Violence Against Women Act The Violence Against Women Act of
1994 (VAWA) is a United States federal law (Title IV, sec.
40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act
of 1994, H.R. 3355) signed as Pub.L. 103–322 by President Bill
Clinton on September 13, 1994. The Act provides $1.6 billion
toward investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against
women, imposes automatic and mandatory restitution on those
convicted, and allows civil redress in cases prosecutors chose
to leave unprosecuted. The Act also establishes the Office on
Violence Against Women within the Department of Justice. Its
coverage extends to male victims of domestic violence, dating
violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWA was drafted by the
office of Senator Joe Biden (D-DE), with support from a broad
coalition of advocacy groups. The Act passed through Congress
with bipartisan support in 1994, clearing the House by a vote of
235–195 and the Senate by a vote of 61–38, although the
following year House Republicans at