According to top administration officials, President Joe Biden will announce new initiatives to reduce gender-based violence on Thursday in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act.
Senior administration officials said on a teleconference with reporters that Biden will speak to survivors, activists, and allies on the South Lawn at an event honoring the law.
In 2021, Biden established the White House’s Gender Policy Council to promote gender equality. Jennifer Klein, a Biden aide, said the Justice Department will unveil a number of initiatives to assist victims of gender-based violence, including $690 million in grant funding this year and plans for a new national resource center to combat cybercrimes.
The goal of the resource center is to assist victim assistance organizations, prosecutors, and law enforcement authorities in combating cybercrimes against individuals, such as publishing private photos online without permission and cyberstalking, according to Klein.
According to Klein, the Justice Department intends to increase federal funding for state and local law enforcement agencies. It will also broaden funding opportunities to enhance programs that take away firearms from individuals facing misdemeanor convictions for domestic abuse or who are under protective orders.
According to Klein, a new office aimed at combating gender-based violence will be unveiled by the Department of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday. This office will assist victims in obtaining safe housing and stable employment.
After withdrawing from the presidential race in June, Biden is attempting to solidify his record in the remaining months of his term in office.
He first introduced the Violence Against Women Act in 1990 while a senator, and in 2022 he signed a measure reauthorizing it.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline was a part of the first legislation, which was passed in 1994 as a bipartisan crime measure.
The extended 2022 legislation added elements to guard against harassment and abuse online.
Investments against gender-based violence were also included in Biden’s American Rescue Plan. According to the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act program, 252 tribes, 1,500 domestic violence programs, and 1,400 sexual assault programs have benefited from almost $1 billion in additional funding.