Violence Against Women Act | Video

Julie Leonardi | 2/14/2013

The Violence Against Women Act was originally created in the 1990s. Back then, domestic abuse was only something mentioned behind closed doors. Now, in 2013, the bill is expired. That`s why Senator Heidi Heitkamp helped pass the reauthorization of the bill in the U.S. Senate this week.

"This is not a public health problem; this is a problem of criminal justice. These are simple and aggravated assaults, they need to be dealt with that way, and we`re going to make sure that they`re investigated that way by law enforcement, and they`re prosecuted that way by prosecutors."

The most important thing about this act is who it affects. Not only women in North Dakota, but also Native American women.

"Absolutely critical that there be a level of criminal accountability for perpetrators of this kind of violence. On the reservations if it occurs on the reservation than it`s in the jurisdiction of tribal court and I hope that we can convince the house of representatives and the people that don`t believe that, that`s absolutely true."

The Domestic Violence Crisis Center in Minot sees about 2,000 clients per year, most of them being Native American.

If this bill is renewed, better laws to protect women will be in place, and the center will see more funding to help house and council their clients.

Dena Filler, DVCC Executive Director, said, “It gives us so many laws that protect victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and that whole issue. With the changes that have come through this legislation and have made many changes that are very positive that keeps victims safer and makes offenders more accountable."

Domestic abuse cases have gone down more than 50 percent since this act was created; now it`s time to eliminate them completely.

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