HJ0023 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0023 LRB096 03165 RLC 13182 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Violence Against Women Act was enacted in 1994 in response to the domestic battery events occurring across the nation; and

WHEREAS, Violence against women is a major cause of reduced quality of life, distress, injury, and death for women and has serious secondary effects for families, communities, and the economy; and

WHEREAS, Violence against women takes many forms, including battering, sexual harassment, and rape; and

WHEREAS, More than one in five adult women experience at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood; as many as one of every two women are affected by sexual harassment over the course of their working lives; and approximately one in eight women have experienced a sexual assault in their lifetimes; and

WHEREAS, Research reveals a high prevalence of acute and chronic mental and physical health consequences resulting from violence against women; and

WHEREAS, Being assaulted by or witnessing assaults toward family members in childhood or adolescence increases the likelihood of mental health problems, substance abuse, and involvement in abusive relationships for both women and men; and

WHEREAS, Gender and gender relations play critical roles in directing violence toward women; and

WHEREAS, Understanding violence against women requires examining the power inequalities between men and women, including legal, economic, and physical power inequalities; and

WHEREAS, Women living in poverty are at especially high risk for all types of violence-particularly severe and life threatening assaults; and

WHEREAS, Psychologists, as researchers, service providers, and policy advocates, have important roles to play in educating the public and preventing and treating violence against women; and

WHEREAS, Levels of assaultive and lethal violence against women remain high, despite two decades of increased awareness and legislation; and

WHEREAS, The federal Violence Against Women Act is a staple in the movement to confront violence against women and family members; and

WHEREAS, Cuts in the federal budget have adversely affected the Violence Against Women Act; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the Congressional members of the State of Illinois and the entire United States Congress to continue funding the federal Violence Against Women Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Illinois Congressional delegation, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the Majority Leader of the United States Senate.