AREN’T I A WOMAN DESERVING OF JUSTICE? RESTRUCTURING VAWA’S FUNDING STRUCTURE TO CREATE RACIAL AND GENDER EQUITY

Abstract

This Note analyzes the funding priorities of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and how the law’s egregious funding of prosecutors, enforcement agencies, officers, and courts directly impacts Black female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Although VAWA was passed in 1994 to serve as a federal remedy for women subjected to IPV, over 85% of current VAWA’s funding supports law enforcement, prosecutors, and the overall criminal legal system. This directly harms Black women due to this community’s historically negative relationship with the legal system. Additionally, Black women subjected to abuse are also uniquely impacted by VAWA’s emphasis on punitive measures and enforcement due to their overrepresentation amongst IPV survivors. This Note will advance the argument by investigating three grant programs under VAWA.