From awareness to action

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the staggering fact that 1 out of 4 women and 1 out of 10 men are affected by intimate partner violence at some point during their lives. And importantly, it is also a time to evaluate our efforts to help survivors, fight this epidemic, and break the cycle with prevention.

In my conversations with domestic violence advocates, I've heard shocking stories about violence increasing during the COVID pandemic and survivors who are isolated at home with their abusers. The advocates' phone lines were eerily silent at first, and then rang off the hook. They pioneered new ways to deliver services remotely, but still saw people slip through the cracks. These hard-working advocates are on the frontlines helping more people than ever, all with courage and determination. I applaud their hard work and will do everything I can to support their efforts.

We must move beyond awareness to action. This Congress we are making progress by passing a bipartisan bill to update the Violence Against Women Act in the House and sending it to the Senate. Now, they must do their duty and act on it. And this week, I will go to the House floor to urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan Family Violence Prevention Services Act, which I helped craft. These bills are a meaningful part of our efforts to end domestic violence.

When I cast my vote to strengthen prevention programs, I will think about victims, survivors, and their children. And I'll think about how investing in prevention means lessening the tragic toll of domestic violence on our communities. Prevention means fewer victims and fewer survivors. It means more people can thrive. It means more children can focus on simply growing up. That's what we all want.

Thank you for standing with me,