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UPDATE - Still No Release of Governmental Reports on Violence Against Women

MISSING reported that the government's delay in publishing reports that it is obligated to produce under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is affecting the case for important federal legislation on domestic violence and workers' rights in both the House and Senate. Some victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking leave their jobs because of the violence in their lives. Others are discharged from their jobs. Victims who leave their jobs as a result of violence often need unemployment insurance to establish economic independence from their abusers. In most states, individuals are ineligible for unemployment benefits if they leave work voluntarily without "good cause" or if they are discharged for "misconduct". In fact, just under half of the states (24) have passed laws that explicitly provide unemployment insurance to domestic violence victims. The Security and Financial Empowerment Act (SAFE) seeks to address many of these issues through provisions such as emergency work leave, emergency insurance protection and employer training to better respond to domestic violence. SAFE was reintroduced in the Senate and House on October 30, 2003 by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Jon Corzine (D-NJ) and Mark Dayton (D-MN) and Congresswomen Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY). [SAFE was originally introduced in July 2001 with Senator Wellston (deceased) as lead sponsor.]

As of April 22, 2004:
The government had not yet released these reports, nor had SAFE been passed.

On June 23, 2004:
Congresswomen Solis and Slaughter spoke about the "missing" VAWA report on the House Floor.
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For more information on SAFE, visit Legal Momentum's website.

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