Anti-sexual assault activists back Biden, push for reauthorization of Violence Against Women Act

Advocates for the prevention of sexual assault appeared at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday to support former Vice President Joe Biden and call for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.

The activists maintained that Biden, who helped pass the signature law signed in 1994, would be an ally in the effort to reauthorize it after it lapsed in 2019.

“As the president and CEO of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, I’ve seen Joe Biden’s passionate leadership in passing the Violence Against Women Act. Now domestic violence rates are rising due to this pandemic. We need Congress to reauthorize and enhance that law. We need leaders who believe that a woman’s life is worth fighting for,” said Ruth Glenn.

“The vice president has worked tirelessly by our side to end the backlog of hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits, and our work will continue, because testing kits not only makes our country safer, but it sends a vital message to survivors, that what happened to them matters,” Mariska Hargitay, the star of “Law & Order: SVU,” added.

“I am voting for Joe Biden for my daughter, for my sons, for all of our children,” she said.

The segment of the convention also featured video of Biden overseeing hearings in 1990 that featured women recounting the domestic abuse they faced as early legislation was being crafted.

“They’re doing nothing to help them. Nothing,” he said in a clip of a press conference at the time.

Biden has repeatedly touted the need to renew the law, which has not been brought to the Senate floor for reauthorization after it expired last year.

“I authored the Violence Against Women Act, and as president I’ll expand our efforts to end gender-based violence,” Biden tweeted after the segment aired at the convention. “Together, we’ll get this done.”

I authored the Violence Against Women Act, and as president I’ll expand our efforts to end gender-based violence. Thank you, @Mariska, @RuthMGlenn, and Carly Dryden for your courage and advocacy. Together, we’ll get this done. #DemConvention pic.twitter.com/2bjnlz4s1w

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 19, 2020