The National Organization for Women has kicked off a campaign to combat violence against women. Last month the Clinton Administration opened a new door at the Justice Department just for this purpose and christened it with $26 million in grants. At that time we were told by the President that a violent crime is committed against a woman every 12 seconds, that 3 to 4 million women are victims of domestic violence every year and that rape rates have risen nearly three times faster than the overall crime rate.

Crime is a major problem in this country. I was at a meeting yesterday where I was told about a group of underage thugs who recently raped a woman and beat up a man in my small community. Everyone knows who they are, but the local sheriff advised against pressing charges, saying there was nothing more he could do to them.

Crime is a local problem, and federal programs that mandate “gender sensitivity training” for judges and extend federal civil rights protection for crimes “motivated by gender” only make matters worse. If I’m mugged and by purse is stolen I don’t want a panel called in to try to determine if the mugger was really after my money, or if he simply had a grudge against women. I want him punished! Continue reading “Violence Against Women” →