There have been significant historical problems that have lead to the implementation of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. Domestic violence, and the effects of these relationships, has existed throughout history. It wasn't until the 19th century that domestic violence became a social issue. As a middle class developed and opportunities for leisure emerged, women became active in social and political issues. In 1878 Francis Cobb wrote, "Wife Torture in England", bringing women battering into the public eye (Stark & Flitcraft, 1991). Cobb fought for jail time for batters and alimony for families while the abuser is in jail. A product of Cobb's campaign was the "…Wife Beaters Act of 1882, allowing courts to confine wife or child beaters in the pillory for up to four hours, and permitting long prison sentences and whipping for a second offense," (Ibid, pg 45, 1991).

By the early 20th century the focus of spousal abuse shifted to negligent mothers and juvenile delinquency. Occasionally the issue of battered women resurfaced during this period and did not reappear to the 1970's. As women gained more ground in the 1970's, spousal abuse became a public issue. Britton (1993) believes that the battered women's movement was put in to the public arena because of three social movements that were all ready under way; women's liberation, women's health, and anti-rape movements. The already existing movements had resources and networks that the battered women's movement could draw from and gain its own strength. It was calls to rape hot lines from wives who had been victims of their husbands' abuse that helped domestic violence be placed on political agendas. It was the anti-rape organizations that began to speak about battered women, informing others through newsletters and training sessions (Britton, 1993).

From 1978 to 1984, various bills were presented to Congress. One of the bills was called the "Domestic Violence Prevention and Services Act". Unfortunately this act, and its counterparts, was never passed before the 1980's election. One of the main reasons was due to the Reagan's administration that promised to shrink the welfare state. Another issue that hindered the passage of the bill was the way domestic violence was viewed by the women's movement.

It wasn't until 1984 that a similar bill passed through Congress, entitled The Family Violence Prevention Services Act. This act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States to assist in supporting the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of programs and projects to: 1) prevent incidents of family violence; and 2) provide shelter and related assistance for victims and their dependents (http://thomas.loc.gov/cg1-bin/bdquery/D? /temp/~bd3ks9).

Unfortunately this act did not bring domestic violence to the public sphere and it still continued to go unnoticed in the medical community. It would be another ten years before there would be any advancement in the domestic violence movement.

In the early 90's, it was the inequality of the sexes that began to change national consciousness. This inequality was played out on a national stage when a jury of her "peers" that consisted of all men tried Anita Hill. This happened in her sexual harassment hearing regarding Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas. Voter's were angered because of Ms. Hill's treatment, therefore, there was an influx of phone calls to women's organizations (Neuffer, 1992). As a result of Ms. Hill's hearing, there was a marked increase of reported sexual assaults and filed court suits. In the following years, there was an unprecedented number of women entering political races for both the House and the Senate.

Another pertinent domestic violence occurrence was the murder of Nicole Brown - Simpson on June 12, 1994. Domestic violence was elevated to a new level in the national consciousness, changing forever the way the public viewed it. People became aware that domestic violence was something more than a rare and bizarre occurrence (Vobejda, 1994). The nation was now ready to fight for federal legislation.