Senator Patrick Leahy
The award for Outstanding Elected Official goes to Senator Patrick Leahy for his tireless attention to the issue of domestic violence. Senator Leahy supported the passage of the 1984 Victims of Crime Act, which provides federal grants and services to those affected by crime, including victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. In 1994, the Senator worked to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act and later authored legislation to strengthen it. In both 2000 and 2005, he worked alongside Vice President Joe Biden (the 2009 recipient of the SWI Award) to reauthorize the law.