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The National Institute of Justice Commemorates the 15th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act

National Institute of Justice Journal
Date Published
May 25, 2010
Hands holding the bars of a cell

In 1994, the U.S. Congress enacted the Violence Against Women Act, a comprehensive legislative package that marked the first major investment by the federal government in state and local efforts to address violence against women. VAWA recognized the devastating consequences that violence has on women, families and society as a whole. VAWA also acknowledged that violence against women requires specialized responses to address unique barriers that prevent victims from seeking assistance from the justice system.

The Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005) further improved legal tools and grant programs addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. With the help of VAWA funding, NIJ has sponsored several research grants whose findings have further illustrated the challenges and potential solutions to ending these crimes.

NIJ proudly joins the Office on Violence Against Women in commemorating 15 years of working together to end gender-based violence.

Review the following NIJ-sponsored research reports relevant to violence against women:

About This Article

This article appeared in NIJ Journal Issue 266, June 2010.

Date Published: May 25, 2010