The Violence Against Women Act is a comprehensive legislative package designed to improve
criminal justice responses to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking and
to increase the availability of services for victims and survivors.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed in 1994 to improve how communities
respond to domestic violence and sexual assault.
The Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994.
Since 1994, it has been renewed in 2000, 2005, 2013, and most recently in 2022.
The continuous expansion of the Violence Against Women Act ensures that all survivors have
access to safety and support resources and aids in strengthening prevention efforts.
that prevention methods are strengthened.
as well as ensuring that prevention efforts are taken.
Every time, he pushed to strengthen preventative efforts, boost survivors' access to safety and
support, and both.
Each time, he worked to expand access to safety and
support for all survivors and increase prevention
efforts. Preventing and responding to gender-based
violence wherever it occurs, and in all of its forms, has
remained a cornerstone of the President’s career in public
service—from VAWA reauthorization to a national
campaign to combat campus sexual assault to reforms to
address sexual assault and harassment in the military.
Domestic violence and sexual assulat rates have decreeased after
VAWA effect of VAWA, howe
While incidents of domestic violence and sexual assault have declined significantly since
VAWA first took effect—and efforts to increase access to services, healing, and justice for
survivors have improved with each iteration of VAWA—much work remains.
While the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) has undoubtedly improved our
nation’s response to violence, not all victims had been protected or reached through
earlier iterations of the bill. VAWA 2013, signed into law by President Obama on
March 7, 2013,
closed critical gaps in services and justice. It reauthorized and improved upon
lifesaving services for all victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence
and stalking—including Native women, immigrants, LGBT victims, college students
and youth, and public housing residents:
The 2013 VAWA was signed into law by President Obama on March 7, 2013
The 2022 reauthorization of VAWA strengthens this landmark law, including by:

Reauthorizing all current VAWA grant programs until 2027 and, in many cases,
increasing authorization levels.

Expanding special criminal jurisdiction of Tribal courts to cover non-Native perpetrators
of sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, sex trafficking, and assaults on tribal law
enforcement officers on tribal lands; and supporting the development of a pilot project to
enhance access to safety for survivors in Alaska Native villages.
The special criminal Jurisdiction of Tribal courts was expanded to include non-Native offenders
of sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, sex trafficking, and assaults on tribal law enforcement
officials on tribal territories.
The special criminal Jurisdistantion of Tribal courts was expanded to cover non-Native perpators
of sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, sex trafficking, and assaults on tribal law enforcement
officers on tribal lands;

Increasing services and support for survivors from underserved and marginalized
communities—including for LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence, dating violence,
sexual assault and stalking; funding survivor-centered, community-based restorative
practice services; and increasing support for culturally specific services and services in
rural communities.
enhancing services and support for survivors from disadvantaged and marginalized communities,
including LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;
funding services based on restorative practices that are survivor-centered and community-based,
while also boosting support for services that are culturally specific and services in rural
communities.

Establishing a federal civil cause of action for individuals whose intimate visual images
are disclosed without their consent, allowing a victim to recover damages and legal fees;
creating a new National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals; and
supporting State, Tribal, and local government efforts to prevent and prosecute
cybercrimes, including cyberstalking and the nonconsensual distribution of intimate
images.
For individuals that have intimate visual images disclosed without their consent, this
reuathroitizarions creates a federal civil cause of action that enables the victim to recover
damages and legal fees. It also established a National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Agiants
Indivudals. This assists local, tribal, and state governments in their efforts to stop and prosecute
cybercrimes such as cyberstalking and the unauthorized sharing of intimate photos.
supporting State, Tribal, and local government efforts to prevent and prosecute cybercrimes,
including cyberstalking and the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images.
• It created a new National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals. This
establishing a federal civil cause of action for people whose intimate visual images are disclosed
without their consent, allowing a victim to recover damages and legal fees; and supporting state,
tribal, and local government initiatives to prevent and prosecute cybercrimes, such as
cyberstalking and the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images.
It created a new National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Indicudals which establishd a
civil cause of action he Natiobnal Resource Center on Cyberbercimes Against Indivudals which
enables indicudals to

