Since its original passage in 1994, VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) has dramatically enhanced our nation’s response to violence against girls and women, boys and men. More victims report domestic violence to the police and the rate of non-fatal intimate partner violence against women has decreased by 64%.
VAWA provides for a coordinated community approach, improving collaboration between law enforcement and victim services providers to better meet the needs of victims. These comprehensive and cost-effective programs not only save lives, they also save money. In fact, VAWA saved nearly $12.6 billion in net averted social costs in just its first six years.
A significant number of Senators appreciate the savings in terms of both social and financial costs, but twenty two members of the right-wing clearly see no value in continuing such efforts. S47—the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013—passed the Senate on February 12th with a 78/22 vote. Here’s the list of Senators who prefer to escalate the war on women:
- Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. James Risch (R-ID) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY) …. up for re-election in 2014
- Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Thomas Coburn (R-OK) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. John Thune (R-SC) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Mike Lee (R-TX) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) …. up for re-election in 2016
- Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) …. up for re-election in 2018
- Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-TX) …. up for re-election in 2018
- Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) …. up for re-election in 2018
Get to know these faces ladies. It’s time to watch closely, just exactly how they vote on issues near and dear to our hearts. If, through their words, their actions and their votes, they’re showing us that WE have NO value, then it’s clearly time that WE, as women, show them that they have no value and that WE no longer want them in decision and leadership positions where they would be able to impose their lack of values on us. Two faces in particular are quite disappointing, Sen. Tim Scott and Sen. Marco Rubio. Apparently they’ve clearly joined the “I’ve got mine, good luck getting yours” club.
Reauthorization of the law, first passed in 1994, now heads to the House, where swift passage is far from guaranteed. House Republicans killed the legislation last year, though Democrats have now dropped some of the provisions that drew GOP objections, including expanded visas for abused immigrants.