(source entry 3) O’Brien, Cheryl. “Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).” Encyclopedia of Domestic Violence and Abuse, edited by Laura L. Finley, vol. 2, ABC-CLIO, 2013, pp. 533-538. Gale Virtual Reference Library,

Cheryl O’Brien, author of the critical breakdown of VAWA, the Violence Against Women Act, goes into depth in her encyclopedia analysis of what exactly the VAWA had brought with it, and moreover how is it benefitting us today. O’Brien begins with prior history of VAWA, and how it was fought for 4 years prior to its induction in 1994 by fellow women’s rights activists and supporting legislators. The VAWA was eventually signed into office by President Bill Clinton and could be argued to be one of the biggest sources of refuge for women who suffer from any forms of violence. Since its induction in 1994, O’Brien claims that “VAWA helped give much-needed recognition and support for the local efforts being coordinated by domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, and other community organizations nationwide.” As a result of the much-needed awareness, O’Brien later adds that freshly immigrated women into the U.S have the option to receive U/T-Visas because of reporting abuse. The VAWA had also given the power of retrieving federal orders of protection orders also stated by O’Brien, and in respects would be able to help those who fall victim to domestic violence and abuse. O’Brien later states that just between the years 2005 and 2007, more than 1,116,000 people (about the population of Montana) have received domestic violence training, including court officials, police officers and people who needed it. Furthermore, O’Brien additionally adds that immigrants are provided relief without the cooperation of significant others. Tying O’Briens research to my main research topic, the VAWA had become a focal point in avocation and relief in women’s right, helping to put an end to the ongoing issue of abuse against women.

Pico, Peggy, et al. “Why Immigrant Spouses Are Uniquely Vulnerable to Domestic Violence.”

(source entry 4)

KPBS Public Media, KPBS, 21 Oct. 2015, www.kpbs.org/news/2015/oct/21/immigrant- spouses-us-citizens-uniquely-vulnerable-/.
Peggy Pico, Emmy award winning journalist and evening news host at KBPS hosts a full

interview with a victim who falls at substantial risk to immigration deportation, and as a result falls under abuse from her documented, legal boyfriend. Marial Cota, mother and fellow sibling of many disclosed in her interview that because of being convinced that she could not turn to officials because she was an undocumented immigrant, she had to abide by the commands of her unforgiving spouse. Cota gave a brief example of how her boyfriend manipulated her by restricting her freedoms, by blackmailing her with police one day when she was out to visit her sister. “One time I was heading to my sister’s house for a grilling. When he arrived home, he called asking where I had gone, and I had told him that I was on my way to my sister’s house. He told me that if I was not back in 15 mins, he would call the police and say that I had kidnapped his son, then reminding me that I had no rights, and that I was nothing. ‘The police are going to come after you,’ he said. After he said that, I took the next exit and returned back to the house.” After the story given by Cota, a representative, Anne Bautista had taken the limelight, and had begun to inform the audience of such abuse, and that help is made available under the VAWA, Violence Against Women’s Act. Bautista furthers raising awareness through multiple cases, explaining that undocumented women can petition against abusive husbands as a power from the new VAWA. Pico includes that Cota is not alone, and Bautista later shifts the conversation to prove that women from in fact other ethnicity, such as Asian and Pacific Islanders like Filipinos and Vietnamese have come forward in reporting such instances of abuse and sexual assault because of the induction of the VAWA. The interview that was provided by KBPS news, hosted by Peggy Pico featuring Cota the victim of illegal status abuse, and Bautista the VAWA program representative, help evince the argument that abuse from men with power in the relationship have driven women to unspeakable limits, forcing women to dwell and reticent of abuse. Women who fall under these limitations have been proven like Cota to forcibly decide between jeopardizing their or their loved one’s freedom or safety.