1996.07.18 : Advisory Council on Violence Against Women Marks a Year of Progress

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Date: Thursday, July 18, 1996
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343

Advisory Council on Violence Against Women Marks a Year of Progress

The Advisory Council on Violence Against Women met today to mark the one-year anniversary since the Council's creation by the Clinton Administration. Co-chaired by Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna E. Shalala and Attorney General Janet Reno, the Council consists of 47 experts -- representatives from law enforcement, media, business, health and social services, victim advocacy, and survivors -- who are working to prevent violence against women.

Secretary Shalala gave members an update on the National Domestic Violence Hotline, unveiled by President Clinton on Feb. 21, 1996. This 24-hour, toll-free, bilingual hotline provides crisis assistance and local shelter referrals to women across the country.

Since its opening, the hotline has received over 33,000 calls -- far exceeding expectations. The vast majority of callers are first time help-seekers. Women placed 89 percent of the calls and men made 11 percent of the calls to the hotline. In addition, 64 percent of the callers identified themselves as victims of domestic violence, 19 percent as family and friends of victims, and 3 percent as batterers. The remaining 14 percent were professional service providers and members of the public. The hotline was established through an HHS grant authorized under the Violence Against Women Act, part of the 1994 Crime Bill championed by President Clinton. The hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE and the TDD number is 1-800-799-3224.

"Violence against women is a national epidemic, and the Clinton Administration is working on all fronts to address the crisis," Secretary Shalala said. "The Advisory Council on Violence Against Women is a landmark public-private collaboration that ensures that the best resources in the country are devoted to education, intervention, and prevention."

"In every area of the country, we are seeing activities that were not underway a year ago," Attorney General Janet Reno said. "Prosecutors and police are being trained, victim advocates have important new resources, and collaborative efforts are moving ahead."

Today's meeting is the third since the Council was formed on July 13, 1995. In the past year, the Council has initiated and helped implement a number of public and private-sector projects aimed at helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and preventing violence against women across the country. The Council has been involved in the following new initiatives:

Liz Claiborne, Inc., an Advisory Council member, has posted the National Domestic Violence Hotline number on the company's new billboard in New York City's Times Square. The hotline number and a message on domestic violence prevention is seen by the estimated 1.5 million people who pass by each day, as well as by the 20 million tourists who visit Times Square each year.
Public service announcements in English and Spanish have also been distributed throughout the country. NBC, also represented on the Advisory Council, is running a series of public service announcements on domestic violence that include the hotline number.
Secretary Shalala and Attorney General Janet Reno, as Advisory Council Co-Chairs, have written to medical schools across the country, urging them to include information on domestic violence in their curricula.
The federal government, under direction from President Clinton, is implementing an Employee Awareness Campaign on Violence Against Women. Federal agencies are working to distribute information and educational material to employees concerning domestic violence.
The Workplace Resource Center, organized by the Family Violence Prevention Fund and supported by several corporations represented on the Advisory Council, is also providing help and education to employees in the private and public sectors concerning domestic violence -- through newsletters, information fairs, and workplace assistance.
Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), interstate domestic violence and harassment are now federal offenses. VAWA has now been used in 18 prosecutions, in addition to those taking place at the state and local levels. The law provides for the interstate enforcement of restraining orders and prohibits people under restraining orders from possessing ammunition and firearms.
On May 26, the Justice Department announced that $130 million in grants will be available this fiscal year under the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) grant program. These funds will be used by states and territories to assist police, prosecutors, and victim service providers in combating domestic violence and sexual assault. Last year's grants are already having an impact. For example, Delaware's Wilmington Police Department received funds to hire a civilian outreach worker to help victims secure protection orders and prosecute their cases.
On June 20, President Clinton announced $46 million for the Community Oriented Policing (COPS) to Combat Domestic Violence grant program. Over 300 jurisdictions will receive grants from the Justice Department under this initiative to run innovative community policing programs focused on domestic violence.