Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an expanded, Senate-approved version of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which now awaits being signed into law by President Barack Obama.
CT reported in 2012 when evangelical groups, including the National Association of Evangelicals, World Relief, Christian Community Development Association, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship–spoke out against VAWA and its failure to expand protections for abuse and trafficking victims, especially immigrants.
The newly approved VAWA authorizes fewer funds for abuse victims programs (down 17 percent), but expands the bill’s reach, “including barring programs that receive funding from discriminating against gays.”
However, not everyone is thrilled about Congress’ bipartisan work to reapprove VAWA, which expired in October 2011. More Republican representativesvoted against the bill than voted to approve it.
Concerned Women for America also is speaking out against the bill, saying it “hurts sex trafficking victims, seeks to legalize prostitution for minors, and fails to protect the conscience of organizations that oppose abortion but want to protect trafficking victims like the U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops.”
