It takes a strong concerted effort to create the will to examine your own system, evaluate current problems, and establish new policies and procedures. One such effort is the St. Paul Blueprint for Safety, built on 30 years of experience and research on coordinated community responses (CCRs). In the simplest terms, the Blueprint is three […]
The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) recently released Police Response to Domestic Violence, 2006-2015. This report presents 2006-2015 data on: Nonfatal domestic violence victimizations reported to police Police response to these victimizations Prevalence of related arrests or charges Criminal complaints signed against the offender. The BJS collected data from the National Crime Victimization Survey, which obtained […]
The Center for Court Innovation and the Winnebago County Domestic Violence Coordinated Courts are holding an Open House at the courthouse in Rockford, Illinois (located 1.5 hours outside of Chicago) on May 11-12, 2017. The day and a 1/2 Open House will include: panels and workshops with local Winnebago County stakeholders; a session with James […]
The El Paso Times reports that a victim who went to family court to seek an order for protection against her abuser was detained by ICE officials after the hearing. The alleged abuser is suspected of making the tip to ICE agents. Read more… From the El Paso Times. […]
Read More… from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detains Domestic Violence Victim
“Amy was a tireless advocate for survivors, people with disabilities, and humankind, in general,” says CVS director Nancy Smith. “She brought a gentle fierceness to her work and through her compassion, wisdom, and relentless pursuit of justice she moved even the most stubborn among us. We cannot imagine being able to fill the void left […]
The crime of domestic violence is complex and law enforcement officers often feel frustrated and discouraged when responding. Officers provide as much support to victims as possible, but when equipped with a better understanding of the nuances and dynamics of this intimate partner crime, they can more effectively address victims’ needs and hold offenders accountable. […]
Wednesday, January 25th, 2017 1:00 – 2:30pm EST Description: This webinar will introduce CSAJ’s Legal Impact for Racial & Economic Equity for Survivors Project (REEP), a national TA Project that seeks to address the barriers of implicit and explicit discrimination, institutional bias, and structural oppression to enhance access to economic justice for survivors of domestic […]
Read More… from Racial & Economic Equity for Domestic & Sexual Violence Survivors
When: February 16, 2017, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST What: This training will build upon the foundation established by the LRC’s previous training programs, which provided participants with an overview of the various federal and state laws that govern interstate custody cases. The training is appropriate for attorneys and advocates who have participated in a previous […]
Over the course of his career, David has exhibited a strong commitment to legal and policy work on behalf of survivors of domestic violence, and particularly the impact of firearms on the safety of survivors, their families and their communities. As a Court Commissioner, David was instrumental in developing an innovative and comprehensive county-wide protocol […]
Read More… from Meet BWJP’s National Domestic Violence and Firearms Resource Center Director
Awards for Outstanding Service to the Profession are presented annually by Minnesota Lawyer newspaper to recognize attorneys for a career’s worth of service and sacrifice on behalf of the justice system in Minnesota. We are proud to announce that BWJP staff member, Loretta Frederick, is a 2016 recipient of this prestigious award.. Loretta has served […]
The persistence of such killings, now a larger share of the shrinking homicide total, has frustrated police officers, prosecutors, social service providers and policy makers struggling to prevent intimate tensions that play out behind closed doors from turning deadly. And while the city already has a host of programs aimed at curbing domestic violence, Mayor […]
Read More… from Domestic Abuse Killings Climb as Murders Drop, Frustrating New York Officials
The Dispute Resolution Institute (DRI) featured the work of BWJP’s National Child Custody Project as an innovative approach to mediation and domestic violence. According to the DRI, the model has been “very positively received by mediators, domestic violence advocates, lawyers and judges.” Congratulations to Gabrielle, Loretta and Nancy! […]
Read More… from BWJP Project and Staff Featured in Mitchell Hamline Publication
