Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2159
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Crime and Law Enforcement
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-06-25: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-07T20:20:43Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The legislation aims to combat technology-related abuse (such as stalking, harassment, or monitoring via digital tools) faced by victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It establishes a pilot program for direct support and a separate grant program for education and training to better equip service providers and victims.
Key Provisions
- Pilot Program (Section 4):
- Authorizes the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to award up to 15 grants, each up to $2 million, to "eligible consortia" (partnerships between technology experts from higher education or community partners and domestic/sexual violence service centers, with local government support).
- Grants can fund purchases of new devices for victims (e.g., secure phones) and other services to reduce tech abuse or assist survivors.
- The program lasts 5 years, with required consultations from federal agencies (e.g., Departments of Health and Human Services and Education, Federal Communications Commission) and stakeholders like anti-abuse groups.
- Includes midterm (after 3 years) and final reports to Congress on effectiveness, challenges, and recommendations for permanence.
- Education Grant Program (Section 5):
- Authorizes OVW, in consultation with the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, to award up to $20 million total in grants over 5 years to nonprofits and higher education institutions.
- Funds development of training programs, curricula, tools, and technical assistance for organizations and individuals supporting tech abuse victims.
- Recipients from the pilot program can also apply here.
- Funding: Authorizes "such sums as necessary" for both programs, without specifying exact amounts.
- Definitions: Clarifies terms like "technological abuse" (drawing from the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA, meaning misuse of tech to harm, stalk, or control) and "eligible consortium."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces entirely new programs, building on VAWA (1994, reauthorized multiple times) by addressing gaps in handling digital forms of abuse, which were not explicitly covered in prior versions. It expands OVW's role to include tech-focused interventions, without altering core VAWA definitions but adding specific mechanisms for tech integration into victim support.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Provides direct aid (e.g., devices and services) to victims, potentially improving safety for the estimated 1 in 3 women under 35 facing online harassment and others affected by intimate partner violence; may reduce barriers for LGBTQ+ and other vulnerable groups.
- On Government Agencies: Increases workload and funding needs for OVW and consulting agencies (HHS, Education, FCC) to administer grants, conduct consultations, and report to Congress; promotes interagency collaboration on emerging tech threats.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. programs.
- Broader Effects: Could lead to scalable best practices for preventing tech abuse nationwide, though limited to pilot scale initially.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Victims and Survivors: Primary beneficiaries, gaining access to tech tools and safer support services.
- Victim Service Providers: Domestic violence and sexual assault centers, including culturally specific ones, which partner in consortia and receive training.
- Technology and Education Sectors: Higher education institutions, tech workforce partners, and nonprofits developing educational materials.
- Government Entities: OVW (lead administrator), local/State/Tribal governments (for consortium support), and federal agencies involved in consultations.
- Abuse Prevention Groups: Organizations focused on reducing tech abuse, consulted for program design.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens VAWA's framework by incorporating tech-specific responses, potentially influencing future court cases on digital stalking (e.g., under existing cybercrime laws). Grant conditions ensure accountability through reporting, but no new enforcement powers are created.
- Constitutional: Aligns with First Amendment protections by targeting abusive misuse of technology rather than speech; no apparent conflicts with privacy rights, as focuses on victim support.
- Political: Highlights bipartisan interest in updating violence prevention for the digital age, citing statistics on rising tech abuse (e.g., 97% of programs report abuser tech use). Could spark debates on funding priorities amid broader VAWA reauthorizations, emphasizing equity for underserved groups like LGBTQ+ individuals. If made permanent, it may set precedents for federal tech-safety initiatives.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2025-06-25: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- 2025-06-25: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act — issued 2025-06-25 — PDF (9 pages)