Improving prevention and response to sexual violence, including through increased
support for the Rape Prevention and Education Program and Sexual Assault Services
Program; expansion of prevention education for students in institutions of higher
education; and enactment of the Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act, which
requires state victim compensation programs to allow sexual assault survivors to file for
compensation without being unfairly penalized due to rape kit backlogs.
It raises awareness on support for Rape Prevention and Education
This bill requires state victim compensation programs, as a condition of receiving certain grants,
to waive deadlines to file for compensation in cases where a victim failed to meet the deadline du
e to delays in testing biological material collected as evidence related to a sexual offense.
provides the short title of this section, which is the “Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act
of 2022”. Amends the Victim of Crime Act of 1984 to provide a waiver for any application filing
deadline imposed by the program for a crime victim if the victim is otherwise eligible for
compensation and the delay in filing was a result of a delay in the testing of, or a delay in the
DNA profile matching from, a sexual assault forensic examination kit or biological material
collected as evidence related to a sexual offense.
Increases funding for Sexual Assault Services Program and Rape Prevention and Education
Program. Expands and increases prevention awareness for college students. As well as passes the
Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act, which mandates that state victim compensation
programs permit sexual assault survivors to file for compensation without being unfairly
penalized due to rap backlog.
Training on trauma-informed interviewing techniques can help law enforcement officers respond
appropriately to victims and conduct investigations properly. But training alone is not enough.
LEAs must ensure officers have sufficient resources, support, and supervision to effectively
respond to sexual assault and domestic violence.
Addresses gender-based violence, strengthening evidence-based practice, and promoting the use
of trauma-informed, victim-centered training.

Strengthening the application of evidence-based practices by law enforcement in
responding to gender-based violence, including by promoting the use of traumainformed, victim-centered training and improving homicide reduction initiatives.
Gender-based violence is violence and other harmful acts directed at an individual because of
gender, which includes biological or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and
intersex traits. Gender-based violence is rooted in gender inequality, and perpetrators use
violence to exert power and control over their victims. Examples include domestic violence,
dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, sexual harassment, and gender-based hate crimes. While
this guidance focuses on domestic violence and sexual assault, reducing gender bias in these
areas will improve law enforcement responses to other forms of gender-based violence.
n the over 25 years since VAWA’s passage, justice professionals, victim advocates, healthcare
providers, and others have worked together to combat these crimes, establishing model
approaches and proven strategies for assisting victims and holding offenders accountable
Even where LEOs harbor no explicit biases or stereotypes, an officer’s unconscious bias towards
these specific groups can undermine an effective response to sexual assault and domestic
violence. It is important for law enforcement to recognize the prevalence of implicit bias and to
consider how both explicit and implicit bias might impact the LEA response to crimes involving
sexual assault and domestic violence.
Preventing gender bias in policing practices is an integral part of combating sexual assault and
domestic violence, and it can have a real and immediate effect on the safety of individual victims
and communities at large. Appropriate criminal justice responses, including arresting offenders
when probable cause exists that a crime has been committed, can prevent future victimization. 25
Testing sexual assault kits—a key investigatory step—can identify serial offenders who will
continue to victimize people until they are stopped.26 Patrol officers can also take measures
short of arrest

Improving the healthcare system’s response to domestic violence and sexual assault,
including through enhanced training for sexual assault forensic examiners.
Enhances traning for secual assault foresnuc examiners, in turn bettering the response to
domestic violence and sexual assault.

Updating the SMART Prevention Program and the CHOOSE Youth Program to reduce
dating violence, help children who have been exposed to domestic violence, and engage
men in preventing violence.
The Smart Prevntion Program and the CHOOSE Youth Program were upated to facilitate
engagement from men in preventing violence, aid children exposed to domestic violence, and
decrease the rate of dating violence.
Faciliaties

