Washington | September 16, 2009 - I was proud to stand with my colleagues in the House, this week, to recognize the 15th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Originally passed in 1994 with my support, VAWA has made great strides in reducing crime against women, including the reduction in the number of assaults and rapes throughout our nation.  Furthermore, subsequent reauthorizations of VAWA have included more legal protections and resources for victims of domestic violence while importantly helping state law enforcement to adopt strategies for domestic violence situations.

If you or someone you know is a victim of abuse or violence, or you are recovering from an assault there is immediate support available.

National Resources

--Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
--The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
--You can also visit the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.

Local Resources

--Delaware - CONTACT Delaware, Inc
        http://www.contactdelaware.org/
        P.O. Box 9525
        Wilmington, DE 19809
        Toll-free phone number(s): (800) 262-9800 In Kent and Sussex Counties
        Phone number(s):
        (302) 761-9100 in New Castle County or (302) 761-9700 TTY/TDD
--Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence 
        http://www.dcadv.org/
        100 West 10 th Street, #703
        Wilmington, DE 19801
        Phone: 302-658-2958
        Toll-Free: 1-800-701-0456

For more information and resources, visit: http://www.womenshealth.gov/violence/

I consistently support VAWA, and earlier this year sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee advocating for the highest possible funding for these critical programs.

Furthermore, violence and abuse is a reality that affects all walks of life, everyday.  I recently held a roundtable in Delaware on youth violence prevention where a representative from the domestic violence prevention advocacy community expressed the importance of addressing this issue. I believe it is necessary to take steps to end the cycle of violence by reaching at-risk youth at an early age to prevent the recurrence of abuse later in life.

I look forward to working in Congress to further protecting our communities.