PARSIPPANY — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) toured Jersey Battered Women’s Services (JBWS) in Morris County, and alongside JBWS President Diane Williams announced her support for the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA). First signed into law in 1994, the 2019 reauthorization enhances judicial, law enforcement, and healthcare tools to better serve survivors of violence, and expands housing protections for survivors.
“The programs, protections and funding provided under VAWA help groups like Jersey Battered Women’s Services get women in our state the care and support they need,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. “When one out of three women in the United States experiences domestic violence, there is no question that Congress must once again come together and reauthorize VAWA with broad bipartisan support. Gaps in the current law were identified by survivors as well as advocates like JBWS, and I’m particularly proud to support the effort to strengthen VAWA.”
“We are so pleased that Congresswoman Sherrill has made the issue of domestic violence a priority and is co-sponsoring the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA),” said JBWS President and CEO Diane Williams. “It was wonderful to host a tour of our emergency safe house so that she and her staff could get a first-hand look at the tremendous need for the many services in place for the families fleeing the most dangerous domestic violence situations. JBWS answers 6,000 helpline calls each year; shelters up to 12 families at a time in the safe house; delivers safety planning, counseling, case management and children’s services; and provides a full-service transitional living program with 11 fully furnished apartments. These services are only made possible with the more than $400,000 we receive from VAWA annually. Clearly, we can’t afford to lose this money and still do the full array of critical work we do.”
Jersey Battered Women’s Services is a non-profit domestic violence agency in Morris County. Since 1978, the shelter has provided protection, empowerment, and rehabilitation for victims of domestic violence as well as advocacy and public education about domestic violence.