The DV Evidence Project online resource center houses a comprehensive evidence review of key services to adult victims, profiles of innovative programs and practices in the field and evaluation tools to assist advocates and allied organizations in understanding the different types of evidence that can inform our work. It also links to the Futures Without Violence […]
FORGE is seeking responses from a wide range of agencies who provide emergency shelter and temporary or transitional housing to individuals/families who have experienced domestic violence, intimate partner violence, partner abuse, or other intimate crimes. The purpose of this assessment is to examine how shelters are currently serving transgender and non-binary survivors, begin to identify […]
Read More… from National Baseline Assessment of Shelters on Serving Transgender Survivors
“Testing rape kits sends a fundamental and crucial message to victims of sexual violence,” said Maile M. Zambuto, CEO of sexual-assault advocacy organization Joyful Heart Foundation. “You matter. What happened to you matters.” The average cost of testing a rape kit is between $1,000 and $1,500. They contain DNA swabs and other forensic evidence potentially […]
Read More… from Department of Justice Allocates $38 Million to Untested Rape Kits
The website Safer Families, Safer Communities (www.preventdvgunviolence.org), will be managed by BWJP’s new National Domestic Violence and Firearms Resource Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The website will promote the efforts of communities around the country to prevent domestic violence-related homicides through comprehensive implementation and enforcement of domestic violence-related firearm […]
Read More… from New Website Promotes Enforcement of Firearms Restrictions in Domestic Violence Cases
Organization The Battered Women’s Justice Project (BWJP) is a national resource center on the civil and criminal justice system response to intimate partner violence (IPV). Position & Location Project Director, full-time, supervised by the Legal Policy Director. Location: Minneapolis preferred. Responsibilities Management Develop and manage a national effort to improve the implementation and enforcement of […]
Read More… from BWJP Seeks Project Director, National Center on Domestic Violence & Firearms
“We are grateful to President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the congressional leaders who continue to make ending the rape kit backlog a priority. Focusing a national effort on comprehensive reform demonstrates a commitment to survivors that we will do everything possible to bring healing and justice,” said Maile M. Zambuto, Chief Executive Officer of […]
Read More… from Joyful Heart Foundation Applauds $38 Million Awarded to Rape Kit Reform
On a warm Saturday night in July, about 50 graduates of Chisholm High’s class of ’96 gathered at Valentini’s Supper Club. Under the glow of fairy lights, surrounded by balloons and the sweeping fresco of some Italian villa, they mingled with beers and reminisced about high school reputations. Some had driven up from the Twin […]
Read More… from He’s going to kill me’: Police indifference to a woman stalked
RAND, the National Center for Victims of Crime, and survey firm NORC are conducting the NCVSP, a census of victim service providers that is the first phase of a new BJS victim services research program. We need the help of every victim service program to participate in this census, which will, for the first time, […]
More than 1,600 women were murdered by men in 2014 and the most common weapon used was a gun, according to the new Violence Policy Center (VPC) study When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2014 Homicide Data. This annual VPC report is being released in advance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. The […]
Read More… from More than 1,600 Women Murdered by Men in One Year, New Study Finds
This follows similar Department of Justice guidance for domestic violence shelters and other programs funded by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Over 300 national, state, and local organization advocating for victims of sexual and domestic violence have vocally supported ensuring access to facilities such as homeless shelters that are consistent with a person’s gender […]
Read More… from HUD Finalizes Rule to Ensure Shelters Protect Homeless Trans People
HUD issued its Nuisance Guidance as the country marks the 22nd anniversary of the Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA). Through the VAWA 2013 reauthorization, protections have been expanded to nearly all HUD programs. Previously, only residents of public housing and Section 8 tenant-based and project-based programs were covered. HUD’s final Harassment Rule is titled Quid Pro […]
