Remarks by the Vice President at the Signing of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Diane. Thank you. (Applause.)

Some of you in the audience who are survivors know how much courage it takes to do what Diane did. (Applause.) Some people who don't know will say, well, she's just recounting what happened. But every single time you stand and recount what happened, it brings it all back. It brings it all back like a very bad nightmare. But your speaking out, Diane, and so many survivors like you are literally saving the lives of so many other women who, God willing, will be able to avoid the abuse that you had to put up with.

I want to thank all the advocates who are here today. I got a chance to meet in my office with some of you a little bit earlier -- not only those on the stage who I, again, had a chance to meet with, but the many women out in the audience, as I look out and see some familiar faces like Pat Rouse and Ellie Smeal and Paulette Sullivan Moore from -- I'm being parochial -- Paulette Sullivan Moore from my home state, and so many others. (Applause.)

Those of you who have been around a while with me know that I quote my father all the time who literally would say, the greatest sin that could be committed, the cardinal sin of all sins was the abuse of power, and the ultimate abuse of power is for someone physically stronger and bigger to raise their hand and strike and beat someone else. In most cases that tends to be a man striking a woman, or a man or woman striking a child. That's the fundamental premise and the overarching reason why John Conyers and I and others started so many years ago to draft the legislation called the Violence Against Women Act.

It passed 19 years ago, and that's why we shortly thereafter instituted a hotline where women in distress could call for help. I remember, John, when we did that hotline, it was like, well, it will be useful, but I'm not so sure how much it will be used. Well, the truth of the matter is it's been used a lot and it's saved a lot of lives. Over 2 million women have had the courage -- the courage -- to try to get out of earshot of their abuser, escape from the prison of their own home, and pick up that phone and call to a line that you had no idea who on the other end was going to answer, and to say, I'm in trouble. Can you help me? Can you help me?

I love those men who would say when we started this about why don't they just leave. Well, if they had one-third the courage that those women -- those 2 million women had who have picked up the phone and called, not knowing what to expect, it would be a whole lot better nation.

We've built a network of shelters that are immediately available to women in need because we found out that the vast majority of children who are homeless on the street -- Nancy knows and others -- were there because their mothers were abused. Imagine fleeing for your life with only the clothes on your back and your child in your arms. The shelter was their only lifeline, and it's worked.

We also have specialized law enforcement units with trained prosecutors, victim advocates, court personnel who understand the unique challenges of the access. Because of all of you in the audience that are here today, we've been able to train judges and train intake officers, so when a frightened woman shows up at the family court and says to the intake officer, "I want to tell you" -- "Speak up, will you?" "Well, I just -- my" -- and they turn around and walk away, because there's only a very brief window, as all of you know, a very brief window, again, after a woman screws up the courage -- the courage -- to ask for help.

All these links in the chain have made a difference in the lives of women. It's one woman, one girl, one person at a time, one case at a time. And you providers know that better than anyone.

With all the law's success, there are still too many women in this country who live in fear of violence, who are still prisoners in their own home; too many victims that we have to mourn. We knew from the outset in 1994 that there was much more we could have done at the beginning if we were able to get the votes. But we did what was necessary and important, but we knew more had to be done to reduce domestic violence, domestic violence homicides, to provide new tools, as was just spoken to, to protect Native American women, to address the perplexing rate of dating violence among young women, and so much more.

But because of the people on this stage and in this room, every time we reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, we improved it. Every single time, we've improved it. (Applause.)

And we did this again. First, we've given jurisdiction to tribal courts over those who abuse women on reservations regardless of whether or not they -- (applause.) We're providing more resources to the states so they can be trained as to how to collect evidence, acquire convictions, particularly in prosecutions for rape. We're going to increase the use of proven models to reduce domestic violence homicides.

We've all focused on the tragic gun violence that has been in the news lately, but I want to point something out to you. From 2009 to 2012, 40 percent of the mass shootings in America, other than the celebrated ones you've seen -- 40 percent where there's four or more people who have been shot, the target has been a former intimate partner or a close family member.

So they go into the office, just like that young man who -- or woman who stood in front of you when your husband came with a loaded pistol to shoot you. Forty percent are a consequence of domestic violence.

We created a strong -- strong -- anti-violence program. Campuses will have more tools to educate students about sexual violence. (Applause.)

So when Congress passed this law that the President will sign today, they just didn't renew what I consider a sacred commitment to protect our mothers, our daughters, our sisters. They strengthened that commitment. And I want to thank them. I hope I don't leave anybody out. Starting off with my old buddy, Pat Leahy, who chairs the committee. Pat, thank you very, very much. (Applause.) And Mike Crapo. Mike, this wouldn't have happened if you had not stepped up. (Applause.) Lisa Murkowski is not here. But my friend who -- I don't want to get her in trouble, but I know she really likes me because I like her a lot -- (laughter) -- Senator Collins. Seriously, it was Republicans coming and standing up and saying this has to be done in the Senate. So we owe you. We owe you big. (Applause.)

And by the way, if you ever want a partner to get anything important done, call Nancy Pelosi. Call Nancy Pelosi. (Applause.) And Steny Hoyer, and Congresswoman Moore -- (applause -- and my old buddy -- I hope I'm not leaving anybody out here -- but my old buddy, John Conyers. (Applause.) I'm sure I'm leaving someone out, for which I apologize.

Look, we all know we have a lot more to do, but we're going to continue to make progress. And one of the reasons we're going to continue to make progress is we're going to have for at least three more years the President of the United States, my friend, Barack Obama. (Applause.)