This article first reviews the provisions of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and its subsequent reauthorizations and then identifies and discusses issues related to VAWA's success.
The impact of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is frequently discussed, especially during times of its reauthorization. Although federal, state, local, and private organizations have funded a significant amount of research on VAWA's impact since its enactment, questions remain as to whether the field has the evidence to make a concrete judgment about its success. This article considers whether it is possible to answer Moore Parmley's question posed in 2004, p. 1,428: " . . . on the anniversary of the VAWA, will we be able to say with any confidence that the Act helped to prevent violence against women?" 72 references (publisher abstract modified)