“Congress finds the following:
“(1)Extremely high rates of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking exist at the local, State, tribal, and national levels and such violence or behavior harms the most vulnerable members of our society.
“(2)According to a study commissioned by the Department of Justice, nearly 25 percent of women suffer from domestic violence during their lifetime.
“(3)Proactive efforts should be made available in all forums to provide pro bono legal services and eliminate the violence that destroys lives and shatters families.
“(4)A variety of factors cause domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and a variety of solutions at the local, State, and national levels are necessary to combat such violence or behavior.
“(5)According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, which conducted a census including almost 1,700 assistance programs, over the course of 1 day in September 2014, more than 10,000 requests for services, including legal representation, were not met.
“(6)Pro bono assistance can help fill this need by providing not only legal representation, but also access to emergency shelter, transportation, and childcare.
“(7)Research and studies have demonstrated that the provision of legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking reduces the probability of such violence or behavior reoccurring in the future and can help survivors move forward.
“(8)Legal representation increases the possibility of successfully obtaining a protective order against an attacker, which prevents further mental and physical injury to a victim and his or her family, as demonstrated by a study that found that 83 percent of victims represented by an attorney were able to obtain a protective order, whereas only 32 percent of victims without an attorney were able to do so.
“(9)The American Bar Association Model Rules include commentary stating that ‘every lawyer, regardless of professional prominence or professional workload, has a responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay, and personal involvement in the problems of the disadvantaged can be one of the most rewarding experiences in the life of a lawyer’.
“(10)As leaders in their legal communities, judges in district courts should encourage lawyers to provide pro bono resources in an effort to help victims of such violence or behavior escape the cycle of abuse.
“(11)A dedicated army of pro bono attorneys focused on this mission will inspire others to devote efforts to this cause and will raise awareness of the scourge of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking throughout the country.
“(12)Communities, by providing awareness of pro bono legal services and assistance to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, will empower those survivors to move forward with their lives.
