With Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, we are starting a call to action this March for Ohioans to tell Congress to Reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The Ohio Alliance To End Sexual Violence and the Ohio Domestic Violence Network are collaborating on this call to action because:

·        An estimated 1 in 6 women in Ohio and nearly 1 in 71 men has been raped in their lifetime. That equals approximately 743,000 adult women who are survivors of rape living in Ohio.

·        1 in 4 women have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner.

·        1 in 6 women and 1 in 19 men have been stalked during their lifetime.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), enacted in 1994, recognizes the insidious and pervasive nature of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and supports comprehensive, effective and cost saving responses to these crimes. VAWA programs, administered by the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, give law enforcement, prosecutors and judges the tools they need to hold offenders accountable and keep communities safe while supporting victims. VAWA must be swiftly reauthorized to ensure the continuation of these vital, lifesaving programs and laws.

Please sign on to this letter today and let us know which county you are from in Ohio. If you have any questions, please contact info@oaesv.org. Thank you for your support of this important cause!