A new Violence Against Women Act (VAWA II) in Congress seeks to provide more funding and legal protection for women victims of domestic violence. The new VAWA II not only continues funding for programs from the original Violence Against Women Act, passed in 1994; but also expands protection for older women, disabled women, and immigrant women; prohibits employers from firing or otherwise penalizing victims of domestic violence; and provides grants for research on domestic violence.

"The first Violence Against Women Act was historic as the first federal program to address the widespread epidemic of violence against women in this country," said Eleanor Smeal, President of the Feminist Majority, which worked with other women's organizations to pass the original VAWA. "VAWA created for the first time a nationwide toll-free domestic violence hotline; provided $1.6 billion for local shelters, campus safety, equal justice in courts, and other programs to protect women; and for the first time allowed victims of gender-based violence to sue their attackers and receive monetary damages. This new Violence Against Women Act goes even further to provide almost $4 billion in federal funding and help for victims of domestic violence."

Many of the over 40 sections of VAWA II are also being introduced as separate bills, and some of them are expected to pass in this Congressional session, including grants for student safety and training programs for medical students to identify victims of domestic violence or sexual assault; and the Hate Crimes section, which permits the federal government to prosecute perpetrators of crimes based on gender, sexual orientation and disability.

"The Hate Crimes section of VAWA II is one of the most exciting sections of the bill," said Smeal. "It would expand existing Hate Crimes law, which already applies to perpetrators of crimes based on race, religion and national origin, to include women, gays and lesbians, and the disabled." Generally, crimes of violence are dealt with in state courts, but the Hate Crimes provision would allow the federal government to bring criminal charges against perpetrators of gender-motivated crimes.

Other sections of VAWA II would provide witness protection for domestic violence victims; make it easier for battered immigrant women to leave their partners and gain legal status in the U.S.; establish a national clearinghouse and resource center on domestic violence and sexual assault and the workplace; prohibit the sale of firearms to intoxicated persons; and provide grants for educational programs for children, law enforcement personnel, and judges, on domestic violence and sexual assault.