About Vice President’s Biden Efforts to End Violence Against Women

On June 20, 1990, then-Senator Joe Biden introduced the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in the United States Congress. This act was a landmark piece of legislation that changed the way our country responded to domestic violence and sexual assault. VAWA changed law enforcement practices, improved the criminal justice system, and created a network of services for victims. The bill established new federal crimes of interstate domestic violence and stalking, doubled penalties for repeat sex offenders, and sparked the passage of laws at the state level to protect victims. Since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, rates of domestic violence have decreased by over 50%. [i]

As Vice President, Joe Biden has continued to advocate on behalf of women. Upon entering office, the Vice President appointed the first ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, Lynn Rosenthal. In this role, Ms. Rosenthal advises the Vice President on the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault, serves as a liaison to the domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy community and promotes collaboration across federal agencies. This interagency approach to reducing violence against women has resulted in an unprecedented level of coordination among federal agencies.

Vice President Biden has focused specifically on strengthening efforts to reduce dating violence against teens and young women ages 16-24. Young women in this age group face the highest rates of dating violence and sexual assault. Nearly one in five college women will be the victim of a sexual assault, and one in ten teens will be hurt by someone they are dating. Because even one incident is too many, in September 2011, the Vice President launched the 1is2many initiative. 1is2many uses technology and outreach to get the message out and to help reduce dating violence and sexual assault among teens and young adults. The Vice President is also working hard to improve the response to sexual assault and dating violence on college campuses, ensuring that young women can pursue their education free from violence.

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16th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act
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Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden opened their home for a night dedicated to ending violence against women to mark the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act and to recommit ourselves to ending sexual and domestic violence.

Related Photos

A message that Vice President Joe Biden wrote on the wall of the National Domestic Violence Hotline Headquarters, after he toured their facility in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, April 28, 2009. The Hotline had just received their 2 millionth call when the Vice President visited. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Vice President Joe Biden and Valerie Jarrett announce Lynn Rosenthal as the White House Advisor on Domestic Violence and then hold a roundtable discussion in the Eisenhower Building, Friday, June 26, 2009. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Vice President Joe Biden holds a Cabinet-level meeting on the Administration’s efforts to address sexual assault and dating violence against high school and college-aged women, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, July 13, 2011. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, left, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius attend. Also in attendance are Lynn Rosenthal, White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, Terrell McSweeny, Domestic Policy Advisor to the Vice President, Carmel Martin, Department of Education, Jodi Gillette, Department of the Interior, Annesh Choprah, Chief Technology Officer, Bryan Samuels, Department of Health and Human Services, Sara Manzano-Diaz, Department of Labor, Treasurer Rosa Rios, and Deputy Attorney General Tom Perelli, Department of Justice. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden attend a reception honoring the 16th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act at the Naval Observatory Residence, with advocates and college student leaders on the issue, September 22, 2010. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)