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Domestic and Family Violence

Intimate partner and family violence, including physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children, and elder abuse, occurs throughout the country every day. Unlike most other crimes, intimate partner or domestic violence is usually not a sudden, isolated, and unexpected incident. It may involve years of emotional and psychological trauma as well as physical injuries which may become increasingly more severe and occur frequently over time. Exposure to such violence has a devastating impact on all involved, including children living with and experiencing it as witnesses and not direct victims.

 

The following resources offer victim assistance information, research findings, and educational materials specific to domestic and family violence.


OVC and OVC-Sponsored Publications

Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report (May 2013) OVC, Report, NCJ 239957.
The Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services initiative was launched by OVC in fall 2010 to expand the vision and impact of the crime victim assistance field. This Final Report provides a set of findings and broad recommendations, informed by stakeholder forums and literature reviews, that form a framework for strategic, transformative change. The Final Report outlines ways the field can overcome the obstacles it faces and change how it meets victims' needs and addresses those who perpetrate crime.
PDF (Full Report) | PDF (Summary & Recommendations) | PDF (At a Glance Fact Sheet)
 
Voice of the Victim: A Perspectives Spotlight Issue (2012) OVC-Sponsored, Grant, 100 pages, NCJ 238382.
Through OVC support, this special edition of the American Probation and Parole Association's Perspectives provides a collection of informative, thought-provoking articles to support community corrections professionals in incorporating victims' rights and services into daily practice. This resource teaches readers that victims' rights to information, notification, restitution, and participation are an integral component of community corrections.
Abstract | PDF
 
Using Federal Law To Prosecute Domestic Violence Crimes in Indian Country Guide/DVD (October 2012) OVC, OVC Videos, 40 pages, NCJ 238639.
This DVD and companion facilitator's guide provide guidance on how to successfully prosecute in federal court domestic violence offenders who commit crimes in Indian Country. The video incorporates case studies of actual prosecutions, while the guide provides an overview of relevant legal principles and key points for discussion. The materials also discuss circumstances common in tribal domestic violence prosecutions, such as offender recidivism, recanting victims, safety planning, and federal and tribal criminal justice and social service professionals working collaboratively to ensure victims' safety and community justice.
Abstract | PDF (Facilitator's Guide) | HTML | Video (WMV Video Clip) | Video (QuickTime Video Clip)
Part Of the OVC Videos Series
 
National Victim Assistance Academy Resource Paper: Intimate Partner Violence (September 2012) OVC, OVC Training, 22 pages, NCJ 240573.
This Resource Paper is part of a series of National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA) Track 1: Foundation-Level Training documents covering eight topics. This paper includes statistics, definitions, impact/effects on victims, effective responses, and additional information designed to educate entry-level professionals and volunteers. Visit www.ovcttac.gov for additional NVAA training materials.
Abstract | PDF
Part Of the OVC Training Series
 
OVC HELP Series for Crime Victims (June 2012) OVC
This series of nine brochures features information and resources for victims of crime and victim service professionals on the topics of assault, child abuse, domestic violence, homicide, impaired driving, robbery, sexual violence, and stalking. Each brochure defines a type of victimization; discusses what to do if you are a victim of this crime and where to go for help; and provides resources for more information and assistance.
HTML
 

OJP Publications

Violence and Victimization Research Division's Compendium of Research on Violence Against Women, 1993-2012 (December 2012) NIJ, 189 pages, NCJ 223572.
This regularly updated compendium lists and briefly describes all of the projects funded under the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) Violence Against Women and Family Violence Program.
Abstract | PDF (Full Document) | PDF (Title) | PDF (Table of Contents) | PDF (Part A) | PDF (Part B) | PDF (Part C) | PDF (Part D) | PDF (Part E) | PDF (Part F) | PDF (Part G) | PDF (Part H) | PDF (Part I) | PDF (Grants Index)
 
Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2010 (November 2012) BJS, Report, BJS Special Reports, 17 pages, NCJ 239203.
The report presents data on nonfatal intimate partner violence among U.S. households from 1993 to 2010. Intimate partner violence includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault by a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend.

