The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was passed as Subchapter III of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. VAWA takes a comprehensive approach to domestic violence and sexual assault, combining a broad array of legal and practical reforms. The legislation, which includes grants of significant federal resources, reflects a firm commitment toward working to change the criminal justice system's response to violence perpetrated against women. Among the provisions of the Act are the following:

		The legal apparatus to force sex offenders to pay restitution to their victims
		Increased funding for battered women's shelters
		Nationwide enforcement of protection of abuse orders entered in any court and penalties for crossing state lines to abuse a spouse or violate a protection order
		A ban on firearms possession for domestic abusers and anyone who is the subject of a restraining order for domestic abuse
		Establishment of a federal cause of action for gender-motivated violence. Victims of a felony crime of violence motivated at least in part by gender may bring a civil suit for damages or equitable relief in federal or state court.
		Extension of the "rape shield law" to protect victims from abusive inquiries regarding their private sexual conduct.

Grant programs administered by Violence Against Women Grant Office (VAWGO) include:

STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grants Program

The S•T•O•P (Services•Training•Officers•Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grants are awarded to states and territories to develop and strengthen the criminal justice system's response to violence against women and to support and enhance services for victims. Each state and territory must allocate 25 percent of the grant funds to law enforcement, 25 percent to prosecution, and 25 percent to victim services. The remaining 25 percent can be allocated at each grantee's discretion within the broad parameters established by VAWA. The discretionary funds must support one of VAWA’s seven program purpose areas.

Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies

The Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies are designed to encourage state, local, and tribal governments to treat domestic violence as a serious violation of criminal law requiring the coordinated involvement of the entire criminal justice system. Grant funds may be used for implementing mandatory or pro-arrest programs and policies; developing policies and training in criminal justice agencies to improve tracking of domestic violence cases; and creating centralized domestic violence units consisting of police, prosecution, the judiciary, or other criminal justice agencies.

Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grants

The Rural Domestic Violence and Child Victimization Enforcement Grant Program is designed to improve and increase services available to rural women and children by encouraging community involvement in developing a coordinated response to domestic violence and child abuse. Police, prosecutors, judges, non-profit, non-governmental victim service agencies, and community organizations in rural jurisdictions are required to collaborate in the development and implementation of programs designed to reduce and prevent violence against rural women and children. Under this program, a state is considered rural, if it has a population density of 52 or fewer persons per square mile or the largest county has fewer than 150,000 people. Entities in non-rural states are eligible for funding through the state if they are in areas that meet their state's criteria for a rural jurisdiction.