White House gets domestic violence adviser

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- The Obama administration Friday further signaled interest in solving social problems, appointing Lynn Rosenthal its adviser on violence against American women.

Vice President Joe Biden, who wrote the Violence Against Women Act when a U.S. senator, said Rosenthal is the right choice for the newly created post because of her years working in the domestic violence arena.

"Ms. Rosenthal is one of the nation's foremost experts in domestic violence policy, and has worked at the local, state and national levels to create an environment where violence against women is not ignored and perpetrators are held accountable," Biden said in a statement released by the White House announcing her appointment. "Lynn is passionate about these issues and knows them backward and forward. And as a former director of a shelter, she's also seen the human face of this tragic problem. She will be a leader in this White House in stopping the violence and sexual assault of women and will be an integral part of this administration."

Rosenthal most recently was executive director of the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She served in a similar role at the National Network to End Domestic Violence from 2000-06.