Regardless of the day or month, many teens – including college students – often find themselves in unhealthy, sometimes abusive relationships that affect their quality of life, cause pain and concern among their families and friends, and interfere with school and community activities.  Now is the time to learn about ways to recognize and prevent this violence.

During February, designated as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, we join President Obama to call for a focused effort to break the cycle of violence by providing support and services to the victims, their families and their communities. As President Obama stated:

The consequences of dating violence — spanning impaired development to physical harm — pose a threat to the health and well-being of teens across our Nation, and it is essential we come together to break the cycle of violence that burdens too many of our sons and daughters.  This month, we recommit to providing critical support and services for victims of dating violence and empowering teens with the tools to cultivate healthy, respectful relationships.

Research indicates that teens and young women are especially vulnerable to experiencing violence in their relationships.   In one year, nearly one in ten high school students has been hit, slapped or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend.   And young people ages 18 and 19 experience the highest rates of stalking, which most often is committed by a current or former intimate partner for both male and female victims.  The prevalence of violence in the dating relationships of teens is simply unacceptable.

We know that to reach young people, we need to speak their language.  With that idea in mind, OVW is supporting outreach and education efforts by educators, advocates, and non-profits, including the That’s Not Cool.com, a national public education campaign that uses digital examples of controlling, pressuring, and threatening behavior to raise awareness about and prevent teen dating abuse.  OVW also funds the National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474.  Teens can also text “loveis” to 77054 to reach an advocate or chat on line by clicking on the icon found on loveisrespect.org.

We must continue to advocate for the young people in our lives by providing safe spaces to have conversations about dating abuse and provide examples of healthy, violence-free relationships that include support, love and respect.  Only by continuing to engage in discussions on these challenging and difficult issues can we call attention to teen dating violence.  This is the first step towards preventing and ending the cycle of abuse. The resources listed in the President’s proclamation and in this blog are important resources that should be used, shared and discussed during February and throughout the year.

For more information about the Office on Violence Against Women, visit www.ovw.usdoj.gov. We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

In a victory for survivors of rape and their advocates, the Attorney General announced a newly revised definition of rape for nationwide data collection, ensuring that rape will be more accurately reported nationwide.

The change sends an important message to all victims that what happens to them matters, and to perpetrators that they will be held accountable.  It was because of the voices of survivors, advocates, law enforcement personnel and many others that FBI Director Robert Mueller was able to make this important change within the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Summary Reporting System (SRS).

“Forcible rape” had been defined by the UCR SRS as “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.”  That definition, unchanged since 1927, was outdated and narrow. It only included forcible male penile penetration of a female vagina.

The new definition is:

“The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”

For the first time ever, the new definition includes any gender of victim and perpetrator, not just women being raped by men.  It also recognizes that rape with an object can be as traumatic as penile/vaginal rape.  This definition also includes instances in which the victim is unable to give consent because of temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity.

Furthermore, because many rapes are facilitated by drugs or alcohol, the new definition recognizes that a victim can be incapacitated and thus unable to consent because of ingestion of drugs or alcohol.  Similarly, a victim may be legally incapable of consent because of age. The ability of the victim to give consent must be determined in accordance with individual state statutes.  Physical resistance is not required on the part of the victim to demonstrate lack of consent.

The UCR is the national “report card” on serious crime; what gets reported through the UCR is how we, collectively, view crime in this country.  Police departments submit data on reported crimes and arrests to the UCR SRS.  Even though most states have more expansive definitions of rape in their criminal codes, they had to report the smaller number of crimes falling under the more narrow UCR SRS definition.  This meant that the statistics that were reported nationally were both inaccurate and undercounted.

Because the new definition is more inclusive, reported crimes of rape are likely to increase.  This does not mean that rape has increased, but simply that it is more accurately reported.  In addition, the UCR program will also collect data based on the historical definition of rape, enabling law enforcement to track consistent trend data until the statistical differences between the old and new definitions are more fully understood.