Part Of the BJS Special Reports Series Abstract | PDF | TEXT
 
Effectiveness of Coordinated Outreach in Intimate Partner Violence Cases: A Randomized, Longitudinal Design (March 2011) NIJ-Sponsored, Grant, 142 pages, NCJ 238480.
The current study tested the prediction that early coordinated victim outreach would improve criminal justice outcomes as well as increase victim safety and empowerment among victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). In collaboration with research, criminal justice, and community-based partners, this project evaluated an innovative outreach program for racially and ethnically diverse IPV victims whose cases had come to the attention of the criminal justice system.
Abstract | PDF
 
The Greenbook Initiative Final Evaluation Report (January 2011) NIJ-Sponsored, Grant, 123 pages, NCJ 233290.
This final evaluation report on the implementation of the Greenbook Initiative (GI) - which consists of guidelines proposed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges for intervening effectively in cases of domestic violence and child maltreatment - assesses the extent to which GI implementation activities facilitated cross-system and within-system change and practice in child welfare agencies, dependency courts, and domestic-violence service providers.
Abstract | PDF
 
Course of Domestic Abuse among Chicago's Elderly: Risk Factors, Protective Behaviors, and Police Intervention (December 2010) NIJ-Sponsored, Grant, 132 pages, NCJ 232623.
This study examines if and how risk factors and protective behaviors affect the course of abuse over time, and the role of the police in intervening with elderly victims of domestic abuse and/or neglect.
Abstract | PDF
 

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Intimate partner and family violence, including physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children, and elder abuse, occurs throughout the country every day. Unlike most other crimes, intimate partner or domestic violence is usually not a sudden, isolated, and unexpected incident. It may involve years of emotional and psychological trauma as well as physical injuries which may become increasingly more severe and occur frequently over time. Exposure to such violence has a devastating impact on all involved, including children living with and experiencing it as witnesses and not direct victims.

 

The following resources offer victim assistance information, research findings, and educational materials specific to domestic and family violence.


Intimate partner and family violence, including physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children, and elder abuse, occurs throughout the country every day. Unlike most other crimes, intimate partner or domestic violence is usually not a sudden, isolated, and unexpected incident. It may involve years of emotional and psychological trauma as well as physical injuries which may become increasingly more severe and occur frequently over time. Exposure to such violence has a devastating impact on all involved, including children living with and experiencing it as witnesses and not direct victims.

 

The following resources offer victim assistance information, research findings, and educational materials specific to domestic and family violence.


Each month the Nation's experts answer your questions about best practices in victim services. Below are upcoming and most recent session discussions in this topic:

On Oct 9 2012 at 2:00PM, Linda Williams, professor of criminal justice and criminology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Maureen Lowell, licensed marriage and family therapist with the OVC-funded Institute for Collaborative Response for Victims of Family at San Jose Univ, hosted a discussion on Collaborative Educational Models Benefiting Victims and Providers

On Feb 15 2012 at 2:00PM, Jenifer Markowitz, Medical Advisor for AEquitas: The Prosecutor’s Resource on Violence Against Women, and Jennifer Gentile Long, Director of AEquitas: The Prosecutors' Resource on Violence Against Women, hosted a discussion on Assisting Older Victims of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence

On Oct 26 2011 at 2:00PM, Roberta Valente, J.D., Consultant, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and James Vann, Division Counsel, Washington Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, hosted a discussion on Understanding Firearms Laws to Assist Domestic Violence Victims

On Oct 13 2010 at 2:00PM, Lynn Fairweather, M.S.W., trainer and consultant, hosted a discussion on Developing Tools to Assess Domestic Violence Lethality and Danger

On Oct 26 2009 at 2:00PM, Miriam Berkman, J.D., M.S.W., Assistant Clinical Professor in Social Work at the Yale University Child Study Center, and Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Sewanee, the University of the South and co-author of the Juvenil, hosted a discussion on Helping Children Exposed to Domestic Violence

Intimate partner and family violence, including physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children, and elder abuse, occurs throughout the country every day. Unlike most other crimes, intimate partner or domestic violence is usually not a sudden, isolated, and unexpected incident. It may involve years of emotional and psychological trauma as well as physical injuries which may become increasingly more severe and occur frequently over time. Exposure to such violence has a devastating impact on all involved, including children living with and experiencing it as witnesses and not direct victims.

