The Terrible Secret

THE TERRIBLE SECRET

Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo

Approximately 1.5 million women and 834,732 men are raped and/or physically assaulted by an intimate partner annually in the United States.

Research also shows that experiencing and/or witnessing violence in one's family of origin increases one's chances of being a perpetrator or victim of intimate partner violence.

"Victims reporting the offender to have been a spouse were 2.5 times more likely to be injured than those reporting the offender to have been a stranger (50% versus 20%, respectively)." These sobering statistics from the Bureau of Justice
Statistics speak for themselves when it comes to the grave problem of domestic violence and violence against women. Our children are beset by messages from the movie and music industry which insidiously debase and devalue women, and glorify violence. Generations pass the curse of domestic violence from parents to children to grandchildren, a tragic and deadly cycle that remains unbroken without effective intervention.

Desensitization to violence, societal degradation of women, and learned patterns of behavior -these are the forces we fight to save our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters from physical and psychological harm. Fortunately, there are brave women and men who come together to empower victims of abuse and domestic violence. Organizations exist to provide safe haven to victims, educate and counsel the public, and work at the grassroots level to call for policies aimed at minimizing our children's exposure to violence.

In Idaho, we have numerous resources to address the problem of domestic violence. These organizations can be reached by contacting local law enforcement or social services in your area. People who are providing these services depend, in part, on federal funding and policy support. In that respect, I have made it a priority to advocate here in Washington, for domestic violence prevention and victim assistance.

Almost four years ago, I was privileged to work with concerned citizens in Idaho to introduce legislation entitled "Cassie's Law." Virtually all of this legislation was incorporated into the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, signed into law in 2000. These added provisions expanded federal grant programs which address domestic violence to include victims of dating violence. The final portion of the "Cassie's Law" legislation was included in the unanimous Senate passage last year of the Violence Against Women Act. I intend to reintroduce this legislation this year, with the purpose of getting it passed in both houses of Congress. I am pleased to report that my request that the Victim's of Crime Act (VOCA) cap be raised from $600 million to $675 million recently passed the Senate. The VOCA fund was created by Congress in 1984 to provide federal aid to victims of crime. Large collections over the past few years have created a sizeable balance in the fund, pushing it above the legal cap of $600 million last year. Since these funds go to support more than 6000 programs nationwide-members of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, I felt it was more than reasonable to request the increase. This year, I was also tremendously pleased to be able to alert the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance that they had received a $1.9 million federal grant to enhance their crime victim services in Idaho.

Domestic violence and violence against women is a serious problem facing Idaho and our nation. Since October is Domestic
Violence Awareness Month, we must work together and make renewed efforts to support victims, educate our communities, and stop generational cycles of violence in our homes. I will continue these efforts in Congress, as you who work on the front lines in Idaho and across the nation continue yours.