Enacting the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Denial
Notification Act to help state law enforcement investigate and prosecute cases against
individuals legally prohibited from purchasing firearms who try to do so.
Sec. 1101 incorporates the bipartisan “NICS Denial Notification Act,” which requires the
Attorney General to issue a notice to State, local, or Tribal law enforcement and prosecutors if an
individual has attempted to purchase a firearm and been denied pursuant to the national instant
criminal background check system. Reports are required to be made to the relevant parities
within 24 hours and must include the date and time of the notice, the location where the
purchaser attempted to obtain the firearm, and the identity of the person. The Attorney General is
required to notify the relevant parties if it is determined that the person was not prohibited from
obtaining a firearm.
Incoroports the National Instant Criminal Backgroynd Chack System Denial Notification Act
which aids state law enforcementent in invest
The bipartisan Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization
is included in the Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus appropriations bill, and
would require the Attorney General to alert relevant state, local or
tribal law enforcement with information about a person denied a
firearm purchase under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and (n)) within
24 hours. This closes the gap for the 37 states2 and the District of
Columbia that rely on the FBI to run some or all of their background
checks and where state, local and tribal law enforcement are not
required to be made aware when a person in their state fails a
background check. This proposal will also provide critical information
to all states when their residents illegally try to purchase a firearm in
another state. This notice gives state, local and tribal law enforcement
an opportunity to intervene before the abuser (or other prohibited
purchaser) can illegally obtain a firearm in another way or do further
harm. Domestic abusers far too frequently attempt to illegally
purchase firearms – from November 1998 through January 2022,
NICS reported it denied nearly 178,000 gun sales to domestic abusers
convicted of misdemeanor crimes and more than 71,000 sales to
abusers subject to a domestic violence restraining order.3

Enacting the to help state law enforcement investigate and prosecute cases against
individuals legally prohibited from purchasing firearms who try to do so.
It incorporates and enacts the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)
Denial Notification Act. This mandates the Attorney General to report to relevant state, local, or
tribal law enforcement with information regarding an individual denied of a firearm purchase
within 24 hours.
According to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System between November 1998
and January 2022, it rejected approximately 178,000 gun transactions to domestic abusers who
had been found guilty of minor offenses, as well as more than 71,000 sales to abusers who were
the subject of domestic violence restraining orders.
Would rewuire the Attorney General to alert relevant state, local or
tribal law enforcement with information about a person denied a
firearm purchase under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and (n)) within
24 hours.
This mandates that when an individual attempts to buy a firearm but is turned down due to the
national rapid criminal background check system, the Attorney General must notify state,
municipal, or tribal law enforcement and prosecutors.
The notice's date and time, the place where the buyer sought to acquire the firearm, and the
person's identification must all be reported to the appropriate parties within 24 hours. If it is
found that the person was not forbidden from getting a gun, the Attorney General must inform
the pertinent parties.
from November 1998 through January 2022, NICS reported it denied
nearly 178,000 gun sales to domestic abusers convicted of
misdemeanor crimes and more than 71,000 sales to abusers subject
to a domestic violence restraining order
Justice and safety for Native American women: Native American victims of
domestic violence often cannot seek justice because their courts are not allowed to
prosecute non-Native offenders — even for crimes committed on Tribal land. This
major gap in justice, safety, and violence prevention must be addressed. VAWA 2013
includes a solution that would give Tribal courts the authority they need to hold
offenders in their communities accountable.
Justice and safety for LGBT survivors: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
survivors of violence experience the same rates of violence as straight individuals.
However, LGBT survivors sometimes face discrimination when seeking help and
protection. VAWA 2013 prohibits such discrimination to ensure that all victims of
violence have access to the same services and protection to overcome trauma and find
safety.
Safe housing for survivors: Landmark VAWA housing protections that were passed
in 2005 have helped prevent discrimination against and unjust evictions of survivors
of domestic violence in public and assisted housing. The law, however, did not cover
all federally subsidized housing programs. VAWA 2013 expands these protections to
individuals in all federally subsidized housing programs, explicitly protects victims of
sexual assault and creates emergency housing transfer options.
Protections for immigrant survivors: VAWA 2013 maintains important protections
for immigrant survivors of abuse, while also making key improvements to existing
provisions including by strengthening the International Marriage Broker Regulation
Act and the provisions around self-petitions and U visas.
Justice on campuses: College students are among those most vulnerable to dating
violence. Provisions in VAWA 2013 add additional protections for students by
requiring schools to implement a recording process for incidences of dating violence,
as well as report the findings. In addition, schools would be required to create plans to
prevent this violence and educate victims on their rights and resources.
Maintaining VAWA grant programs: VAWA grants are effectively meeting the
needs of millions of victims across the country. VAWA 2013 includes many
important improvements to these grant programs, including allowing state domestic
violence coalitions to be the lead applicant on the Grants to Encourage Arrest
program; ensuring that specific stakeholders, including domestic violence coalitions,
play a meaningful role in developing state STOP plans; and providing a formal
process for the Office on Violence Against Women to receive coalition and other key
domestic violence and sexual assault community input.