Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 179 / Thursday, September 17, 2009 / Presidential Documents 47869 

Proclamation 8416 of September 14, 2009 

Fifteenth Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

Today, we commemorate a milestone in our Nation’s struggle to end violence 

against women. Authored by then United States Senator Joe Biden and 

signed into law in September 1994, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 

was the first law to create a comprehensive response to this problem at 

the national level. This landmark achievement has helped our Nation make 

great strides towards addressing this global epidemic. 

VAWA sought to improve our criminal justice system’s response to violence 

against women and to increase services available to victims. It directed 

all 50 States to recognize and enforce protection orders issued by other 

jurisdictions, and it created new Federal domestic violence crimes. The 

law also authorized hundreds of millions of dollars to communities and 

created a national domestic violence hotline. 

This bipartisan accomplishment has ushered in a new era of responsibility 

in the fight to end violence against women. In the 15 years since VAWA 

became law, our Nation’s response to domestic violence, dating violence, 

sexual assault, and stalking has strengthened. Communities recognize the 

special needs of victims and appreciate the benefits of collaboration among 

professionals in the civil and criminal justice system, victim advocates, 

and other service providers. With the support of VAWA funds, dedicated 

units of law enforcement officers and specialized prosecutors have grown 

more numerous than ever before. Most importantly, victims are more likely 

to have a place to turn for help—for emergency shelter and crisis services, 

and also for legal assistance, transitional housing, and services for their 

children. 

Despite this great progress, our Nation’s work remains unfinished. More 

families and communities must recognize that the safety of our children 

relates directly to the safety of our mothers. Access to sexual assault services, 

especially in rural America, must be increased. American Indian and Alaska 

Native women experience the highest rates of violence, and we must make 

it a priority to address this urgent problem. We must also work with diverse 

communities to make sure the response to violence is relevant and culturally 

appropriate. We must prevent the homicide of women and girls who have 

suffered from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. 

Far too many women in our communities and neighborhoods, and across 

the world, continue to suffer from violence. Inspired by the promise and 

achievement of the Violence Against Women Act, our Nation stands united 

in its determination to end these crimes and help those in need. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the Fifteenth Anniversary 

of the Violence Against Women Act. I call upon men and women of all 

ages, communities, organizations, and all levels of government, to work 

in collaboration to end violence against women. 


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47870 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 179 / Thursday, September 17, 2009 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day 

of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth. 

[FR Doc. E9–22585 

Filed 9–16–09; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3195–W9–P 


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