The new UCR SRS definition of rape does not change Federal or state criminal codes or impact charging and prosecution on the Federal, State or local level, it simply means that rape will be more accurately reported nationwide.

The Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) worked closely with White House Advisor on Violence Against Women Lynn Rosenthal and the Office of the Vice President, as well as multiple DOJ divisions, to modernize the definition.  The change was supported by external partners such as the National Sheriffs Association, National Association of Police Organizations, International Association of Chiefs of Police, Major City Chiefs, Major County Sheriffs, and the Police Executive Research Forum.

For more information about the Office on Violence Against Women, visit ovw.usdoj.gov. We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

The Office on Violence Against Women proudly joins the President in recognizing January as National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM).  Stalking is described by the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics  as, “a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear for his or her safety or the safety of someone close such as a family member.”

President Obama again this year speaks to the gravity of stalking and its impact on victims in his proclamation:

 “In our schools and in our neighborhoods, at home and in workplaces across our Nation, stalking endangers the physical and emotional well-being of millions of American men and women every year. Too often, stalking goes unreported and unaddressed, and we must take action against this unacceptable abuse.  This month, we stand with all those who have been affected by stalking and strengthen our resolve to prevent this crime before it occurs.”

Education is the first crucial step in recognizing and preventing this crime, and reporting it when it occurs so that offenders may be properly held accountable for their dangerous behavior.

Earlier this month, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its first National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS).  The report reveals that stalking is a serious issue.  NISVS data shows that:

• Nearly one in six women has experienced stalking so severe that she felt very fearful or believed that she or someone close to her would be harmed or killed.
• One in 19 men has experienced the same level of stalking.
• Women were particularly likely to be stalked by a current or former intimate partner.

Stalking behaviors can include seemingly innocuous acts, such as making unwanted phone calls; sending unsolicited or unwanted letters or emails; or leaving unwanted items, presents or flowers, but when taken together, and when feared by the victim, may constitute a criminal act.  Other forms of stalking include following or spying on the victim; showing up without a legitimate reason at places where the victim is likely to be; waiting at places for the victim; and posting information or spreading rumors about the victim on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth.

Newer technologies, such as text messaging, emails, and electronic monitoring devices (including cameras and GPS), are also used by perpetrators to stalk victims.  Stalking is also frequently a precursor to much more serious, and sometimes lethal, acts.   In fact, 76 percent of female intimate partner murder victims had been stalked by their partners prior to their death.

Stalking is a crime across the country.  Despite the fact that millions are victimized each year, stalking remains a widely misunderstood and hidden crime and tends to go unreported. It is one of four crimes addressed in the Violence Against Women Act.

OVW is taking steps to ensure that we create secure and supportive communities for stalking survivors.  In 2000, we launched a partnership with the Stalking Resource Center of the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC).  The Stalking Resource Center provides training and technical assistance to enhance responses to stalking and is committed to collecting the best knowledge about stalking, including researching policy and tracking program success.

The KNOW IT. NAME IT. STOP IT. awareness campaign is a call to action to maintain an ongoing dialogue, increase recognition of stalking as an important issue, and provide resources to those in need.

In the words of President Obama:

“Though stalking can occur in any community, shame, fear of retribution, or concerns that they will not be supported lead many victims to forego reporting the crime to the police.  As we strive to reverse this trend, we must do more to promote public awareness and support for survivors of stalking.”

During this month and throughout the year ahead, we are committed to spreading the word that stalking will not be tolerated.  For more information, please visit the Stalking Awareness Month website at:  http://stalkingawarenessmonth.org.

For more information about the Office on Violence Against Women, visit ovw.usdoj.gov. We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

Seventeen years after its original passage, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was introduced for reauthorization last month with the bipartisan leadership and support of Senator Patrick Leahy and Senator Mike Crapo.

