Domestic violence was considered a family matter.
Back then, society largely turned a blind eye, dismissed cries for help, or blamed the victims.
So, as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I began to do just that.
Senator Joe Biden and Attorney General Janet Reno chat before a press conference on the Violence Against Women Act crime bill, outside the Capitol, 1994.
I invited health professionals, advocates, and courageous survivors to testify to the entire nation.
Their harrowing stories have stuck with me more than 30 years later.
We brought together a coalition that included shelters, religious organizations, survivors, prosecutors, and advocates.
Thousands of demonstrators gather in Washington, protesting policies of the new GOP-led Congress amid fears Congress would cut domestic violence funding, April 1995.
And I invited health professionals, advocates, and courageous survivors to testify to the entire nation.
Their harrowing stories have stuck with me more than 30 years later.
Another survivors landlord hired two men to slash her face with a razor after she rebuffed his advances.
And a yet another was abducted from a parking lot and raped.
With each shocking testimony, hearts and minds began to change.
With VAWA in place, we started to increase justice for survivors and accountability for perpetrators.
Standing up to abuse of power is hard, but I know we can do thiswe must do this.
Most recently, we secured the highest-ever funding of more than $700 million to implement the laws programs.
The work never stops.
But over the last 30 years, weve made tremendous progress.
The rate of reported rapes and sexual assaults declined by almost 56%.
Earlier this year, our National Domestic Violence Hotline fielded its 7 millionth call since 1996.
Theres more to do, but we will not rest until it gets done.
That lesson was the driving force behind my decision to create the Violence Against Women Act 30 years ago.
I believe America is a great nation, because we are a good people.
Joe Biden is the 46th president of the United States.
