The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was first passed with bipartisan support in 1994. This legislation is designed to prevent sexual violence, protect the rights of survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable. It sets baseline laws to protect survivors' rights and fund programs for primary prevention, victim services, and public safety.

In the last year, through VAWA funding, the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA) & our member centers have:

• Served 2,431 survivors
• Answered 10,800 hotline calls 
• Trained over 26,000 people in sexual violence prevention & response.

We, the undersigned, strongly encourage you to support a robust, inclusive, and well-funded VAWA. Under VAWA, state organizations like LaFASA and the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement allocate funds to communities for prevention and victim service programs. VAWA saves lives in Louisiana!