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March 4, 2013

Violence Against Women Act (Which Split Evangelicals) Headed for Reapproval

Reauthorized, bipartisan act still fails to please conservatives on sex-trafficking protection issues.

Melissa Steffan

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an expanded, Senate-approved version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which now awaits being signed into law by President Barack Obama.

CT reported in 2012 when evangelical groups, including the National Association of Evangelicals, World Relief, Christian Community Development Association, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship—spoke out against VAWA and its failure to expand protections for abuse and trafficking victims, especially immigrants.

The newly approved VAWA authorizes fewer funds for abuse victims programs (down 17 percent), but expands the bill's reach, "including barring programs that receive funding from discriminating against gays."

However, not everyone is thrilled about Congress' bipartisan work to reapprove VAWA, which expired in October 2011. More Republican representatives voted against the bill than voted to approve it.

Concerned Women for America also is speaking out against the bill, saying it "hurts sex trafficking victims, seeks to legalize prostitution for minors, and fails to protect the conscience of organizations that oppose abortion but want to protect trafficking victims like the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops."

posted by Melissa Steffan | Comments (4)

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Why does EVERYTHING from congress have to be about homosexuals? "The newly approved VAWA authorizes fewer funds for abuse victims programs (down 17 percent), but expands the bill's reach, "including barring programs that receive funding from discriminating against gays." What is this obsession to promote gay causes about?

Posted By: rick | March 4, 2013 12:49 PM

I don't like it that the anti-sex-trafficking portion of the bill was defunded by 70 percent, but I am glad that something was done to address the rampant abuse of Native Americans by whites who typically go onto reservations with the knowledge that VAWA isn't in effect there. And I am glad something is being done to address violence against members of the gay community.

Apparently some Christians haven't gotten it into their little heads that gay people are just as human as they are.

Posted By: Gordon Hilgers | March 4, 2013 5:32 PM

Kudos to Congress for reauthorizing VAWA with added protections for same-sex victims, Native Americans, and immigrants. THis is a more comprehensive, inclusive approach to the problem.

Posted By: JAVIER | March 5, 2013 11:13 PM

What I am trying to understand is have they expanded the definition of violence to include language that is emotionally distressing or displeasing to those who are victims of abuse?

Posted By: Eddie stewart | March 6, 2013 2:36 PM

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