When he was a Senator, now-President Joe Biden was instrumental in crafting and then passing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
During a hearing on domestic violence in 1990, then-Sen. Biden said that “for too long, we have ignored the right of women to be free from the fear of attack based on their gender. For too long, we have kept silent about the obvious.”
VAWA was finally passed in 1994 and became the first comprehensive federal law that focused on addressing violence against women. It sought to provide support for survivors and justice along with creating a shift in the national narrative around domestic violence at the time: that it was a private matter best left alone.
In marking the 30th Anniversary of the bill he championed, President Biden is announcing new efforts to address online harassment and abuse, as well as to help ease housing issues that many survivors of domestic violence face when they are trying to escape abusers.
Beginning in 1994, VAWA has delivered critical resources and support to help survivors of gender-based violence. Shelters, rape crisis centers, housing, and legal assistance were made available, and funding was provided to train law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates, and judges to improve our justice system's response to survivors.
VAWA also created the first-ever National Domestic Violence Hotline, which has provided millions of people with lifesaving, confidential support and answered its seven millionth call this year.
The White House said Thursday that between 1993 and 2022, domestic violence rates dropped by 67% and the rate of rapes and sexual assaults declined by 56%, according to FBI statistics.