Know the Laws for Family Violence

[Shun Bowling]

Successfully, escaping domestic violence requires planning. Part of the planning is knowing what laws are out there and how they can assist you.

The United States congress has successfully passed two major laws relating to domestic violence, and women in particular. The first law you should know about is the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. The second is the Violence Against Women Act. While both laws significantly impact the change in the fight against domestic violence, they also receive great criticisms from some.

The (VAWA) or  Violence Against Women Act was created in 1994 to assist  victims, government agencies, advocates, and organizations in working together in  the fight against domestic violence. The acts protects women against  sexual assaults and virtually all other acts committed against women. The national U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services produced the National Advisory Committee on violence against women to promote the goals and visions of the VAWA. Intially the law created new and stiffer punishments  for particular crimes. The law also set up programs  nationwide to prevent violence and provide help for victims.

Over the years the laws expanded to include a wider variety of services and programs. Some of the resources currently afforded by the law are:

• Services for teens and children
• Programs and services for survivors with disabilities
• Legal aid for survivors of violence
• Funding for survivors assistance services, such as domestic violence hot lines and crisis centers
• Programs to assist immigrant survivors of domestic violence
• Protection for survivors who are evicted because of domestic violence related events

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (The FVPSA) Tribal grants are primarily for immediate shelter and related assistance for victims of domestic violence and their dependents. Related assistance includes but is not limited to victim advocacy, outreach and prevention services, public awareness campaigns, counseling related to domestic violence, transportation, legal advocacy, and children’s counseling and support services. The funds may also be used in establishing, maintaining, and expanding programs and projects to prevent domestic violence. Funding is available to all Native American Tribes and Tribal Organizations that meet the definition “Indian Tribe” or “Tribal Organization” the FVPSA Program funds approximately 200 Tribes. More directly the FVPSA operates through three channels.

• The National Domestic Violence Hotline - A toll freeline in which a trained advocate is connected to a victim. The advocate can provide support, referrals, safety planning, information, and crisis intervention. The information is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The information is available in over 170 languages.
• The Delta Program (domestic violence prevention enhancements and leadership alliance) which supports local programs that teach people ways to prevent violence.
• Formula Grants- Help states, territories, and tribes create support programs  that work to help survivors to prevent  family violence. The amount of money is determined by a formula based partly on population.

It is very important to not only of, but understand the resources that exist. Utilize them. They were created for you.

 To learn  more about the VAWA, you can view the full document at the link below:

www.ncadv.org/files/WebsiteVAWADoc.pdf

To learn more about the FVPSA, you can view the full document at the link below:

www.ncadv.org/files/FVPSA.pdf

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