Survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse shouldn’t have to struggle alone.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) one in four women and one in seven men will experience physical violence by their partner at some point in their lifetime. This number is staggering. What’s even more shocking is that Iowa ranks second in the nation for the percentage of women who have experienced domestic abuse.
Today, I introduced bipartisan legislation to support survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence. The Protecting Women and Children Act will ensure that community organizations, which survivors rely on for support, have expanded access to improved resources to help survivors move forward.
This legislation builds upon my work in the Iowa State House, where I worked to:
- Create a data center for law enforcement on human trafficking, sexual violence, child abuse, and domestic violence reports
- Stop habitual violence by holding reoffenders accountable for their attacks
- Prevent stalking by stopping offenders from using new technology to track their victims
We have more to do to prevent these crimes from happening, and we also must improve support for survivors. That starts with making sure resources are going directly to those who can make the greatest difference.