{"id":459,"date":"2022-04-12T13:01:43","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T20:01:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/?p=459"},"modified":"2026-05-18T09:41:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T16:41:56","slug":"the-violence-against-women-act-and-its-effect-on-victims-of-domestic-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/the-violence-against-women-act-and-its-effect-on-victims-of-domestic-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"The Violence Against Women Act and its Effect on Victims of Domestic Violence"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2136136663.jpg\" alt=\"VAWA violence against women act symbol. Concept words VAWA violence against women act on books.\" class=\"wp-image-460\" style=\"width:250px;height:167px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2136136663.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2136136663-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2136136663-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Originally signed back in 1994, The Violence Against Women\nAct (VAWA) exists to support victims of domestic violence and ultimately reduce\ninstances of violence and sexual assault. The law expired back in 2019, but it\nis in the news once again as President Biden recently signed its\nreauthorization into law. As such, we\u2019ve decided to outline exactly what\nsupports the Violence Against Women Act offers, and how those in need can take\nadvantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Effects of the VAWA Reauthorization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Established a civil cause of action for those<br>whose intimate photos are dispersed without their consent, allowing victims<br>reimbursement for their damages and legal fees after prosecution of the<br>cybercrime. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increased educational emphasis on preventing and<br>responding to sexual violence through ramped up support of the Rape Prevention<br>and Education Program and Sexual Assault Services Program along with expansion<br>of discussions in higher education. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced training for healthcare providers to<br>respond to instances of domestic violence and sexual assault properly and<br>effectively. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Places a greater emphasis on reducing youth<br>dating violence and offering increased support to children who have been exposed<br>to domestic violence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allows criminal background check systems to flag<br>cases where individuals with a background of domestic violence are attempting<br>to purchase a firearm. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Obtaining Citizenship Status with VAWA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Critically, VAWA also offers immigration relief and allows individuals\nimpacted by domestic violence to apply for permanent resident status after\nreceiving VAWA designation. To do so, the affected individual must fill in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscis.gov\/green-card\/green-card-eligibility\/green-card-for-vawa-self-petitioner\">VAWA\nself-petition<\/a> and subsequently complete an application for adjustment of\nstatus based on VAWA. If this is an avenue you think may be open to you, we are\nhappy to serve as your advisor through the application process to maximize your\nchances of securing the citizenship you deserve amid this difficult time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are You Dealing with the Aftermath of a Domestic Violence Incident? We Can\nHelp.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you or a loved one experienced an incident involving domestic violence, you deserve a skilled attorney who will get you the compensation and support that you need as a result. Consult with an experienced attorney like those of the Law Office of Elizabeth A. Lawrence today by clicking <a href=\"https:\/\/elawrencelaw.com\/contact-us\/\">here<\/a> or calling (410) 986-0088. Skype, Zoom and Facetime consultations are available as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Originally signed back in 1994, The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) exists to support victims of domestic violence and ultimately reduce instances of violence and sexual assault. The law expired back in 2019, but it is in the news once again as President Biden recently signed its reauthorization into law. As such, we\u2019ve decided to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us-immigration"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Violence Against Women Act and its Effect on Victims of Domestic Violence<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Originally signed back in 1994, The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) exists to support victims of domestic violence and ultimately reduce instances of\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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