The NCJFCJ Implementation Sites Project is a three-year project to provide child abuse and neglect courts with training, technical assistance, and support to guide program improvement, sustainability, and performance. As part of their involvement in this project, Implementation Sites are expected to implement meaningful change, evaluate progress, as well as share challenges and successes with […]
Read More… from 2016 Implementation Sites Project Now Accepting Applications
Earlier this week, Seminole County Judge Jerri Collins found herself on the opposite side of the bench as she received her own harsh scolding from Florida’s chief justice. Collins stood through nearly six minutes of public reprimand after the Florida Supreme Court found that she violated the state’s code of judicial conduct. Chief Justice Jorge […]
Read More… from FL Judge Reprimanded for Poor Treatment of DV Victim
The training uses three non-emergency and non-crisis situations to discuss ways for police officers to effectively and politely interact with transgender individuals. In promoting best practices, the video defines three important terms: assigned sex, sexual orientation and gender identity. As the training outlines, understanding the terminology and the major issues facing the transgender community […]
Read More… from Justice Department Releases Training Video for Law Enforcement
Baltimore police routinely violated the constitutional rights of residents by conducting unlawful stops and using excessive force, according to the findings of a long-anticipated Justice Department probe to be released Wednesday. The practices overwhelmingly affected the city’s black residents in low-income neighborhoods, according to the 163-page report. In often scathing language, the report identified systemic […]
Read More… from Justice Department report: Baltimore police routinely violated civil rights
The events of the summer of 2016 have spurred renewed dialogue and protests about the unequal treatment of people of color, particularly black and Latino people, in the U.S. criminal justice system. Now, a new report explores how lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people of color are treated in police interactions, court proceedings and […]
Spoofing — the practice of sending out fake caller ID information to disguise the caller’s real identity — is legal, so long as it’s not done to deceive or harm anyone. Reporters, victims of domestic abuse, human rights organizations, all legally use spoofing to protect their locations or sources. This sort of trickery is definitely […]
Read More… from FCC Wants to Fine Men for Faking Caller ID to Harass Ex-Wife
Conference Topics Include: The Role of Law Enforcement and Clergy The Experience of Young Women and Girls The Role of Men’s Ministries and Women’s Ministries Addressing Issues Within the Church Regarding the LGBTQ and GNC Communities Faith Leaders: Developing and Implementing Prevention Policies Working With Young Men and Boys REGISTER HERE […]
Read More… from Engaging Men of Faith in Domestic Violence Prevention
A new unit in the Defense Department’s Office of Inspector General will focus solely on complaints of retaliation against military members who report sexual assault, highlighting a commitment to end the double victimization of victims. In addition, this newly created team of seven investigators and a supervisor will directly handle sexual assault reprisal cases from […]
Read More… from New DOD Investigative Unit Focuses on Sexual Assault Related Reprisals
This app takes advantage of the NNEDV Safety Net project’s more than 15 years of working on the intersection of technology abuse and violence against women, and who have provided expert advice, trainings, and consultation on this issue to thousands of survivors of abuse, victim service providers, and technology companies. This app is another way […]
At first glance, the wall of multicolored adhesive notes could be routine reminders or phone messages common in a busy work center in a high-rise office space. But this is no typical workplace, and the notes are anything but ordinary. Scrawled on the notes are simple yet profound messages of thanks for hope, support and […]
Read More… from DOD Helpline Offers Support to Sexual Assault Victims
Creating a Process of Change for Christian Men Who Batter Training – Changing Men, Changing Lives September 26-28, 2016/Duluth, MN The topics covered will include: Culturally specific process for working with Christian men Understanding the theories that guide Creating a Process of Change for Men Who Batter Facilitating structured, interactive classes Establishing and maintaining dialogue […]
Read More… from Creating a Process of Change for Christian Men Who Batter
Imagine you’re a woman trying to extricate yourself from an abusive relationship, and your ex won’t leave you alone. The cops have been called to your apartment on more than one occasion. One night, he breaks into your apartment, smashing a window and causing some property damage. Another night, an ambulance screams up your street […]
