Violence Against Women Act

Domestic violence is against the law.

In 1994, U.S. Senator Joseph Biden sponsored legislation called the Violence Against Women Act, as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The legislation passed with bipartisan support of 226 sponsors in the House and 68 in the Senate.

Here's what Senator Biden had to say a few years after passage of the Violence Against Women Act:

"I consider the Violence Against Women Act the single most significant legislation that I've crafted during my 35-year tenure in the Senate. Indeed, the enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 was the beginning of a historic commitment to women and children victimized by domestic violence and sexual assault. Our nation has been rewarded for this commitment. Since the Act's passage in 1994, domestic violence has dropped by almost 50%, incidents of rape are down by 60%, and the number of women killed by an abusive husband or boyfriend is down by 22%. Today, more than half of all rape victims are stepping forward to report the crime. And since we passed the Act in 1994 over a million women have found justice in our courtrooms and obtained domestic violence protective orders."

Even with Senator Biden's comments about more domestic violence victims "stepping forward", according to national statistics, domestic violence still remains the most under reported crime.