TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S TOP JOB PREVENTING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REMAINS UNFILLED
day after President Donald Trump condemned domestic violence amid the furor surrounding the recent allegations against a former top aide, it was reported that the White House has yet to nominate a director for its office in charge of preventing violence against women.
The Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) has now been without a leader since Trump took office more than a year ago, The Washington Post reported Thursday. The office runs on a budget of more than $450 million and administers 25 grant programs that help victims.
Earlier this week, Trump released his anticipated budget, which included a proposal for a one percent increase to tackle violence against women as a national conversation has heated up on the issue.
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“We’ve condemned domestic violence in every way possible,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Tuesday. “In fact, the president’s budget that he released yesterday fully funds the Violence Against Women Act. We’re looking for ways that we can take action to help this prevent this from ever happening to anyone.”
Trump
US President Donald Trump responds to a reporter's question on domestic violence following a working session regarding opportunity zones following the recently signed tax bill in the Oval Office of the White House on February 14, 2018 in Washington, DC.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), passed in 1994, gave funding for programs that worked to prevent domestic and sexual violence. But as Trump took office amid a campaign that was wrought with sexual assault allegations against him, the White House sought a slew of federal cuts, including funding for the VAWA.
In 2013, the Obama administration reauthorized the VAWA, expanding legislation and extending the act to increase protections for gay, bisexual and transgender survivors, as well as to Native Americans.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, there are at least 10 million incidents of domestic violence every year.
For more than a week, the White House has been besieged by controversy over what they knew and when over allegations of domestic abuse leveled against staff secretary Rob Porter. Particular focus has fallen on White House Chief of Staff John Kelly's handling of the matter, but Trump similarly initially defended Porter.
On Wednesday, the president told reporters at a photo opportunity that he is “totally opposed to domestic violence.”
"I'm totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind. Everyone knows that. And it almost wouldn't even have to be said. So, now you hear it, but you all know,” Trump said.
Still, the Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into how Porter had access to highly confidential documents and was allowed access to the president's Oval Office without a permanent security.
