The O.J. Simpson case forced domestic violence into the spotlight, boosting a movement

By MARYCLAIRE DALE
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Thirty years ago, women’s rights advocates working to pass the 1994 Violence Against Women Act found domestic violence was still something of a hushed topic. Then Nicole Brown Simpson’s death forced it into the spotlight. Americans riveted to the murder investigation of superstar ex-husband O.J. Simpson heard startling and painful details of the abuse she said she suffered at his hands. Simpson died Wednesday at 76. Advocates say the case became a watershed moment in American society as callers flooded hotlines and television airwaves to discuss the issue. Three months later, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act.