Violence Against Women Act reauthorized in U.S. Senate

The U.S. Senate has voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act by a vote of 78-22. The law, passed in 1994, has a proven record of reducing domestic violence and violent acts against women.

“The Senate’s reauthorization is a great thing for Citizen Potawatomi Nation and Native Americans,” said Linda Capps, Vice Chairman, Citizen Potawatomi Nation. “The fact is that Native American women face a domestic violence rate at more than twice the national average. We have a responsibility to protect the women of our communities from violence. This act empowers our courts to protect the mothers, daughters and sisters of our great tribe and community.”

Crimes against women have decreased by 67 percent since the bill was created. The bill also provides local and state authorities $659 million in grant funds for the next five years. Citizen Potawatomi Nation received more than two million dollars in grant funds from the Office of Violence Against Women since 2009. Those funds are used for legal assistance, police training and transitional housing for domestic violence victims.