The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) first passed in 1994 and was most recently reauthorized in 2013. VAWA both improved the criminal justice response and ensured that victims and their families have access to the services they need.

The following provisions are protected under VAWA:

• Holds assailants accountable for their crimes by strengthening federal penalties for repeat sex offenders and creating a federal “rape shield law,” which is intended to prevent offenders from using victims’ past sexual conduct against them during a rape trial.

• Mandating that victims, no matter their income levels, are not forced to bear the expense of their own rape exams for service of a protection order

• Keeping victims safe by requiring that a victim’s protection order will be recognized and enforced in all state, tribal and territorial jurisdictions within the United States

• Increasing rates of prosecution, conviction and sentencing of offenders by helping communities develop dedicated law enforcement and prosecution units and domestic violence dockets.

• Ensuring that police respond to crisis calls and judges understand the realities of domestic and sexual violence by training law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim advocates and judges.

• Providing additional tools for protecting women in Indian country by creating a new federal habitual offender crime and authorizing warrantless arrest authority for federal law enforcement officers who determine there is probable cause when responding to domestic violence cases.

• Responding to urgent calls for help by establishing the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

• Improving safely and reducing recidivism by developing community coordinated responses (CCR) that bring together diverse stakeholders to work together to prevent and respond to violence against women

• Focusing attention on the needs of underserved communities, including creating legal relief for battered immigrants so that abusers cannot use the victim’s immigration status to prevent victims from calling the police or seeking safety

• Supporting tribal governments in building their capacity to protect American Indian and Alaska Native women.

• Prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity to ensure that all victims have access to the same services and protections.

For the full law, click here. (adapted from the White House Fact Sheet on the Violence Against Women Act)