Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2002, Page 50
offender had the intent to ―kill,‖ ―intimidate another person,‖ ―injure,‖ or ―harass‖ the
victim. For further detail, see II-C.135
D. Cult members or former members could seek legal assistance for civil matters from
programs established by grants authorized by the VAWA 2000, called ―Legal Assistance for
Victims‖ programs. The money for these programs established pairings of medical facilities,
for example, with a law school legal clinic. Cult members or former members who wish to
seek legal assistance for orders of protection, divorce, child support could approach a VAWO
program in their community. The website for VAWO could provide useful information. (For
further information, see Part II D above.)
E. Cult members or former members may also be in need of shelter services for
battering or for transitional housing assistance as a result of domestic violence. Federal
money and programs have established shelters and assistance. (For further information,
see Part II D-F above.)
F. Cult members or former members may be assisted by the new trafficking laws of the
TVPA 2000, which authorizes grants for services of victims of trafficking. In addition to
services that may be provided locally, the federal law provides for the prosecution and
punishment of traffickers. Hypothetically, cults could fall within the category of ―forced
labor,‖ which the federal statute targets. The federal statute also encompasses sex
trafficking of children, which may apply to certain cultic groups. (For further information,
see Part III above.)
V. Conclusion
The foregoing is an outline of the highlights of federal legislation and programs relating to
crimes against women and children. Our individual states also have enacted laws to protect
victims of crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, and stalking. Thus, many of
the crimes written into the Federal Violence Against Women Acts of 1994 &2000 are also
addressed by state law. One purpose for enacting federal legislation is to provide uniformity
to our laws, to encourage uniformity in law enforcement and prosecution, and to encourage
cooperation from sister states in recognizing orders of protection. The federal law also
helps to provide money for programs that filters down to the local communities.
I encourage mental health and legal professionals to look into grant money that will become
available next winter for studies and programs that could be formed in their communities.
Those who know someone experiencing violence at home may want to direct them to law
enforcement or appropriate victim service agencies.
Notes
1. The Cultic Studies Journal published the speeches in article form: Robin A. Boyle, Women, the
Law, and Cults: Three Avenues of Legal Recourse--New Rape Laws, Violence Against Women
Act, and Antistalking Laws, 15(1) C.S.J. 1 (1998) [hereinafter Boyle, Three Avenues] Robin A.
Boyle, How Children In Cults May Use Emancipation Laws To Free Themselves, 16 C.S.J. 1,
10-11 (1999) [hereinafter Boyle, Emancipation].
2. Violence Against Women Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-322, Title IV, 108 Stat. 1902 (codified
in scattered sections of 18 &42 U.S.C.) (1994) [hereinafter VAWA 1994].
3. See Catherine Pierce, Acting Director, About the Violence Against Women Office, available at
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/about.htm (last visited August 3, 2001) [hereinafter VAWO
Release]. For more information about VAWO, contact: VAWO/ 810 7th Street, NW/
Washington, DC 20531/ telephone: (202) 307-6026 fax: (202) 307-3911.
4. VAWO Release, supra note 3.
5. See id.
6. See Boyle, Three Avenues, supra note 1 at 2 (citing Bureau of Justice Statistics Special
Report, U.S. Dep‘t of Justice, Pub. NCJ-154348, Violence Against Women: Estimates from the
Redesigned Survey 1 (Aug. 1995)). The report stated that for domestic violence crimes
women were approximately six times more likely than men to experience violence committed
offender had the intent to ―kill,‖ ―intimidate another person,‖ ―injure,‖ or ―harass‖ the
victim. For further detail, see II-C.135
D. Cult members or former members could seek legal assistance for civil matters from
programs established by grants authorized by the VAWA 2000, called ―Legal Assistance for
Victims‖ programs. The money for these programs established pairings of medical facilities,
for example, with a law school legal clinic. Cult members or former members who wish to
seek legal assistance for orders of protection, divorce, child support could approach a VAWO
program in their community. The website for VAWO could provide useful information. (For
further information, see Part II D above.)
E. Cult members or former members may also be in need of shelter services for
battering or for transitional housing assistance as a result of domestic violence. Federal
money and programs have established shelters and assistance. (For further information,
see Part II D-F above.)
F. Cult members or former members may be assisted by the new trafficking laws of the
TVPA 2000, which authorizes grants for services of victims of trafficking. In addition to
services that may be provided locally, the federal law provides for the prosecution and
punishment of traffickers. Hypothetically, cults could fall within the category of ―forced
labor,‖ which the federal statute targets. The federal statute also encompasses sex
trafficking of children, which may apply to certain cultic groups. (For further information,
see Part III above.)
V. Conclusion
The foregoing is an outline of the highlights of federal legislation and programs relating to
crimes against women and children. Our individual states also have enacted laws to protect
victims of crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, rape, and stalking. Thus, many of
the crimes written into the Federal Violence Against Women Acts of 1994 &2000 are also
addressed by state law. One purpose for enacting federal legislation is to provide uniformity
to our laws, to encourage uniformity in law enforcement and prosecution, and to encourage
cooperation from sister states in recognizing orders of protection. The federal law also
helps to provide money for programs that filters down to the local communities.
I encourage mental health and legal professionals to look into grant money that will become
available next winter for studies and programs that could be formed in their communities.
Those who know someone experiencing violence at home may want to direct them to law
enforcement or appropriate victim service agencies.
Notes
1. The Cultic Studies Journal published the speeches in article form: Robin A. Boyle, Women, the
Law, and Cults: Three Avenues of Legal Recourse--New Rape Laws, Violence Against Women
Act, and Antistalking Laws, 15(1) C.S.J. 1 (1998) [hereinafter Boyle, Three Avenues] Robin A.
Boyle, How Children In Cults May Use Emancipation Laws To Free Themselves, 16 C.S.J. 1,
10-11 (1999) [hereinafter Boyle, Emancipation].
2. Violence Against Women Act of 1994, Pub. L. No. 103-322, Title IV, 108 Stat. 1902 (codified
in scattered sections of 18 &42 U.S.C.) (1994) [hereinafter VAWA 1994].
3. See Catherine Pierce, Acting Director, About the Violence Against Women Office, available at
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/about.htm (last visited August 3, 2001) [hereinafter VAWO
Release]. For more information about VAWO, contact: VAWO/ 810 7th Street, NW/
Washington, DC 20531/ telephone: (202) 307-6026 fax: (202) 307-3911.
4. VAWO Release, supra note 3.
5. See id.
6. See Boyle, Three Avenues, supra note 1 at 2 (citing Bureau of Justice Statistics Special
Report, U.S. Dep‘t of Justice, Pub. NCJ-154348, Violence Against Women: Estimates from the
Redesigned Survey 1 (Aug. 1995)). The report stated that for domestic violence crimes
women were approximately six times more likely than men to experience violence committed
