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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 2013-11 Draft 1COUNTY COUNCIL COUNTY OF KAUAI Reotution No. 2013 -11, Draft 1 RESOLUTION SUPPORTING REAUTHORIZATION OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA)WHEREAS, as in the rest of the nation, violence against women is a problem on the island of Kaua`i, with 420 instances of abuse of a family or household member, 357 cases of domestic violence, and 32 forcible rapes reported in the year 2009 alone; and WHEREAS, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) first passed in 1994 has been funding clinics, shelters, and hotlines for victims in crisis across the country, and provided tremendously important tools for law enforcement to crack down on abusers and rapists. Last year alone VAWA has trained 500,000 law enforcement officers and judicial officials, and provided a national crisis hotline that served 264,000 victims; and WHEREAS, the Violence Against Women Act has been reauthorized unanimously by Congress in 2000 and 2005; and WHEREAS, the Violence Against Women Act provides a comprehensive and effective set of protections and programs to educate and coordinate services between law enforcement officers, hospital staff, social service organizations, and members of the judicial system; and WHEREAS, the Violence Against Women Act expired in 2011, leaving these critical protections and programs at risk of losing funding; and WHEREAS, U.S. Senate Bill 1925 reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act in 2011 and expanded protections for populations underserved due to immigration status, age, location, ethnic or racial identity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and women residing on Native American tribal land; and WHEREAS, according to a majority of the U.S. House of Representatives not all victims are "legitimate," and the House Judiciary Committee removed improved provisions of the Senate bill by excluding protections for Native Americans,LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community), and immigrant victims;and WHEREAS, for the first time since 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has been allowed to expire because the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass any bill, even a version that stripped protections; and WHEREAS, no one in Congress should be setting up laws that provide one standard of law enforcement for one group of victims, and a different standard for another group; and WHEREAS, it is consistent with the values of Kaua`i to protect all persons from violence, regardless of immigration status, age, location, ethnic or racial identity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or status as a Native American;now, therefore,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI,STATE OF HAWAII, that it urges the United States Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in a manner that expands rather than limits protections for people who experience domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kaua`i County Council supports the provisions of U.S. Senate Bill 1925, which attempted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and preserve protections for all people.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be sent to U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono,U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa, and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard.Introduced By: /s /TIM BYNUM V: \RESOLUTIONS \2012 -2014 term WAWA, Draft 1 AO:aa Ilse AR/a ce xQ.a,C 91.401. ti. DE.. 2013 -11, 1 4A26, aaci L j ativa 4 titz a.,C 4 a ,'i, 6t.te 4 anaad ' e, .l an,a Jl.avVai. a -n, cu,,uaiuj. 17, 2013.e.,Gpkot. of azPrn.64 lu e Rtc....a X g4.9c 9Ca X X a 7 0 0 0 WHEREAS, no one in Congress should be setting up laws that provide one standard of law enforcement for one group of victims, and a different standard for another group; and WHEREAS, it is consistent with the values of Kaua`i to protect all persons from violence, regardless of immigration status, age, location, ethnic or racial identity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or status as a Native American;now, therefore,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF KAUAI,STATE OF HAWAII, that it urges the United States Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in a manner that expands rather than limits protections for people who experience domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Kaua`i County Council supports the provisions of U.S. Senate Bill 1925, which attempted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and preserve protections for all people.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be sent to U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner, U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono,U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, U.S. Representative Colleen Hanabusa, and U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard.Introduced By: /s /TIM BYNUM V: \RESOLUTIONS \2012 -2014 term WAWA, Draft 1 AO:aa Ilse AR/a ce xQ.a,C 91.401. ti. DE.. 2013 -11, 1 4A26, aaci L j ativa 4 titz a.,C 4 a ,'i, 6t.te 4 anaad ' e, .l an,a Jl.avVai. a -n, cu,,uaiuj. 17, 2013.e.,Gpkot. of azPrn.