On 30th Anniversary of VAWA, Cortez Masto Announces Increased Federal Resources to Help Southern Nevada Reduce Domestic Violence By Firearm

Nevada ranks 2nd for domestic violence nationwide and among the top 10 states with the highest rates of domestic violence homicides

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's announcement that Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as other 77 communities, will receive targeted resources through the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 to combat domestic violence. Las Vegas will receive a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to help the region protect survivors, crack down on intimate partner firearm violence, and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms.

"This is a vital step in protecting victims of domestic violence in Las Vegas and across the country," said Senator Cortez Masto. "By bringing everyone together, we can help make sure that abusers who illegally own firearms are held accountable and help reduce the threat of intimate partner gun violence. I'll keep fighting to ensure that Nevada gets the resources it needs to keep our communities safe."

Through the Justice Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT), federal prosecutors will work closely with Nevada state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to develop a comprehensive plan aimed at curbing and preventing gun violence in domestic abuse cases, as well as providing increased resources to deliver justice to victims and their families throughout Las Vegas. In June, the Supreme Court upheld longstanding federal law that prohibits domestic abusers from possessing guns.

Senator Cortez Masto is an outspoken advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. The Violence Against Women Act the Senator helped reauthorize is funded at the highest level ever to support victims of domestic violence. She was a cosponsor and vocal supporter of this landmark legislation to help address gender-based violence and provide services and protections for survivors. The reauthorization also included Cortez Masto's bipartisan Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act to require state programs to allow sexual assault victims to file for compensation without being unfairly penalized for delays due to rape kit backlogs. She helped pass the bipartisan Safer Communities Act to narrow the "dating partner" loophole and prevent convicted domestic violence abusers from purchasing and possessing firearms.

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