Domestic violence is not a private matter. It is a social problem, one that not only puts women at a disproportionate risk for severe bodily harm and more, but challenges the very well-being of our communities as a whole.

The domestic violence rates in our country are staggering. In 2010, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention survey found that more than one out of every three women in the United States reported being raped, physically assaulted, stalked or a combination of the three by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

The threat and negative impact of domestic violence impacts our entire society, not just in terms of personal physical and mental well-being, but economically as well. Domestic violence costs us all more than $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services. Additionally, victims lose close to 8 million days of paid work as a result of domestic violence, equivalent to more than 32,000 full-time jobs and approximately 5.6 million days of household productivity.

Abusers rely on a range of behaviors in order to gain power and control over their partners. One behavior in particular is the control of access to outside resources. Generally, women who flee from abusers do so in the midst of a crisis. As an unfortunate result, many essential personal items are left behind, including documents necessary for creating a new life of independence.

One’s Social Security card, photo identification card and birth certificate are among the most important forms of identity necessary for job applications, bank interactions and securing a home. Additionally, birth certificates are required to obtain both a driver’s license and a Social Security card. When survivors are forced to flee without these documents, the options afforded them are greatly limited.

That is why I am introducing legislation that takes a pragmatic approach to help survivors of domestic violence at a crucial point in the process of freeing themselves from their abusers. The Documents for Continued Safety Act would make it easier for survivors and their families to get access to their own vital documents in their most critical hour. By providing this important service, we can empower survivors to preserve their newfound safety.

One of the first bills I cosponsored after coming to Congress was the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. This vital legislation, which should have never gotten caught up in partisan gridlock in the last Congress, passed this Congress with the support from both sides of the aisle that this serious issue deserves. The bipartisan backing for this much-needed measure I am now putting forward furthers the important truth that protecting survivors of domestic violence is neither a partisan issue nor only a women’s issue.

The Documents for Continued Safety Act will add an option available to those desperate to escape and unlock greater opportunities to lead a life without violence, empowering and protecting survivors.


To view the original op-ed published by U.S. News & World Report, click here.