Read More… from When Domestic Violence Victims Face Eviction for Calling the Cops
The final rule goes into effect thirty days after publication, and sets forth the parameters for the use of funds under OVC’s Victim Assistance Program. OVC consulted extensively with the crime victim services field in developing the rule, and published a notice of proposed rulemaking (78 FR 52877) on August 27, 2013, which solicited public […]
Read More… from New Rule Allows VOCA Funds to Support Services for Victims in Detention
Developed by the Center for Court Innovation’s Tribal Justice Exchange, a new website seeks to provide ideas and inspiration to reformers looking to address common challenges like substance use, domestic violence, gang involvement, and juvenile delinquency. Tribal Access to Justice Innovation contains profiles of dozens of tribal justice programs, along with videos, podcasts, and other resources. For instance, […]
BWJP is pleased to announce the release of a new set of child custody-related practice worksheets for advocates, attorneys, and other family court professionals. The new worksheets augment the Practice Guides for Domestic Violence-Informed Decision-Making that BWJP developed in connection with the OVW-sponsored National Child Custody Project. The worksheets offer a way to consolidate, synthesize, […]
Read More… from National Child Custody Project Releases Practice Aids
Dayton will appoint District Judge Anne McKeig to fill the Supreme Court vacancy caused by Justice Christopher Dietzen’s upcoming retirement. McKeig was appointed to the court by Pawlenty in 2008 after more than 15 years as a Hennepin County prosecutor. She worked for the Child Protection Division and was a specialist in Indian Child Welfare […]
Read More… from Newest Minnesota Supreme Court justice: Anne McKeig
The Supreme Court ruled in a decision announced Monday that a domestic violence assault committed “recklessly” qualifies as a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and therefore triggers the federal ban on gun ownership. “A person who assaults another recklessly ‘use[s]’ force, no less than one who carries out that same action knowingly or intentionally,” wrote […]
Read More… from Supreme Court Affirms That Even ‘Reckless’ Domestic Abusers Should Lose Gun Rights
The country’s attention has been riveted on the outcome of a single rape case in Santa Clara County to an extent rarely seen before. We have been collectively touched by the victim’s impact statement: the clear and painfully honest public airing of her trauma and pain. Though this jury returned a guilty verdict on all […]
Read More… from The Role of Probation in the Brock Turner Rape Case: A System Failure
The National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project (NIWAP), in partnership with the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), is excited to announce the launch of its virtual Monthly U Visa Roundtable Series for Law Enforcement and Prosecutors. NIWAP’s national faculty of law enforcement officers and prosecutors, who are experts on U visa certifications […]
Read More… from Streamlining Your Agency’s U Visa Policy and Practice
Sexual assault is a huge problem in the US military. And for many victims, the process of reporting their crime and seeking justice can be as traumatic as their assault. Most members of Congress and military officials agree that these basic facts are true, and that more reforms to the military justice system could help. […]
Read More… from The war in Congress over rape in the military, explained
Standing in front of a full courtroom in Palo Alto on Thursday, the 23-year-old college graduate who was sexually assaulted by former Stanford University student Brock Turner turned to address him directly. “I was awake, right?” The young woman, Emily Doe, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, delivered at Turner’s sentencing what […]
Read More… from Stanford sex-assault victim: ‘You took away my worth’
Since our founding, America has advanced on an unending path toward becoming a more perfect Union. This journey, led by forward-thinking individuals who have set their sights on reaching for a brighter tomorrow, has never been easy or smooth. The fight for dignity and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people is reflected […]
Read More… from Presidential Proclamation — LGBT Pride Month, 2016
LadyKathryn Williams-Julien’s first childhood memory is of her father punching her mother in the face. She was 6. Her mother fell to the ground, where Williams-Julien was already cowering. They were eye-to-eye, mother and child, both trembling with fear. “Her whole face was covered with blood,” she said quietly, sitting at the kitchen table in […]
Read More… from Should Domestic Violence Victims Go To Prison For Killing Their Abusers?
