On Monday, President Barack Obama signed the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) which includes the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). The legislation aims to raise awareness about domestic and sexual violence which continues to devastate the lives of hundreds of thousands of women, children and men across the U.S.
With close to 1 million American children, annually, victims of abuse and neglect and who fail to receive adequate protection or treatment, CAPTA-funded services provide new tools to identify and treat abuse and neglect among children.
FVPSA is the only federal funding source dedicated to support the elimination of domestic violence, despite the fact that 1 in 4 women is affected by it. The reauthorization of FVPSA would continue funding for shelters and services, crisis hotlines, counseling services and programs for underserved communities, among other services.
