The actress and humanitarian took a trip to Washington, D.C. to speak with lawmakers.
Angelina Jolie took a stand for victims of domestic abuse. The Eternals actress was joined by her and Brad Pitt's 17-year-old daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, during a visit to Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, where she addressed lawmakers about the senate’s renewal of the Violence Against Women Act. Jolie spoke about the government’s “silence” on the matter, as the bill has not been renewed in a decade.
“The reason that many people struggle to leave abusive situations is that they've been made to feel worthless,” Jolie began her speech. “When there is silence from a Congress too busy to renew the Violence Against Women Act for a decade, it reinforces that sense of worthlessness. You think, ‘I guess my abuser is right. I guess I'm not worth very much.'”
She continued, “That's why passing this law is one of the most important votes U.S. senators will cast this year.”
The Violence Against Women Act has not been amended since 2013.
Jolie, 46, became emotional as she spoke about the women and children who are suffering inside of their homes.
"Most of all, I want to acknowledge the children who are terrified and suffering at this moment,' she said, getting a little choked up. "And the many people for whom this legislation comes too late. The women who have suffered through this system with little or no support, they still carry the pain and trauma of their abuse. The young adults who have survived abuse and have emerged stronger. Not because of the child protective system, but despite it. And women and children who have died, who could have been saved.”
In addition to speaking about the bill, Jolie met with Michael Regan, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
In December 2021, Jolie and Zahara made a similar trip to the nation's capital to advocate for the bill. The actress-director shared a picture on her Instagram of her and her daughter standing alongside Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee of Texas.
Jolie wrote she was honored to visit D.C. with Zahara and work "with advocates and lawmakers to modernize and strengthen the #ViolenceAgainstWomenAct to include protections for children's health and safety, communities of color, tribes, LGBTQ survivors, rural areas, and all survivors."
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