Besides funding aimed to reduce sexual violence on US campuses, the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act authorizes appropriations for the grant program to end elder abuse.  Congress also directed the Secretary of State to establish an Office of Global Women’s Issues, headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, to

• • Increase gender integration and advance the status of women and girls in US foreign policy
  • Provide assistance to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls internationally

When stability is preferable to democracy, we must make changes to improve human rights and life conditions.  When compromise excludes groups, we must ask for inclusiveness.  What can we do to influence the legal process?

Advocacy matters.  Before coming to AAUW as vice president for legislative affairs, Lisa, Maatz worked to advocate passage of the original VAWA bill in 1994.  She then worked for members of Congress and advocacy organizations, including AAUW, that would play key roles in the next three iterations of the bill, right up through the 2013 reauthorization.  Lisa write, “the perception of this abuse is slowly changing and the quality of the response — from victim advocates to the police to the judicial system — has improved.”

AAUW advocates work at three levels: national, state, and local.  AAUW has been chipping away at barriers to women’s equity since 1881.  Support us by joining, or donating.