knowing their cases might not be taken seriously or that they could face retaliation. By the early 1990s, one in three U.S. women had reported having been the victim at some point in her lifetime of either a physical or sexual attack, and incidents of domestic violence seldom received the attention of law enforcement or courts. Similarly, shelters or crisis centers operated in only a handful of localities, meaning that most survivors received little intervention.
VAWA upended this landscape. The bill allocated $1.6 billion in federal funding to improve the investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women. It mandated restitution from perpetrators, initiated special training for law enforcement, and created the Office on Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice. Perhaps most importantly, it helped launch the National Domestic Violence Hotline in 1996, which has since answered more than 7 million calls, saving countless lives.
Since it became law, VAWA has been updated multiple times, specifically in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. With each update, lawmakers have expanded its protections. In 2000, Congress added provisions dealing with dating violence and also strengthened the legal protections for immigrant survivors. The 2005 reauthorization placed a new emphasis on the needs of rural communities and college campuses, recognizing that too often, survivors in both had limited access to the help they needed. The 2022 reauthorization secured rape crisis centers, housing assistance programs, and opportunities for underrepresented communities, continuing the push VAWA had begun to meet the shifting needs of survivors.
How is VAWA Making a Difference?
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has made a significant difference to many female survivors in the past three decades. Federal funding has also been utilized to provide shelters, legal aid, and crisis intervention programs that have saved countless women’s lives. Law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, and judges have received extensive training regarding the seriousness of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
VAWA also introduced critical legal protections that did not exist previously. For example, it made stalking a federal crime and it also ensured that protective orders issued in one state were valid nationwide. In addition, it established federal penalties for abusers crossing state lines to commit their crimes, closing the legal loopholes that once let perpetrators completely bypass the law. These changes sent a clear message: violence against women is a crime that will be met with consequences.
What Experts Say About Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
Many experts consider VAWA to be groundbreaking in the way America has changed its response to gender-based violence. Mary P. Koss, a renowned clinical psychologist and researcher, said of VAWA that it was “revolutionary, providing survivors with essential services in an effort to help them find safety, support, and connectivity within their communities.”
According to Liz Roberts, Chief Executive of Safe Horizon, one of the largest victim services agencies in the United States, VAWA has helped hundreds of thousands of survivors find safety and rebuild their lives. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland called VAWA a turning point, adding that it didn’t just change how gender-based violence was addressed; it changed how the issue was understood.
Others, like Leigh Goodmark, a law professor and author, have been vocal critics of the reliance on the criminal justice system via VAWA. In her article “Reimagining VAWA: Why Criminalization Is a Failed Policy and What a Non-Carceral VAWA Could Look Like,” Goodmark argues that VAWA’s focus on criminalization has in fact failed to reduce violence against women and may actually be harming marginalized communities. She is a strong supporter for alternative approaches that emphasize community-based solutions over punitive measures.
Why VAWA still matters today
While VAWA has had certain successes, the fight far away from over. According to RAINN, on average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States, a number that does not account for other forms of gender-based violence. An average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States, more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year. VAWA has undoubtedly moved the needle in advancing protections and services, but too many survivors still cannot access legal support, housing, justice and safety. In many cases, victims lack adequate legal representation, emergency shelter, and financial support, which forces them to remain in unsafe situations.
Another challenge is the permanent threat to VAWA’s funding. Certain provisions in the law must be reauthorized from time to time, and political disputes over funding priorities have often held up vital services. Support organizations and women’s right campaigners continue to press for more significant financial commitments so that shelters, crisis centers, and legal assistance programs can keep doing their critical work.
Concluding Remarks
VAWA is more than a law; it’s a declaration that violence against women will not be tolerated. It is a recognition that survivors deserve protection, justice, and support. Over the past 30 years, VAWA has saved lives, brought abusers to account, and reshaped the conversation about violence against women in this country.
But our work is far from over. As new challenges continue to emerge, we all must keep pushing for stronger protections, better resources, and greater awareness. Every survivor deserves to be heard. Every survivor deserves justice. Every survivor deserves safety.
If you’re looking for practical strategies to enhance your personal safety, recognize potential threats, and empower yourself with knowledge, I invite you to read my book NEVER A VICTIM – The Definitive Guide to Women’s Safety. This book offers real-world insights and actionable advice to help women stay safe in a challenging and complex world.