<NEWS RELEASE>
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today (Wednesday, June 10) called for reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, praising the landmark legislation as an important tool to help police, prosecutors, the court system, health care providers and many others raise awareness about domestic violence, prosecute abusers and help victims.
At a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Klobuchar spoke about her experience enforcing the law as County Attorney for Minnesota's largest county, and about the legacy of Minnesota's Paul and Sheila Wellstone, who helped lead the fight to combat violence against women.
"As a former prosecutor, I heard firsthand the stories of victims of sexual and domestic violence, said Klobuchar, who served as Hennepin County Attorney from 1998 to 2006. "This legislation has had a profound role in protecting women and supporting the victims of sexual and domestic violence. Its reauthorization is vital for America's women.
According to a Centers for Disease Control study, one in four women are victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives.
At the hearing, witness Catherine Pierce, the Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women at the Justice Department, praised Senator Klobuchar for her efforts to coordinate local responses to domestic violence and sexual abuse during her tenure as Hennepin County Attorney.
Pierce cited the Hennepin County Domestic Abuse Service Center as a model for helping victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Klobuchar noted that the highly regarded Domestic Abuse Service Center is a "one stop shop for a full range of services and resources to assist domestic abuse victims and their families.
Among the issues Klobuchar raised with Pierce was the ability of law enforcement to track domestic violence and sexual abuse crimes across jurisdictional boundaries. Pierce responded that the Justice Department has begun to develop more usable databases to help law enforcement, prosecutors and judges track such crimes across the country.
Other witnesses at the hearing included Gabrielle Union, actor and advocate; Karen Tronsgard-Scott, director, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; Ann Burke, RN, M.Ed., president and founder, Lindsay Ann Burke Memorial Fund; Collene Campbell, national chair, Force 100 and Sally Wolfgang Wells, chief assistant, Office of the Maricopa County Attorney.
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