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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLGBT People Will Receive First-Ever Domestic Violence Protections Under VAWA
LGBT People Will Receive First-Ever Domestic Violence Protections Under VAWA
By Katie Miller, Guest Blogger
Today, Congress finally voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, a traditionally bipartisan bill which provides assistance to victims of domestic violence. For the first time since the bill was first introduced in 1994, Congress allowed the Violence Against Women Act to expire at the end of 2012 because House Republicans opposed new provisions which would improve care and access to services for LGBT people and Native American women.
<...>
LGBT Americans face the roughly the same rate of domestic violence as their straight counterparts one out of four to one out of three same-sex relationships has experienced domestic violence compared to one in every four heterosexual woman who will experience sexual violence in her lifetime. Moreover, nearly 62 percent of LGBT and HIV-positive victims were denied access to shelters in 2011, due in part to the unwillingness to accept gay men in these facilities. Additionally, authorities often lack the knowledge of how to handle domestic violence cases involving two people of the same gender. The current system fails to adequately address domestic violence in the LGBT community.
Here is how the progressive, newly improved Violence Against Women Act better protects LGBT people:
By Katie Miller, Guest Blogger
Today, Congress finally voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, a traditionally bipartisan bill which provides assistance to victims of domestic violence. For the first time since the bill was first introduced in 1994, Congress allowed the Violence Against Women Act to expire at the end of 2012 because House Republicans opposed new provisions which would improve care and access to services for LGBT people and Native American women.
<...>
LGBT Americans face the roughly the same rate of domestic violence as their straight counterparts one out of four to one out of three same-sex relationships has experienced domestic violence compared to one in every four heterosexual woman who will experience sexual violence in her lifetime. Moreover, nearly 62 percent of LGBT and HIV-positive victims were denied access to shelters in 2011, due in part to the unwillingness to accept gay men in these facilities. Additionally, authorities often lack the knowledge of how to handle domestic violence cases involving two people of the same gender. The current system fails to adequately address domestic violence in the LGBT community.
Here is how the progressive, newly improved Violence Against Women Act better protects LGBT people:
- VAWA now contains a nondiscrimination clause that prohibits LGBT victims from being turned away from services like traditional shelters on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
- VAWA now explicitly names LGBT people as an underserved population, which allows organizations serving LGBT victims of domestic violence to receive funding from a grant program that focuses specifically on underserved populations.
- VAWA now allows states, at their discretion, to use certain grant funds to improve responses to incidents of domestic violence among LGBT people. This bolsters law enforcement, prosecution, and victim service efforts within states.
Advocacy Orgs. Applaud House Passage of LGBT-Inclusive Violence Against Women Act
http://www.advocate.com/politics/2013/02/28/advocacy-orgs-applaud-house-passage-lgbt-inclusive-violence-against-women-act
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LGBT People Will Receive First-Ever Domestic Violence Protections Under VAWA (Original Post)
ProSense
Feb 2013
OP
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)1. Long past due! n/t
ProSense
(116,464 posts)4. All it would take to speed progress:
drastically shrink the Republican minority in the Senate and take back the House.
Sekhmets Daughter
(7,515 posts)5. Easier said than done...but I keep trying. n/t
Cha
(297,317 posts)2. So glad this passed! thanks ProSense
TlalocW
(15,384 posts)3. I can understand yet not condone
Their position on LGBT being included. After all, this can be seen as another step - in a way - toward marriage equality, but what was their reasoning for not wanting to include Native American women? Yes, they're racist SOBs, but they can't very well say that.
TlalocW
ProSense
(116,464 posts)6. They hate. Period. n/t
FN about time!
sheshe2
(83,791 posts)8. This is good!
For all of us!
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)9. Good news!
K & R
ProSense
(116,464 posts)10. GOP Senate Prospects Voted Against VAWA
GOP Senate Prospects Voted Against VAWA
The House finally voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act Thursday, but it may return as an election issue since several Republicans considered likely to run for the Senate in 2014 voted against the expanded version of the bill.
Here's a list of contenders, some more likely than others, who may have to explain their vote in a 2014 Senate bid (Rep. Paul Broun has already declared his bid for the open seat in Georgia):
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/gop-senate-prospects-voted-against-vawa
The House finally voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act Thursday, but it may return as an election issue since several Republicans considered likely to run for the Senate in 2014 voted against the expanded version of the bill.
Here's a list of contenders, some more likely than others, who may have to explain their vote in a 2014 Senate bid (Rep. Paul Broun has already declared his bid for the open seat in Georgia):
Rep. Tom Cotton (AR)
Rep. Steve King (IA)
Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA)
Rep. John Fleming (LA)
Rep. Justin Amash (MI)
Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN)
Rep. Kristi Noem (SD)
Rep. Paul Broun (GA)
Rep. Tom Price (GA)
Rep. Phil Gingrey (GA)
Rep. Jack Kingston (GA)
Rep. Austin Scott (GA)
Rep. Tom Graves (GA)
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/gop-senate-prospects-voted-against-vawa
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)11. This is great news!
Everybody should be able to marry if they wish. Everybody in a relationship should be protected.