Everytown, Moms Demand Action Applaud Biden-Harris Administration’s Commitment to Ending Gender-Based Violence on Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act

WASHINGTON — Today, in response to the White House’s announcement of its strengthened commitment to ending gender-based violence on the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action released the following statements:

“Domestic violence robbed me and my sisters of decades with our mother, Patricia Ann. Her absence is felt at every birthday. Every graduation. That’s why I know just how important it is for our elected leaders to take steps that can prevent other families from living with this grief,” said Melody McFadden, a volunteer with Moms Demand Action and part of the Everytown Veteran Advisory Council from South Carolina. When Melody was 17, her mother was shot and killed in front of Melody’s three younger sisters in a domestic violence incident. Her mother’s boyfriend, who committed the murder, was a prior convicted felon and had obtained an illegal weapon. “I’m so grateful to President Biden and Vice President Harris for their consistent, compassionate leadership. Through their decades of work to protect women and families, they honor my mother and the far too many who have been taken by senseless violence.”

“On its 30th anniversary, the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to strengthening the Violence Against Women Act is a powerful affirmation of our dedication to protecting women and families from violence,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “This vital law not only empowers survivors but also enhances crucial provisions for gun safety, ensuring that abusers can no longer access firearms to threaten or harm women. This re-commitment is a beacon of hope and justice, marking a significant stride toward safer communities and a stronger commitment to ending violence against women.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration understands that you can’t talk about gun violence without talking about the role guns play in far too many abusive relationships,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We applaud the Administration for strengthening the tools law enforcement uses to intervene before an abuser can get their hands on a gun and the programs that support survivors in communities all across the country.”

Here’s what you need to know about today’s announcement:

• The Administration is expanding technical assistance and federal funding under the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program to support state and local law enforcement programs that remove firearms from domestic abusers who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or who are subject to a domestic violence restraining order. (In June, the Supreme Court, in an 8-1 life-saving decision in United States v. Rahimi, upheld the longstanding federal law that prohibits domestic abusers under these protective orders from possessing guns.)
  • The Administration is also developing new resources, including training, toolkits, and best practices, to encourage states to use these funds to further support removal efforts.
    • In June, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund launched the GovGrant Navigator, an online tool to help those seeking federal funding navigate federal grant programs that provide funding and resources to prevent gun violence such as the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program. 
      
• The Administration is working to further implement the changes that the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act made to narrow the “dating partner” loophole, extending the prohibition on abusers who have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from purchasing and possessing firearms to current and former dating partners. The Department of Justice will continue to educate states on the scope of this provision and to ensure that records of prohibited abusers are available to the federal background check system.
  
• The Administration is announcing full implementation of the bipartisan NICS Denial Notification Act—enacted as part of the VAWA Reauthorization Act of 2022—that requires the FBI to notify local law enforcement when a prohibited person, including someone under a domestic violence restraining order or who has a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, tries to buy a gun from a licensed dealer and fails a background check.
  • These notifications help law enforcement investigate and intervene before these abusers are able to acquire guns through other means, such as an unlicensed seller online or at a gun show.

Domestic violence and gun violence are inextricably linked in the United States, with an average of 70 women shot and killed by an intimate partner each month. Abusers with firearms are five times more likely to kill their female victims. In June, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund released a report highlighting the importance of implementing laws that disarm domestic abusers.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, available 24/7, for confidential assistance from a trained advocate. You can also find more resources on legal assistance in English and Spanish at WomensLaw.org.