The IC sent the following letter to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate:

October 27, 2022 

Dear Member of Congress: 

Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are extreme violations of a person’s dignity and humanity. As members of the Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (IC), comprising nearly 40 organizations representing thousands of people of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Baha’i, and Sikh faiths, we are writing to express our unified voice for the right of every person to live free from domestic violence. 

Gender-based violence has no place in our faith traditions. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we want to express our gratitude for the work of the 117th Congress in passing two pieces of legislation that center the needs of survivors, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA) and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

In March of 2022, over three years since VAWA expired, Congress passed VAWA as part of the omnibus spending package. It was a survivor-centered bill that was ground-breaking in many ways and included historic supports that increase access to services, safety, and justice. It expands access to legal services across grant programs, enhances the enforcement and compliance of housing protections and improves the VAWA transitional housing program, mandates a government study and subsequent report to Congress on the barriers to survivors’ economic access, and increases funding authorization to programs serving underserved communities – including religious minorities. 

By passing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in June 2022, Congress took a monumental step in reducing the epidemic of gun violence that plagues our communities and steals innocent lives. Particularly noteworthy was the partial closure of the so-called “intimate partner loophole” that will disarm many abusive dating partners. For over a decade, the IC has been working to address the boyfriend loophole because current federal law prohibits domestic violence perpetrators from possessing firearms – but only if they are married, have lived with, or have children with their partner. While this loophole has remained, every 16 hours in the United States, a woman is fatally shot by a former or current intimate partner. Abusers are extremely dangerous when they're armed – to their current and former partners and to the larger community. In fact, more than two-thirds of mass shooters have killed family members or intimate partners or had a history of domestic violence. By preventing people convicted of dating violence from possessing firearms, the partial closure of this loophole will not only save the lives of countless women in abusive relationships, it will also prevent future mass shootings.

The passage of these bills is proof that change can happen when we do not give up hope, that the lives of survivors and their loved ones and communities must and will be protected, that we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and future of all Americans - as well as redouble our efforts for future legislation.

The Interfaith Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence looks forward to continuing the momentum to address the needs of survivors and their families by fully closing the intimate partner loophole to protect all survivors with restraining orders from gun violence by their current or former partner and passing the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to provide emergency shelters and related assistance for survivors of domestic violence and their children, as well as other legislation that is integral to survivors’ health, safety, and justice.

Sincerely, 

Jewish Women International
Catholics for Family Peace
The Clergy Task Force to End Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
FaithTrust Institute
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of American, Inc.
KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights
Love Mercy Do Justice, The Evangelical Covenant Church
Mormon Women for Ethical Government
National Advocacy Center for the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Jewish Women
Peaceful Families Project
Religions for Peace USA
Safe Havens Interfaith Partnership (Against Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse)
Sojourners
United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries
Union for Reform Judaism
Women of Reform Judaism