Nearly one out of every three American women have reported being assaulted, beaten or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their life. Similarly, nearly 1,200 American women, or one-third of all female homicide victims, are killed by current or former husbands and boyfriends. Perhaps somewhere in excess of 3 million American women are physically abused by their husbands or live-in partners each year. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injuries to women, eclipsing car crashes, muggings and rapes combined. Family violence costs the nation at least $6 billion annually in medical expenses, police and court costs, shelters, foster care, sick leave, absenteeism and loss of productivity. More than 3 million stalking incidents are reported to authorities in an average year. In reports by stalking victims, nearly 70% were stalked by an intimate partner, while 13% were stalked by a stranger. Nearly 70% of women killed by a stalker were intimate with their murderer in the prior year.

Proposed Legislation: Reintroduction of H.R.64 - Candace's Law (114th Congress 2015-2016)
Prospective Sponsor: Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (TX)