 

The following resources offer victim assistance information, research findings, and educational materials specific to domestic and family violence.


Who can I talk to about an abusive relationship?
Advocates with the 24 hour-a-day National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) are available for victims... Read More

Where can I find family violence statistics?
Data on family violence are available in Family Violence Statistics: Including Statistics on Strange... Read More

How many homicide victims are murdered by an intimate partner each year?
Intimate partner homicide statistics are available from the Homicide Trends: Intimate Homicide secti... Read More

Who can I contact to help me develop a safety plan?
If your local police department employs a victim advocate, he/she maybe able to help you develop a s... Read More

More FAQs

Intimate partner and family violence, including physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children, and elder abuse, occurs throughout the country every day. Unlike most other crimes, intimate partner or domestic violence is usually not a sudden, isolated, and unexpected incident. It may involve years of emotional and psychological trauma as well as physical injuries which may become increasingly more severe and occur frequently over time. Exposure to such violence has a devastating impact on all involved, including children living with and experiencing it as witnesses and not direct victims.

 

The following resources offer victim assistance information, research findings, and educational materials specific to domestic and family violence.


No funding records found relevant to this topic.

More Funding Opportunities

Intimate partner and family violence, including physical, sexual, and financial abuse, neglect and maltreatment of children, and elder abuse, occurs throughout the country every day. Unlike most other crimes, intimate partner or domestic violence is usually not a sudden, isolated, and unexpected incident. It may involve years of emotional and psychological trauma as well as physical injuries which may become increasingly more severe and occur frequently over time. Exposure to such violence has a devastating impact on all involved, including children living with and experiencing it as witnesses and not direct victims.

 

The following resources offer victim assistance information, research findings, and educational materials specific to domestic and family violence.


Publications

OVC and OVC-Sponsored Publications

Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report (May 2013) OVC, Report, NCJ 239957. The Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services initiative was launched by OVC in fall 2010 to expand the vision and impact of the crime victim assistance field. This Final Report provides a set of findings and broad recommendations, informed by stakeholder forums and literature reviews, that form a framework for strategic, transformative change. The Final Report outlines ways the field can overcome the obstacles it faces and change how it meets victims' needs and addresses those who perpetrate crime.
PDF (Full Report) | PDF (Summary & Recommendations) | PDF (At a Glance Fact Sheet)
 
Voice of the Victim: A Perspectives Spotlight Issue (2012) OVC-Sponsored, Grant, 100 pages, NCJ 238382. Through OVC support, this special edition of the American Probation and Parole Association's Perspectives provides a collection of informative, thought-provoking articles to support community corrections professionals in incorporating victims' rights and services into daily practice. This resource teaches readers that victims' rights to information, notification, restitution, and participation are an integral component of community corrections.
Abstract | PDF
 
Using Federal Law To Prosecute Domestic Violence Crimes in Indian Country Guide/DVD (October 2012) OVC, OVC Videos, 40 pages, NCJ 238639. This DVD and companion facilitator's guide provide guidance on how to successfully prosecute in federal court domestic violence offenders who commit crimes in Indian Country. The video incorporates case studies of actual prosecutions, while the guide provides an overview of relevant legal principles and key points for discussion. The materials also discuss circumstances common in tribal domestic violence prosecutions, such as offender recidivism, recanting victims, safety planning, and federal and tribal criminal justice and social service professionals working collaboratively to ensure victims' safety and community justice.
Abstract | PDF (Facilitator's Guide) | HTML | Video (WMV Video Clip) | Video (QuickTime Video Clip)
Part Of the OVC Videos Series
 
National Victim Assistance Academy Resource Paper: Intimate Partner Violence (September 2012) OVC, OVC Training, 22 pages, NCJ 240573. This Resource Paper is part of a series of National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA) Track 1: Foundation-Level Training documents covering eight topics. This paper includes statistics, definitions, impact/effects on victims, effective responses, and additional information designed to educate entry-level professionals and volunteers. Visit www.ovcttac.gov for additional NVAA training materials.
Abstract | PDF
Part Of the OVC Training Series
 