Thirty-one percent of all mass shooting deaths in 2015 were related to domestic violence incidents, according to a New York Times analysis published Sunday. The New York Times examined violent episodes in which four or more people were killed or wounded by a firearm, including the shooter. In 2015, there were 358 shootings that fit […]
Read More… from Almost a Third of Mass Shooting Deaths in 2015 Were Related to Domestic Violence
Mohammed Anwaar, 27, pleaded guilty to coercive and controlling behaviour. Legislation to make this type of behaviour a criminal offence was only introduced in December. Anwaar, of Charlotte Road, Sheffield, also admitted nine counts of assault and criminal damage. South Yorkshire Police said Anwaar had exercised “controlling and abusive behaviour over his partner” for about two […]
Rape and domestic violence against Native women have reached “epidemic proportions,” but the hotlines that could help are often unprepared for the unique cultural needs of tribal women who may live in rural areas with little support and a bewildering legal system. But that could be changing. Sometime this year, the National Domestic Violence Hotline […]
Read More… from Advocates Have High Hopes for DV Hotline for Native Women
On March 8, the Iowa House of Representatives passed a bill setting new mandatory minimum sentences in domestic violence cases. Those convicted of domestic violence three times must serve 85 percent of their sentences prior to release, regardless of their conduct while imprisoned. The Iowa Senate voted unanimously to adopt the law on April 6. […]
Read More… from Domestic Violence Often Omitted from Sentencing Reforms
This new program was authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013) and received its first appropriation in fiscal year 2016. VAWA 2013 recognizes tribes’ inherent power to exercise “special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction” (SDVCJ) over certain defendants, regardless of their Indian or non-Indian status, who commit acts of domestic violence […]
Read More… from Office on Violence Against Women Announces New Program to Support Tribal Governments
Postsecondary institutions reported a 34 percent decline in crimes between 2001 and 2013, with decreases in every category except forcible sex crimes, which rose 120 percent over the same period. It is not clear whether sex crimes are occurring more frequently or whether victims have become more willing to report them as advocates have helped […]
Read More… from School crime rates down in most every category — except sex crimes at colleges
Outraged activists and prosecutors in Oklahoma called for changes to a state law on forced oral sex after a court rejected the prosecution of a teenage boy in Tulsa because his 16-year-old accuser had been intoxicated to the point of unconsciousness. “Forcible sodomy cannot occur where a victim is so intoxicated as to be completely […]
Read More… from Sexual Assault Ruling in Oklahoma Spurs Calls to Change State Laws
The National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women has compiled a number of resource listings about survivors as they reenter their communities after being incarcerated in prison and/or jail. READ MORE […]
Before she could move into a dormitory at Brigham Young University or sign up for freshman classes, Brooke had to sign the college’s Honor Code. Part moral compass and part contract, the Honor Code is a cornerstone of life for the nearly 30,000 students at Brigham Young, a Mormon-run university. It points students, faculty and […]
Read More… from At Brigham Young, a Cost in Reporting a Rape
Jen Wright It’s so painful to lose colleagues and friends. We lost Jen Wright on March 16th to cancer; she was a great team member who gave so much to her work. Jen was a long-time staff member at Arrowhead Regional Corrections in Duluth, MN. Jen loved training too, she presented many times for the […]
The first-of-its-kind study, funded by ACF’s Family & Youth Services Bureau and conducted by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, focused on 873 youth ages 14 to 21 in 11 cities. Respondents included street youth receiving services from ACF’s Street Outreach Program grantees and street youth who were not currently using services from SOP grantees. […]
Read More… from Federal Study Increases Understanding of Homeless Youth
Obama created the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument with a presidential proclamation, honoring both Alva Belmont, the National Woman’s Party benefactor, and Alice Paul, who founded the party and served as its chief strategist. Obama will deliver remarks Tuesday morning at the house, which served as the party’s fifth headquarters, on Equal Pay Day, an […]
Read More… from Obama Designates New Women’s Equality Memorial
In its sixth year, Meet Us on the Street: International Anti-Street Harassment Week (April 10-16) will be observed in more than 30 countries. Tens of thousands of people in countries like Afghanistan, Australia, Cameroon, Chile, Egypt, France, Guatemala, the Maldives, Nepal, and Yemen will participate in actions that challenge the prevalent social problem of gender-based […]
Read More… from International Anti-Street Harassment Week, April 10-16
The annual call for proposals is open for applications for the 20th cycle of grant giving from the UN Trust Fund. The fund focuses on three priority areas including preventing violence, expanding access to critical services for survivors; and strengtheing the implementation of national laws. This year there is also a special window for projects addressing […]
Read More… from UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women Issues Annual Call for Proposals
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Twelve jurors found Cherelle Baldwin not guilty of murder on Thursday in the death of her ex-boyfriend, Jeffrey Brown. Baldwin collapsed to the floor in tears as the verdict was announced. “My baby,” she cried. “My baby will have his mommy back.” Police say Baldwin, 24, ran into Brown with her car […]
A Florida judge who sent a crying domestic violence victim to jail has finally admitted she was wrong. Seminole County Judge Jerri Collins has agreed to a public reprimand in a plea deal with the state, the Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday. Judge Collins had come under fire for berating and imprisoning the woman after she refused to testify against her […]
