FINDINGS.

SEC. 201. FINDINGS. Congress finds the following: (1) Nearly ⅓ of American women report physical or sexual abuse by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives. (2) According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, 248,000 Americans 12 years of age and older were raped or sexually assaulted in 2002. (3) Rape and sexual assault in the United States is estimated to cost $127,000,000,000 per year, including—(A) lost productivity; (B) medical and mental health care; (C) police and fire services; (D) social services; (E) loss of and damage to property; and (F) reduced quality of life. (4) Nonreporting of sexual assault in rural areas is a particular problem because of the high rate of nonstranger sexual assault. (5) Geographic isolation often compounds the problems facing sexual assault victims. The lack of anonymity and accessible support services can limit opportunities for justice for victims. (6) Domestic elder abuse is primarily family abuse. The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study found that the perpetrator was a family member in 90 percent of cases. (7) Barriers for older victims leaving abusive relationships include—(A) the inability to support themselves; (B) poor health that increases their dependence on the abuser; (C) fear of being placed in a nursing home; and (D) ineffective responses by domestic abuse programs and law enforcement. (8) Disabled women comprise another vulnerable population with unmet needs. Women with disabilities are more likely to be the victims of abuse and violence than women without disabilities because of their increased physical, economic, social, or psychological dependence on others. (9) Many women with disabilities also fail to report the abuse, since they are dependent on their abusers and fear being abandoned or institutionalized. (10) Of the 598 battered women’s programs surveyed—119 STAT. 2994(A) only 35 percent of these programs offered disability awareness training for their staff; and (B) only 16 percent dedicated a staff member to provide services to women with disabilities. (11) Problems of domestic violence are exacerbated for immigrants when spouses control the immigration status of their family members, and abusers use threats of refusal to file immigration papers and threats to deport spouses and children as powerful tools to prevent battered immigrant women from seeking help, trapping battered immigrant women in violent homes because of fear of deportation. (12) Battered immigrant women who attempt to flee abusive relationships may not have access to bilingual shelters or bilingual professionals, and face restrictions on public or financial assistance. They may also lack assistance of a certified interpreter in court, when reporting complaints to the police or a 9–1–1 operator, or even in acquiring information about their rights and the legal system. (13) More than 500 men and women call the National Domestic Violence Hotline every day to get immediate, informed, and confidential assistance to help deal with family violence. (14) The National Domestic Violence Hotline service is available, toll-free, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, with bilingual staff, access to translators in 150 languages, and a TTY line for the hearing-impaired. (15) With access to over 5,000 shelters and service providers across the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands, the National Domestic Violence Hotline provides crisis intervention and immediately connects callers with sources of help in their local community. (16) Approximately 60 percent of the callers indicate that calling the Hotline is their first attempt to address a domestic violence situation and that they have not called the police or any other support services. (17) Between 2000 and 2003, there was a 27 percent increase in call volume at the National Domestic Violence Hotline. (18) Improving technology infrastructure at the National Domestic Violence Hotline and training advocates, volunteers, and other staff on upgraded technology will drastically increase the Hotline’s ability to answer more calls quickly and effectively.