OVC HELP Series for Crime Victims (June 2012) OVC This series of nine brochures features information and resources for victims of crime and victim service professionals on the topics of assault, child abuse, domestic violence, homicide, impaired driving, robbery, sexual violence, and stalking. Each brochure defines a type of victimization; discusses what to do if you are a victim of this crime and where to go for help; and provides resources for more information and assistance.
HTML
 

OJP Publications

Violence and Victimization Research Division's Compendium of Research on Violence Against Women, 1993-2012 (December 2012) NIJ, 189 pages, NCJ 223572. This regularly updated compendium lists and briefly describes all of the projects funded under the National Institute of Justice's (NIJ) Violence Against Women and Family Violence Program.
Abstract | PDF (Full Document) | PDF (Title) | PDF (Table of Contents) | PDF (Part A) | PDF (Part B) | PDF (Part C) | PDF (Part D) | PDF (Part E) | PDF (Part F) | PDF (Part G) | PDF (Part H) | PDF (Part I) | PDF (Grants Index)
 
Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2010 (November 2012) BJS, Report, BJS Special Reports, 17 pages, NCJ 239203. The report presents data on nonfatal intimate partner violence among U.S. households from 1993 to 2010. Intimate partner violence includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault by a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend.
Part Of the BJS Special Reports Series
Abstract | PDF | TEXT
 
Effectiveness of Coordinated Outreach in Intimate Partner Violence Cases: A Randomized, Longitudinal Design (March 2011) NIJ-Sponsored, Grant, 142 pages, NCJ 238480. The current study tested the prediction that early coordinated victim outreach would improve criminal justice outcomes as well as increase victim safety and empowerment among victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). In collaboration with research, criminal justice, and community-based partners, this project evaluated an innovative outreach program for racially and ethnically diverse IPV victims whose cases had come to the attention of the criminal justice system.
Abstract | PDF
 
The Greenbook Initiative Final Evaluation Report (January 2011) NIJ-Sponsored, Grant, 123 pages, NCJ 233290. This final evaluation report on the implementation of the Greenbook Initiative (GI) - which consists of guidelines proposed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges for intervening effectively in cases of domestic violence and child maltreatment - assesses the extent to which GI implementation activities facilitated cross-system and within-system change and practice in child welfare agencies, dependency courts, and domestic-violence service providers.
Abstract | PDF
 
Course of Domestic Abuse among Chicago's Elderly: Risk Factors, Protective Behaviors, and Police Intervention (December 2010) NIJ-Sponsored, Grant, 132 pages, NCJ 232623. This study examines if and how risk factors and protective behaviors affect the course of abuse over time, and the role of the police in intervening with elderly victims of domestic abuse and/or neglect.
Abstract | PDF
 

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Related Resources

OVC Funded Resources

Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS)
ADWAS provides comprehensive services to deaf and deaf-blind victims/survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking.
 
Mosaic Family Services, Inc.
Mosaic Family Services is a nonprofit community-based organization that provides services free of charge to refugees and immigrants who are victims of human trafficking and domestic violence in North Texas. The mission of Mosaic Family Services is to support, educate, and empower individuals and families of the communities they serve.
 
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)
RAINN operates a 24-hour telephone hotline (1-800-656-HOPE) and an Online Hotline for victims of sexual assault. The secure web-based hotline provides a safe, secure, and anonymous place for victims to get help online. RAINN also works to promote education and prevention of sexual assault, compiles and shares links to Legal Resources, including the State Mandatory Regulations regarding children and the elderly.
 
Safe Horizon
Safe Horizon's mission is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families, and communities. Safe Horizon's program to assist victims and survivors of human trafficking helps deliver intensive case management, shelter, legal services, and mental health care to survivors of trafficking.
 

Federal Resources

Administration for Children and Families
ACF promotes the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities. Through its Children's Bureau, ACF assists states in the delivery of child welfare services. Its Web site presents related initiatives, statistics, ACF programs, funding, and information systems.
 
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS): National Victimization Analysis Tool (NVAT)
This dynamic analysis tool allows you to examine National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data, the nation's primary source of information on criminal victimization, on both violent and property victimization by select victim, household, and incident characteristics.
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS)
NISVS provides data on rape, physical violence, and stalking by an intimate partner in the United States along with rates of health and mental health problems associated with victimization.
 
