State Rep. Mae Flexer, chair of the Domestic Violence Task Force, hosted a roundtable discussion Tuesday with U.S. Rep. John Larson, CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and CT Sexual Assault Crisis Services to discuss the importance of renewing the Violence Against Women Act, which expired two years ago.
Larson was an original author of VAWA, a 1994 piece of legislation that provides funds and resources directed towards aiding victims and prosecuting perpetrators of domestic violence. Congress has struggled to re-authorize an expanded version that would help cover Native Americans, immigrants and LGBT victims. The Senate recently passed a VAWA reauthorization that includes those expansions, and is awaiting action in the House.
During the roundtable Tuesday, Rep. Flexer channeled the anger of legislators demanding action on Hurricane Sandy relief last month and said these type of resources–which serve nearly 60,000 victims of domestic violence in the state–are just as important.
“VAWA’s been sitting on the table in Washington for two years. Two years. There was a lot of outrage when Congress didn’t act on Sandy relief. I want to know where the outrage is on this issue,” she said at the roundtable. “Where is the outrage that in Washington this bill continues to sit there and not get worked on?”
Larson agreed, and urged her and others to write to all the moderate Republicans who stood up to the far-right caucus and voted for Sandy relief.
“You can say it no better than Chris Christie,” said Larson, mentioning New Jersey’s Republican governor who criticized his own party in the House for not acting quickly on Sandy aid. “It is time to grow up and act in the interest of the country and the citizens who are sworn to serve, and the most vulnerable amongst us who we are to protect,”
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3 Responses to Rep. Flexer: Where Is The Outrage On VAWA?
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My problem with this is the sexist slant and bigotry. It assumes men aren’t the victims of domestic violence. As it is becoming more common for men to report DV to stave off lawsuits where are the resources from these bigot legislators?
I wouldn’t pass it as it stands until it removes all the categorizations like LGBT, American Indian and Women in the act (all categorizations which serve a campaign fund raising purpose). Only then can Dmeocrats break free from the 1970s shackles of categorical bigotry, sexism, and racism enshrined in their legislation passing as faux liberalism.
Richard,
Democrats have absolutely zero interest in moving away from categorical bigotry, sexism and racism as it is the core of their party’s platform and their main method of electoral success.
The best part for Democrats is that while being racist, sexist bigots they can hang those lables around the necks of Republicans, and with the help of a corrupt media, the ignorant believe every word.
“an expanded version that would help cover Native Americans, immigrants and LGBT victims”
There’s your problem. Renders the act misleading. Am I to believe that none of those people are women? Or should we just expand it to include men while we’re at it?