By Jueseppi B.
The U.S. Senate just passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in a bi-partisan 68-31 vote, after defeating an amendment that would have re-written the bill and excluded protections for LGBT victims by a vote of 36-63
Studies indicate that LGBT people experience domestic violence at roughly the same rate as the general population. Unfortunately, many LGBT victims have not been receiving the services they need because service providers and law enforcement are not engaged in outreach to the LGBT community, lack the cultural competency to effectively work with LGBT victims or do not have access to funding for appropriate services.
The VAWA reauthorization bill passed by the Senate strengthens essential services for LGBT victims of domestic violence in three key ways. First, the bill ensures that all programs or activities receiving funding from VAWA provide services regardless of a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Second, it explicitly includes the LGBT community in the largest VAWA grant program, the “STOP Grant Program,” which provides funding to care providers who collaborate with prosecution and law enforcement officials to address domestic violence. Finally, the bill establishes a grant program specifically aimed at providing services and outreach to underserved populations, including those who face obstacles to care based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
The version of VAWA passed by the Senate is a comprehensive, cost-effective strategy for combatting domestic violence that was drafted based on input from more than 2,000 law enforcement, court, prosecution, legal services, and victim services professionals from across the country.
The House has not yet acted on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, but could move on it as early as next month.
I wonder who were the 31 politicians who voted against protecting women against violence?
For the entire ROLLCALL to see who voted for and who voted against…..click on ROLLCALL.
Fifteen Republicans joined every Democrat in voting for the measure. The passage reauthorizes a wide variety of services for abused women and men for five years.
Remember in “NO”vember who voted for the VAWA, and who voted against the VAWV.
Filed under: Causes, Court Room/Legal, Health, News, Politics, Women's Causes Tagged: | Domestic violence, House, LGBT, Senate, United States, United States Senate, VAWA, Violence Against Women Act
Jueseppi B.
Reblogged this on emmageraln.
I posted a poem awhile ago in support of this act, I’m glad it passed in your senate, and thanks to you for helping a lot through your vigilant posts.
It is a necessary law, because men are cowards. I hate abuse of any kind against anyone. Thank you for your support Ms. Cynthia. I’d love to read your poem.
Oh, thank goodness. Defeating this made absolutely no sense to me.
Nothing the politicians do make much sense…if they could just focis on the issues and not their party agenda.
I seriously think many need to be charged with treason. Especially Mitch McConnell and his “primary goal is to make sure Obama is a one-term president.” That comment is the very essence of treason.
I’m glad it passed in the Senate, let’s hope it passes in the House. I know republicans are trying to keep it from going forward because it includes new provisions to protect specific groups. The bill increases the number of visas available to victims of domestic violence who are undocumented immigrants, it bans discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender victims of domestic violence, and it gives more authority to Native American tribes to address domestic violence. I’m so sick of the majority of republican congress members. It is as if they have all lost their minds at the same time!
I don’t think they actually had any minds to begin with. Thank you for your words of logic and common sense, how can American politicians be against any American’s safety?
I think their problem, generally speaking, is they only see things in black and white. No gray areas. They believe anyone in the US without permission is here illegally (and that it would not matter even if they had been kidnaped and brought here) and therefor none of their concern. Many believe being gay is a sin and therefore whatever happens to you is your own fault.
Everyone goes through stages during their childhood. You ask children of a certain age if a man was wrong to steal a loaf of bread because his family was starving, and all will agree it was wrong and that he has to be punished! As they grow older their brains develop. They can empathize, they can understand that the consequences were too serious for the man NOT to do what he did. Perhaps some of these people just have not fully matured. Perhaps something has hindered that personal growth. ;)