CrimeSolutions.gov
CrimeSolutions.gov is a searchable online database of evidence-based programs covering a range of justice-related topics, including victim assistance programs; corrections; courts; crime prevention; substance abuse; juveniles; law enforcement; and technology and forensics. The site is a tool to understand, access and integrate scientific evidence about programs into programmatic and policy decisions.
 
Workplaces Respond to Domestic & Sexual Violence: A National Resource Center
This Office on Violence Against Women virtual resource center was developed for employers to address the impacts of domestic violence in the workplace. It provides information, resources, tools, and technical assistance to employers and labor organizations to facilitate and encourage safer and more effective responses to employees who are victims of domestic, sexual and dating violence or stalking.
 

Non-Governmental Resources

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
ACOG provides professional publications on violence against women (intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and adolescent dating violence) and materials (in both English and Spanish) for patient education.
 
National Clearinghouse on Family Violence - Canada (NCFV)
The NCFV is Canada’s resource center for information on violence within relationships of kinship, intimacy, dependency or trust.
 
Safe Horizon: Tour a Domestic Violence Shelter
Hear the voices of women who have sought shelter with Safe Horizon, see pictures of the inside of a shelter, and find answers to the questions that battered women entering a shelter might ask.
 
Sexual Assault Family Violence Investigators Course (SAFVIC)
The SAFVIC Program is designed to provide law enforcement officers with the tools they need to effectively investigate and prevent sexual assault and family violence.
 
The Wireless Foundation: Call to Protect Program
This program distributes wireless phones to help combat domestic violence. The program is a national initiative of the wireless industry and National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
 

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Web Forum Discussions

Each month the Nation's experts answer your questions about best practices in victim services. Below are upcoming and most recent session discussions in this topic:

On Oct 9 2012 at 2:00PM, Linda Williams, professor of criminal justice and criminology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Maureen Lowell, licensed marriage and family therapist with the OVC-funded Institute for Collaborative Response for Victims of Family at San Jose Univ, hosted a discussion on Collaborative Educational Models Benefiting Victims and Providers

On Feb 15 2012 at 2:00PM, Jenifer Markowitz, Medical Advisor for AEquitas: The Prosecutor’s Resource on Violence Against Women, and Jennifer Gentile Long, Director of AEquitas: The Prosecutors' Resource on Violence Against Women, hosted a discussion on Assisting Older Victims of Intimate Partner Sexual Violence

On Oct 26 2011 at 2:00PM, Roberta Valente, J.D., Consultant, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and James Vann, Division Counsel, Washington Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, hosted a discussion on Understanding Firearms Laws to Assist Domestic Violence Victims

On Oct 13 2010 at 2:00PM, Lynn Fairweather, M.S.W., trainer and consultant, hosted a discussion on Developing Tools to Assess Domestic Violence Lethality and Danger

On Oct 26 2009 at 2:00PM, Miriam Berkman, J.D., M.S.W., Assistant Clinical Professor in Social Work at the Yale University Child Study Center, and Sherry Hamby, Ph.D., Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Sewanee, the University of the South and co-author of the Juvenil, hosted a discussion on Helping Children Exposed to Domestic Violence


FAQs

Who can I talk to about an abusive relationship?
Advocates with the 24 hour-a-day National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) are available for victims... Read More

Where can I find family violence statistics?
Data on family violence are available in Family Violence Statistics: Including Statistics on Strange... Read More

How many homicide victims are murdered by an intimate partner each year?
Intimate partner homicide statistics are available from the Homicide Trends: Intimate Homicide secti... Read More

Who can I contact to help me develop a safety plan?
If your local police department employs a victim advocate, he/she maybe able to help you develop a s... Read More

Back to Top

Funding

No funding records found relevant to this topic.

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EventsDirectoryE-Mail UpdatesRSS
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National Calendar of Crime Victim Assistance-Related Events
Upcoming Event(s)
25th Annual Crimes Against Children Conference
Dallas, TX
08/12/2013-08/15/2013

National Sexual Assault Conference
Los Angeles, CA
08/28/2013-08/30/2013

39th National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) Conference
Columbus, OH
09/15/2013-09/18/2013

Online Directory of Crime Victims Services.