Your View: Issues supported

It has been reported that one in three women in America will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. As a single-mother of two, I have been one of those three women. Therefore, when this issue has arisen in the presidential election, I naturally looked at the candidates' positions and where they stand on issues facing women in general.

Despite the many debates and months of messages from the campaigns, I hadn't been easily swayed by either candidate. That changed the day I was driving down the road and heard a news report talking about how Barack Obama and Joe Biden supported having an Office of Victim Advocate at the Pentagon but that John McCain did not.

As a survivor of domestic violence, I have spent the past year dealing with the ups and downs of making court appearances. Unless you have been the victim of a violent

crime, you cannot imagine the enormous nightmare you have to go through in the legal system.

When I heard this information on the radio report, I decided to study it further. I discovered that not only do Barack Obama and Joe Biden support programs to assist victims of domestic violence, but also that it was Joe Biden who helped write the Violence Against Women Act. This legislation provided the programs and helped enact laws making standards tougher for criminals who commit crimes against women.

This issue is vitally important to me and this knowledge tipped the scales in my decision for a presidential choice. But, it's not the only reason I will be voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden on Nov. 4th. As a student I also appreciate his tax credits for education; as a single mother, his plan for our economy is important, too.

Thank you,

Angela Rice
Sikeston, MO