02/10/2022
Ernst Leads Bipartisan Bill to Modernize Violence Against Women Act
The Iowa senator is a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a survivor of sexual assault and domestic violence, along with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), today introduced the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act.
“As a survivor of domestic violence and sexual assault, I know firsthand the horrific experience too many women face at the hands of a perpetrator. That’s why for three years I’ve worked diligently and across the aisle to craft a bill that will modernize this important law to ensure my fellow survivors are supported and empowered. I’m proud our work resulted in bipartisan legislation that can do just that,” said Senator Ernst.
Beth Barnhill, Executive Director for the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault (IowaCASA), said, “Senator Ernst’s VAWA bill will have a profound, life-saving impact on survivors right here in Iowa. It expands access to services for survivors in Iowa’s most rural areas. In addition, it will provide much-needed support to survivors who need culturally specific services; survivors who identify as LGBTQ+; survivors seeking out restorative practice services; and military service members who have experienced sexual assault. It also includes crucial tribal provisions for Indigenous survivors. This bill is truly historic, and none of it would have been possible without Senator Ernst’s tireless efforts.”
Dr. Maria Corona, executive director of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said, “The reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act will invest in prevention and respond to the needs of diverse populations, including an investment in culturally-specific programs, expanded protections for Indigenous nations, and securing access to affordable, permanent housing. Every time Congress has reauthorized VAWA, they have strengthened it to improve protections and access to safety and justice for all survivors. We want to thank Senator Ernst for introducing the VAWA reauthorization to the Senate today and her steadfast efforts and advocacy to gain bipartisan support for this critical piece of legislation.”
Ruth M. Glenn, President and CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), said, “The Violence Against Women Act of 2022 is simultaneously groundbreaking and reflective of a broad bipartisan consensus that we can and should do more as a nation to prevent domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; to ensure victims and survivors have the services they need to heal; and to support the advocates who work day in and day out to help those survivors access safety and justice. This legislation addresses the holistic needs of victims and survivors. It recognizes that every survivor is an individual and has their own unique journey to healing. VAWA helps to ensure that survivors have the help they need along the way, from advocates and from systems. We commend the leadership of Senator Ernst in championing this critical bill.”
Ed Bull, Marion County, Iowa Attorney & National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) Iowa State Director, said, “Prosecutors greatly value the Violence Against Women Act and believe it is an important vehicle to combat domestic violence by providing services and resources to victims. Our members are proud to support this effort moving forward as the legislation reauthorizes the VAWA programs in a way that protects survivors and provides law enforcement with the tools necessary to hold bad actors accountable. I wish to thank Senator Ernst for leading this important effort to keep our communities safe and empower victims of domestic violence.”
The Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act includes several provisions that Ernst specifically fought for, including:
• Doubling the support for both the Rural Domestic Violence Assistance Program and the R**e Prevention and Education Program.
• More than doubling support for the Sexual Assault Services Program.
• Ernst’s bipartisan bill to close the “law enforcement consent loophole” to prohibit federal officers from engaging in a sexual act while acting under color of law or with an individual who is under arrest.
The bill also:
• Improves the medical response to instances of domestic violence and sexual assault, including expanding access to medical forensic examinations after a sexual assault for survivors who live in rural communities.
• Provides services, protection and justice for young victims of violence, including extending the R**e Prevention and Education grant program and improving grants focused on prevention education for students in institutions of higher education.
• Enhances judicial and law enforcement tools through reauthorization of the Justice Department’s STOP Violence Against Women Formula Program, known as the STOP Program, and expansion of the STOP Program to better support survivors who are 50 years of age or older and survivors with disabilities.
• Reauthorizes and updates the SMART Prevention Program to reduce dating violence, help children who have been exposed to domestic violence, and engage men in preventing violence.
• Provides economic security assistance for survivors by reauthorizing the National Resource Center on Workplace Response. Expands the program to support sexual harassment victims and ensure that the program’s resources are available to private-sector businesses with fewer than 20 employees in addition to public-sector entities.
After the Violence Against Women Act expired in 2018, Ernst has been working for nearly three years, in good-faith, across the aisle to modernize and reauthorize the legislation. In 2019, after nearly a year of working with Senator Feinstein, Senate Democrats abruptly stopped bipartisan negotiations on reauthorizing VAWA. Democrats decided to introduce a Pelosi-led bill they knew was a non-starter in the Senate and full of partisan, political talking points. Throughout all of 2020 and 2021 Ernst remained committed to getting VAWA modernized and reauthorized and introduced her own version of VAWA that drastically bolstered support for survivors in all communities.
According to IowaCASA, Iowa victim service programs collectively served more than 10,000 survivors of sexual assault last year alone. Victim advocates assist victims in many ways, including safety planning; individual and group counseling; legal advocacy; safe housing; and more. None of these services would be possible without VAWA.
