Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) issued the following statement commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act:

“Thirty years ago, the Violence Against Women Act was signed into law. This landmark legislation dramatically expanded access to critical safety and support services and protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence,” said Kuster. “However, the scourge of sexual violence remains an epidemic that our country continues to grapple with. As a survivor, ending this crisis is personal to me. While we’ve made progress combating gender-based violence and empowering survivors, we must not stop fighting until we’ve built a future where every woman, everywhere, is safe.”

Signed into law as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, the Violence Against Women Act has dramatically reduced intimate partner violence against women and men.

Kuster, a survivor of sexual assault, has made ending gender-based violence and protecting and empowering survivors a cornerstone of her work in Congress. She is the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence and was a co-sponsor of legislation reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.

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