AJR 31, as introduced, Roger Hernández. Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.
This measure would call upon the Congress of the United States to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Native women experience domestic violence and
2sexual assault at epidemic rates. American Indians and Alaska
3Natives are 2.5 times as likely to experience violent crimes, and
4at least two times more likely to experience rape or sexual assault
5crimes, compared to all other races; and
6WHEREAS, Thirty-four percent of American Indian and Alaska
7Native women will be raped in their lifetimes and 39 percent of
8American Indian and Alaska Native women will be subjected to
9violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime; and
10WHEREAS, The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act
11continues to be the federal government’s only funding source
12dedicated to supporting lifesaving services provided by domestic
13violence programs and shelters; and
14WHEREAS, While some Family Violence Prevention and
15Services Act funding stream set-asides are for tribes, most are
P2 1allocated to state governments, some federal territories, and state
2and federal territorial domestic violence coalitions. The Family
3Violence Prevention and Services Act excludes tribal domestic
4violence coalitions entirely; and
5WHEREAS, It is important for tribal coalitions to have equal
6access to Family Violence Prevention and Services Act fund stream
7set-asides. Tribal coalitions across the country are grassroot
8initiatives and they understand the inner circles of providing
9services to victims in their tribal communities. The purpose of
10tribal coalitions is to enhance the capacity of survivors, advocates,
11Indian women’s organizations, and victim services providers to
12form nonprofit, nongovernmental tribal domestic violence and
13sexual assault coalitions to advance the goal of ending violence
14against American Indian and Alaskan Native women; and
15WHEREAS, Increasing Family Violence Prevention and
16Services Act support to Native American tribes and allowing tribal
17coalitions access to Family Violence Prevention and Services Act
18funds will help to focus on public awareness and prevention of
19family violence, services for domestic violence victims and their
20children, and training and resources for tribally based programs
21and agencies that address these issues; and
22WHEREAS, The overarching goal of tribal coalitions is to
23increase dedication to improving systemic and community
24responses to victims and to raise awareness, educate, and provide
25technical assistance, training, and supportive services for victims
26of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and
27sex trafficking, including cultural and unique barriers facing Native
28American women; and
29WHEREAS, The Family Violence Prevention and Services
30Act’s reauthorization will allow communities across the country
31to continue to provide critically needed direct services to victims
32of domestic violence and their children. The reauthorization will
33also improve the delivery and access of services to meet a broad
34range of diverse needs for tribes; now, therefore, be it
35Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
36California, jointly, That the Legislature calls upon the Congress
37of the United States to reauthorize the Family Violence Prevention
38and Services Act; and be it further
39Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
40of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
P3 1States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each
2Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the
3United States.
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