GOP Oppose Violence Against Women Act Because It Helps Too Many

Will this war on women ever end?

For the first time in its history the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) faces partisan opposition to renewal as Republicans hold up protections for victims of domestic abuse over concerns the measure helps too many people.

For real.

Since VAWA was first enacted the reporting of domestic violence has increased by as much as 51 percent. The legislation, introduced by then-Senator Joe Biden was aimed at improving the response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The bill for re-authorization sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)–who is not on the Judiciary Committee– would place an increased emphasis on reducing domestic homicides and sexual assault, strengthen housing protections for domestic violence victims and focus more on the high rates of violence among teens and young adults.

Despite these loft goals the legislation attracted no GOP support in committee and was passed out on a party-line vote of 10-8. According to Leahy’s office, this is the first time VAWA legislation did not receive bipartisan backing out of committee.

The Republican-led objections are starting to sound a lot like those swirling around the birth-control mandate. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) is leading the charge against reauthorization over provisions that offer protections to domestic abuse victims that happen to be LGBT or undocumented immigrants.

Leahy is concerned that his colleagues are objecting because, in his words, the bill is trying to “protect too many victims.” “You cannot say that we will seek to stop domestic violence, but only for certain people,” he said. “It just boggles the mind. It goes against everything I ever knew as a prosecutor, but it also goes against everything I know as a human being.”
Grassley’s objections are telling, especially as the right moves to try and create “conscious” exclusions for birth control and any other mandate it objects too. I would not at all be surprised to see more Blunt-style amendments attached to previously-popular bills like VAWA to placate the bigots in the right. We could very well be on the verge of a true constitutional showdown between equal protection under the law and individual liberty.

Finally, it’s hard to fathom how as a country we got here. Protecting victims of domestic violence is not, nor can it be, a partisan exercise or priority. Just ask any cop on the beat who has responded to a domestic abuse call, any judge or advocate working with victims or the children who are raised in abusive homes. Republicans have taken their politicking off the lives of the vulnerable to a new low.

Schlafly: Violence Against Women Act Breaks Up Families

Photo from Helga Weber via flickr.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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William Y.

11:49PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

@ Kyle N. it seems you are a real Republican not a pseudo-Republican like Santoeum or Boehnor.

send a green star

Kyle N.

8:20PM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

It doesn't matter if Republican or Democrat, but if anyone is against this being funded they do not belong in any political office. I'm a republican, I'm for this program to be fully funded as for birth control plan that Obama wants.

pam w.

10:33AM PDT on Mar 29, 2012

Evelyn....like you, I'm ashamed of a LOT of people...with good reason!

john c.

6:58AM PDT on Mar 29, 2012

Democratic and Republican ladies, "REMEMBER" this come November 2012.
Gentlemen, i would also remind you, that when the GOP, gets through with the
women, they have no one else to turn on, but you. so if you are not a politician
or in the ! % "BEWARE".

Evelyn M.

5:43AM PDT on Mar 29, 2012

I am ashamed of my Senators in Alabama. So intrenched, it will be almost impossible to get them out. I am ashamed of the Alabama voters.

5:40AM PDT on Mar 29, 2012

@Leslie M Where do you get "sexpot" from that picture? Your thinking is what?

Peter K.

6:28PM PDT on Mar 19, 2012

http://falseallegationsawareness.com/?p=180

Try education...........

Margaret T.

3:23PM PDT on Mar 19, 2012

Hopefully all of this talk is causing more women across party lines to vote in this upcoming election. They may want all of this talk forgotten come the fall when we vote.

Gene J.

11:46AM PDT on Mar 19, 2012

How is it possible to protect too many people? And what code of prosecutorial ethics says so? This is not even controversial. Protect everyone against violence particularly the most vulnerable. Isn't that the Christian thing to do? They sure left some important parts out of the bible the Republican party was given, or wrote...

Karen M.

7:48AM PDT on Mar 19, 2012

I would really like to make one important point here that people are missing, because of the implications of the act's title. WOMEN CAN ALSO BE VIOLENT. A former boyfriend of mine, the most nonviolent person you could hope to meet, eventually married a woman who terrorized him with borderline-type outbursts and beatings, then threatened suicide if he filed for divorce -- a ploy he fell for until it had gone on for years, no matter how his friends and family begged him to just save himself. There was no safe house in the county for him to go to, and police never arrested his wife when he called them -- apparently they didn't believe he was physically attacked (though he is a small man, smaller than most women). Eventually a tirade of his wife's was overheard by neighbors who called the police -- who nearly arrested HIM! That was what gave him courage to get out.

I am sure he has soul brothers in every state and city.

We have to protect anyone who is assaulted by someone in the context of a relationship, with all the attendant complications of children, mutual residence and ownership of property, etc. that make it difficult to get away.