CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. Getting The Basics
2. Substance Abuse
3. Violence Against Women
4. Violent Men
5. Alcohol and Violence
6. Alcohol, Drugs and Sexual Assault (Date Rape)
7. Preventing Sexual Assault
8. After a Rape or Sexual Assault
9. Assistance - Women
10. Assistance - Men
11. Legal Options

Supplements
Resources
Glossary
Fact Sheets

It Won't Happen to Me:
Substance Abuse-Related Violence Against Women for Anyone Concerned About The Issues

Federal Law: Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Sexual Assault

An abuser can face both criminal and civil charges under Federal law.

Every State in the United States has laws designed to protect female victims of violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault. In 1994 Congress passed the 1994 Crime Bill. A part of that crime bill package, signed into law by President Bill Clinton, was the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This civil rights statute, re-authorized in 1996, strengthens many of these protections and outlines Federal and State enforcement provisions and penalties. VAWA strengthened prevention and prosecution of violent crimes against women and children and made domestic violence a civil rights violation.

With domestic violence now a civil rights violation, a victim of "crimes of violence motivated by gender" can bring a suit for damages in civil court and ask for restitution in criminal court. The list below contains some of the new provisions.

• Greater penalties for sex crimes
• Funding for programs for victims of child abuse as well as for the homeless, for runaways, and for street youth at risk of abuse
• Funding for states to improve law enforcement, prosecution, and services for female victims of violent crimes
• Creation of a national domestic violence hotline
• Denial of firearm ownership to anyone who has a civil protection order against them
• Prohibits the use of past sexual behavior or alleged sexual predisposition of the victim to be used as evidence against the victim in civil or criminal court
• Requirement that the U.S. Postal Service protect the confidentiality of shelters and individual abuse victims by not disclosing addresses or other identifying information¹

In 2000, Congress followed up on VAWA by passing VAWA II. The Violence Against Women Act II provided for the continuation of services, programs and the creation of new practices and procedures begun under VAWA I. In addition, VAWA II expanded the persons able to be covered under the law. Now, the elderly, immigrant communities, and those persons who are in dating relationships or in schools are covered. For additional information about VAWA, go to www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo or www.firstgov.com .

A condensed version of this module is available as a Fact Sheet in both HTML, PDF and PDF Español formats.