The act, the current authorization of which expired in September, was first championed by then Senator Joe Biden, passed by Congress in 1994, and reauthorized in 2000 and 2005.  Each time it was considered by Congress, the legislation has enjoyed broad bipartisan support.

This support reflects the very real concern that abuse knows no bounds – victims can be young and old, of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, all genders, from every corner of the country, urban and rural, tribal and territorial.

This week, the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services are holding our 6^th annual Tribal Consultation in New Mexico.  We are participating in discussions with tribal leaders from all over the country that will help us better serve women who are abused, raped and murdered, at rates which are nothing short of abominable. VAWA Reauthorization will be a major focal point of this dialogue.

VAWA has been the cornerstone of the federal government’s efforts to end sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.  The Act supports programs serving all segments of society, and encourages close collaboration among community service providers and professionals to coordinate efforts to end violence.  Since its passage, well over $4 billion has been awarded for victim services and hundreds of programs around the country such as transitional housing, supervised visitation and legal assistance.

The impact of VAWA cannot be overstated:  it has profoundly improved lives, has saved lives, and has led to a paradigm shift whereby domestic and sexual violence are no longer private matters, but recognized for the public health, legal and social issues that they are.

While violence has been reduced substantially as a result of VAWA, much remains to be done.  The proposed legislation includes a number of important updates and improvements to the law, including a greater emphasis on meeting the needs of survivors of sexual violence addressing, domestic homicides and on reaching traditionally underserved communities.

Major improvements are also proposed to address the incredibly high rates of violence committed against women in tribal communities.  Among other things, the legislation proposes to strengthen tribal responses by recognizing certain tribes’ concurrent jurisdiction to investigate, prosecute, convict and sentence both Indians and non-Indians, and clarifies that tribal courts have full civil jurisdiction to issue and enforce certain protection orders.

In conjunction with the Tribal Consultation this week, the Task Force created under Title IX of VAWA is meeting to hear updates from the National Institute of Justice about their program of research regarding violence against the American Indian and Alaska Native community.

Reports from this meeting, along with additional information about the Task Force and the Office on Violence Against Women, can be found at www.ovw.usdoj.gov.

We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE

Over 300 tribal leaders, health and law enforcement professionals from across the country are meeting in Santa Ana Pueblo to begin the latest in a series of sessions to improve collaboration with tribal governments and policy leaders.   This national gathering, held in partnership with several other federal agencies, is an opportunity to converse face-to-face on a range of important topics and to attend workshops on some pressing issues.

Our list is long but some of the topics that we’ll be discussing include:

• the implementation of the Tribal Law and Order Act, 
• the Indian Healthcare Improvement Act; 
• Tribal Youth Programs; suicide prevention; 
• alcohol and substance abuse action planning; and 
• sex offender registration and notification. 

Marylou Leary, the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs, describes the scope and purpose of the Session like this:

“The Tribal, Justice, Safety, and Wellness Session is an embodiment of the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to build and sustain safe and healthy communities in Indian country. We can only accomplish this goal through active engagement and collaboration with communities, many of whom are undertaking ground-breaking programs to address their most pressing issues in ways that also strengthen capacity and self-determination.”

The conference will also include consultations with tribal leaders on the Justice Department’s streamlined grant-making effort (Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation – CTAS), the Tribal Law and Order Act Long Term Plan to Build and Enhance Tribal Justice Systems (Tribal Justice Plan), and the Annual Tribal Consultation on Violence Against Native Women.  
 
Susan B. Carbon, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, describes the importance of the sessions in this way:

“The Office on Violence Against Women looks forward to strengthening our efforts to improve the responses to violence against women in tribal communities by actively participating in the ongoing dialogue with tribal leaders, consultation participants, task force members and CTAS grantees.  We need to hear the unique perspectives of all our partners as we improve our funding, research, and programmatic activities.  The safety of American Indian women is my priority and a priority of this Administration.” ‬

Bernard Melekian, the COPS Office Director, stated:

“The COPS Office is proud to be a part of this comprehensive approach to developing the training and resources necessary for enhanced public safety in tribal communities.  This federal partnership was created because of the guidance tribal leaders have provided the department.  Nothing can replace hearing directly from tribal leaders about how we can better serve their communities.  Together, we are offering maximum flexibility in our grant programs and services to tribal law enforcement, delivered in a much more efficient and effective manner.”

