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Farewell Message from Bea Hanson

January 19, 2017
Courtesy of Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D. of the Office on Violence Against Woment
Bea Hanson lead the Office on Violence Against Women from May 2011 to January 2017. In her farewell message, she highlights a few of the major achievements of those years -- achievements that were possible only because of the collaboration of advocates, law enforcement, prosectutors, judgies, health care providers, those in government and those working with non-profit organizations.
Updated January 26, 2017

Office on Violence Against Women Issues White Paper on Sexual Assault Kit Testing Initiatives and Non-investigative Kits

January 17, 2017
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
Balancing the duty to protect the public with the duty to keep victims safe can be a tricky business when it comes to testing sexual assault kits. The Office on Violence Against Women has issued a white paper explaining why it should not be standard operating procedure for law enforcement agencies to submit sexual assault kits for testing without consent from the victim.
Updated January 17, 2017

Working with Men to Prevent Gender-Based Violence

January 17, 2017
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
Research shows that, unsurprisingly, men and boys are influenced by each other. But what we sometimes forget is that men are most influenced by what they assume other men think – and men tend to assume that other men think violence against women is okay, even though most men are actually opposed to it. More and more men are speaking up and changing this misunderstanding; thus, engaging men and boys in prevention work is an important strategy to reduce domestic and sexual violence and stalking.
Updated January 18, 2017

Expanding Options for Pursuing Safety, Accountability and Community Engagement

January 15, 2017
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
A recurring theme has emerged in meetings and conversations with stakeholders and survivors: Being survivor-centered means listening to victims and providing them with meaningful choices. This article summarizes several Roundtable discussions, including topics on mediation, restorative practices and the impact of incarceration and mandatory minimums on black women and girls.
Updated January 15, 2017

Emerging Issues for Improving the Law Enforcement Response to Domestic and Sexual Violence: Three New Reports Now Available

January 15, 2017
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
OVW announces the release of reports that address emerging issues related to improving the law enforcement response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. They discuss body worn cameras, open police data initiatives, and identifying and preventing gender bias.
Updated January 15, 2017

Trauma-Informed: What It means for Survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

January 13, 2017
More and more professionals who work with survivors of violence use the terms "trauma-informed services" and "trauma-informed care." To understand how the trauma-informed approach is both viewed and applied in addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking, the Office on Violence Against Women commissioned a project to capture the national landscape. This article describes the main findings from the report, which is now available from the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault .
Updated January 13, 2017

Sexual Assault: Key Lessons Learned in Multi-Year Demonstration Project

January 11, 2017
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
Findings from a multi-year, six-site project that delved deeply and systematically into the outreach, services and community partnerships of organizations that serve victims of domestic and sexual violence. Lessons learned: Enhancing sexual assault services in dual and multi-service programs requires acknowledgement that sexual assault survivors are not getting what they deserve. Programs must engage in an honest and critical self-assessment that includes reflection on whether the organization is ready to accept feedback and acknowledge that "they don't know what they don't know."
Updated January 11, 2017

Child Custody Decisions in Cases Involving Domestic Violence: Guiding Principles

January 11, 2017
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
Approximately one-third of all domestic violence incidents involving women take place in homes with children under the age of 12. OVW launched a project to help court systems increase their ability to make sound decisions about child custody and parenting time. The project has now released 16 guiding principles that communities can use to enhance their processes and decision-making around child custody when domestic violence is a factor.
Updated January 12, 2017

New VOCA Assistance Rule Means More Services, More Funds for Victims

December 31, 2016
Courtesy of Courtesy of Joye Frost, Director, Office for Victims of Crime, and Bea Hanson, Ph.D., Principal Deputy Director, Office on Violence Against Women
The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has issued a new rule expanding the ways victim service agencies can use Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) assistance funds. The new VOCA Assistance rule , which became effective on Aug. 8, 2016, clarifies that state VOCA administrators have the freedom and flexibility to use their funds in innovative ways to support victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking. The Office on Violence Against Women joins OVC in...
Updated January 3, 2017

Firearms and Domestic Violence: The Intersections

December 13, 2016
Courtesy of Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson, Ph.D., of the Office on Violence Against Women
Domestic abusers and firearms are a deadly combination. In the United States, when women are murdered, 40 to 50 perent are killed by their husband, boyfriend or ex-partner. In contrast, 5 to 8 percent of men are killed by their partner. In the past 18 years, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System has enforced the law that prevents convicted abusers from purchasing a firearm from federally licensed dealers. Panelists discuss the intersection between domestic abuse and firearms. Watch the video and visit www.PreventDVGunViolence.org.
Updated December 16, 2016

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