On September 13, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which was the first piece of federal legislation that addressed intimate partner violence. VAWA has provided victim services and protections, especially for housing, counseling, and educational outreach. As a result of VAWA being passed, the US Department of Justice established the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), which then allowed for the Rochester-based Advocacy Services for Abused Deaf Victims (ASADV) to be established in 1998. This workshop will discuss the history and impact of VAWA, the present challenges of domestic and sexual violence in the Deaf community, and what we all can do to advocate together to support our victims/survivors and to hold perpetrators accountable.
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