This week’s Interdepartmental Tribal, Justice, Safety, and Wellness representatives include the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Native American Issues Subcommittee in the Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys, Office of Tribal Justice, and Office on Violence Against Women; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Indian Health Service, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Office of Minority Health in the Office of the Secretary; Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through its Office of Native American Programs; the Small Business Administration; and the Corporation for National and Community Service. 

Find more information on Department-wide initiatives in Indian country at www.justice.gov/tribal.  

On November 25th, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) proudly joins with our global partners who work tirelessly to end violence against women in observing the International Elimination of Violence Against Women Day.

On this day we are reminded of all the women who are victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in this country and around the world, and the urgent need to eradicate all forms of violence against them, their children and their families.

The statistics are staggering, and the impact on the lives of women and their children more so.  When seeking food, water or shelter for one’s children comes at the expense of physical assault or rape; when trying to leave an abusive husband comes at the expense of being stoned to death; when being in the accompaniment of a man not one’s spouse comes at the expense of disfiguration or death from acid or being burned alive; or when little girls must walk miles to go to school and risk terror on the way, we are reminded, painfully so, that the struggles of women around the world are grave, and rooted in the deepest of prejudice and oppression.

We must stand together, united in our repudiation of this unspeakable violence, whether we live and work here or abroad.  These conditions of inhumanity cannot be tolerated, anywhere or any time.

Here in this country, the Office on Violence Against Women has awarded over $4 billion in grants and cooperative agreements to implement a multifaceted approach to ending violence against women.  In recognition of the severity of the crimes associated with domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, Congress passed the first Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994.  The act has been reauthorized twice with broad bi-partisan support, and is being considered for reauthorization again.

This law takes a comprehensive approach to violence against women by combining tough new penalties to prosecute offenders with programs to aid the victims of this violence. In the years since the law’s enactment, we have witnessed a sea-change in the ways that communities respond to violence against women.   The coordinated community approach established under VAWA allows OVW to have significant impact on the lives of women and children across the world.

For example, our office recently joined with the University of Minnesota to provide training and technical assistance to judges, attorneys and legal advocates on the problem of battered women losing custody of their children to a batterer.  The University of Minnesota houses the Hague Domestic Violence Project, which is made up of a group of researchers, volunteer lawyers, law students and advisors who work to provide a comprehensive resource for parties involved in a custody case brought under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The Seeking Safety in America Project will help enhance the knowledge and skills of a variety of professionals so that when Hague Convention cases involving violence against women are heard in court, battered mothers and their children will have informed legal representation and advocacy.  The project will also help enable judges hearing these cases to understand violence against women and the grave risk that returning children to an abusive parent presents for both the children and their mothers.

In addition, the Project will coordinate with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Family Justice Center Alliance, the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center, and the Battered Women’s Justice Project in order to offer new training modules at these organizations’ existing or planned events.

We look forward to joining the U.S. Department of State in January for the second part of the Special Commission on the Practical Operation of the 1980 and 1996 Hague Convention to discuss the possibility of drafting a “Guide to Good Practices” for judges. The guide may be used by judges when implementing the requirement to consider grave harm to a child in an international custody proceeding. These issues are challenging for judges world-wide.  Ensuring safety for children is a universal goal.

The Office on Violence Against Women remains committed to supporting the work of our partners to create a safe and violence-free life for women, their children and families. We look forward to expanding the dialogue to involve all our partners, individually and collectively.  We are grateful for the work of individuals and organizations around the world that work every day to end violence against women in all its forms.

 For more information about the Office on Violence Against Women, visit ovw.usdoj.gov.

We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE