Local Violence Against Women Advocates Relieved; Anti-Violence Law Renewed

By: Kristin Bauer - Email

Updated: Fri 6:06 AM, Mar 01, 2013

Patsy Martin has been fighting against violence towards women for more than 25 years.

She currently serves as the communications coordinator for Lincoln's Voices of Hope.

"[Violence] is a huge problem in our community and other communities. In some ways we are better-- as far as our response."

The group offers 24-hour-a-day crisis intervention, advocacy and prevention services for domestic violence, sexual assault and incest.

They will continue provide these services thanks a 286 to 138 vote in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

The House passed and sent to President Barack Obama a far-reaching extension of the Violence Against Women Act.

The House vote to reauthorize the 1994 law that has set the standard for anti-violence programs came after lawmakers rejected a more limited approach from Republicans.

The law lapsed in 2011 and has been caught up in the partisan battles that now divide Congress.

Last year, the House refused to go along with a Senate-passed bill that would have made clear that lesbians, gays, immigrants and Native American women should have equal access to anti-violence programs.

Vice President Joe Biden says the need for this bill, which saw opposition from Republicans, is obvious.

"There’s still too many women in this country who live in fear of violence," he said. "There’s are still too many victims we mourn. There's an urgent need for the bill that got passed and it can't be more obvious in my view."

Martin agrees, saying their organization would have been devastated without the bill.

"It would have been sad for our agency, but would have had a huge impact on this community."

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