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OCTOBER 30, 2000

On Saturday, President Clinton signed a reinforced version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), first passed in 1994.

Noting that domestic violence is the number one health risk for women ages 15 through 44, Clinton said every 12 seconds a woman is beaten. He said the law was "the most significant" action the country has made to improve the health and safety of women.

The new version of the law extends the original to cover abuse of women by boyfriends. It also sets out penalties for trafficking of humans.

The law also provides new resources for tribes. A survey released in July showed that Native American women reported the highest rates of rape, physical assault, and stalking than any other group

Get the Intimate Partner Violence Survey:
Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Findings From the National Violence Against Women Survey (The National Institute of Justice, Department of Justice. July 2000)

Related Stories:
Violence against women act renewed (The Medicine Wheel 10/12)
House renews violence act (The Medicine Wheel 09/27)
Clinton wants violence act renewed (The Medicine Wheel 9/26)
Sexual assault of women targeted (The Medicine Wheel 9/25)

Relevant Links:
Violence Against Women Office, Department of Justice - www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo