(Washington, D.C.) Highlighting the fact that domestic violence is the number one health risk for women between the ages of 15-44, Delaware Congressman Michael N. Castle yesterday supported the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act to fund various programs that support state and local efforts to shelter battered women, train local police and court officials how to handle domestic abuse cases, and provide a hotline and counseling services to battered women.  The bill passed with Castle's support by a vote of 415 to 3.

"One third of all women murdered in this country were killed by their husbands, former husbands or boyfriends.  This is a very frightening statistic," Castle said.  "Although acts of violence against women have decreased since this law was first passed, there is still much to be done.  No woman should have to live in fear day after day that her life or the lives of her children are in jeopardy."

The Violence Against Women Act was first passed in 1994 as part of The 1994 Crime Bill, which Castle helped broker when he first came to Congress.  In addition to reauthorizing existing programs, the bill also authorizes several new ones. Some of these new programs
include:

• $10 million in grants to disabled victims of gender motivated crimes and requirements that battered women shelters comply with the Americans with Disabilities Acts; 
• $200,000 for training emergency medical personnel, including nurses, in treating sexually abused patients as well as establishing procedures for handling of evidence in rape cases; 
• provisions ensuring that Legal Services Corporation grantees can help victims of sexual abuse obtain assistance in civil cases against their attackers; and, 
• funds to provide transitional housing assistance to women and their children when fleeing from domestic abuse.