This past year we experienced a great bipartisan victory with reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

In VAWA 2005, we were able not only to keep in place the successful programs of the past 11 years, but also to initiate new programs to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

One such program is the Jessica Gonzales Victims Assistance Program, which improves our local law enforcement agencies’ effectiveness in complying with restraining orders.

Now that we have taken the initiative and instituted this program, we must also take that next step and properly fund this program.

Nearly one in three women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood.

But far too many of these cases go unreported, often because victims are skeptical about receiving adequate protection against their attackers.

And not surprisingly:

Nearly half of all victims who obtain restraining orders are abused again.

What kind of message does that send about our nation’s ability to protect victims of domestic violence?

The newly authorized program to address the shortfalls of restraining order enforcement is named after Jessica Gonzales, who, as many of you may remember, was ignored when she informed police that her estranged husband had violated his restraining order and kidnapped their three children.

Ms. Gonzales’ three children were murdered that night by her husband, despite the police having been informed about Mr. Gonzales’ whereabouts with the children.

We must not let this happen again.

I urge my colleagues to support this amendment so that we can properly fund the Jessica Gonzales Victims Assistance program.

We owe victims enforced protection against their attackers and we must ensure that the next time a woman is attacked, she knows reporting the crime and obtaining a restraining order are not fruitless gestures.

Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.