Supporters of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and the National Task Force to End Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Against Women hold a rally for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Courtesy Getty Images.
WFMY -- In the next two minutes a woman in the United States will be assaulted.
That's according to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network.
Shelters like the Randolph County Family Crisis Center say they are inundated with abuse victims looking for help.
Last year, more than 3,000 victims walked through their doors.
But lawmakers have tabled an act that funds shelters across the country that help victims and prosecute their abusers.
Lawmakers have previously signed off on the Violence Against Women Act three times since it passed in 1994. No questions asked...until this last congress.
Fact Sheet: Understanding The Violence Against Women Act
In April of 2012, the Senate re-authorized the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. In the process, lawmakers expanded the Act's protection 30 million people in the LGBTQ community, Native Americans and undocumented immigrants.
When the bill made it to the House, some several lawmakers were against the new wording; and in midst of the fiscal cliff debacle, the issue was never resolved.
Advocates and victims across the country have expressed disappointment.
"How dare you not realize the importance of a woman's life?" said Linda Harris of the tabled Act.
Harris was shot in the head by her boyfriend of 10 years. "It hurts me. It really does. It bothers me and it hurts me."
Harris says without shelters like the Family Crisis Center, she would have nowhere else to turn and the thought of other abused victims not having that help, sickens her.
"I'm just glad that I was able to be alive and live through it and have a safe haven like the shelter and have a safe place to come to, that's what people don't understand, is this is what we need," she said
The director of the crisis center, Dare Spicer, adds: "It's extremely detrimental; It's detrimental to the services that could be provided to these agencies such as the Randolph County Crisis Center because we cannot continue to make a difference in local communities and help these women."
Advocates and lobbyist are now on Capitol Hill, working overtime to convince lawmakers to reconsider the amended Act.
The Violence Against Women Act is what created the National Domestic Violence Hotline
Each month, they receive more than 22,000 calls for help.