Violence Against Women Act expands services to LGBTQ+ survivors

qvoicenews.com:

The Violence Against Women Act, reauthorized in the spending bill signed into law Tuesday by President Joe Biden, for the first time includes a grant program designed to aid LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Photo: iStock. The Violence Against Women Act, reauthorized in the spending bill signed into law Tuesday by President Joe Biden, for the first time includes a grant program designed to aid LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The act has for some years has barred service providers from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity, but the reauthorized version does much more, activists note. “This Act creates the first grant program dedicated to expanding and developing initiatives specifically for LGBTQ domestic violence and sexual assault survivors,” said a statement from Liz Seaton, the National LGBTQ Task Force’s policy director. “Our sister organization, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, participated in a working group on bill language and advocated for its passage.” “This legislation has the strongest-ever provisions to benefit LGBTQ survivors,” added Beverly Tillery, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, which coordinates the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. “While the LGBTQ community continues to experience a barrage of anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ attacks across the nation, VAWA provides a brief moment of hope that we can and will continue to make important advancements for our community.

This victory is the result of a strong coalition of advocates who have been willing to fight with and for the most marginalized communities in our country.” The reauthorized law also will step up programs for