NOW Foundation Urges Closer Examination of Violence Against Women

It's been 16 years since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act and more than a decade since a U.N. Special Rapporteur examined violence against women in the United States. This year, the National Organization for Women urges that the U.S. invite the current Special Rapporteur on violence against women, Rashida Manjoo, to prepare a report on VAW. To assist Ms. Manjoo in selecting a focus for her study, NOW Foundation met with the Special Rapporteur at a Roundtable on Violence Against Women sponsored by the University of Virginia School of Law Human Rights Program in early February and provided her with our recommendations. With the hardships of the economic recession contributing to a tragic increase in violent acts and many states slashing funds for shelters and programs, the time seems especially appropriate for a fresh look at how well or not-so-well we are doing to reduce violence against women.

Read NOW Foundation's full report (PDF)