Message from Director Carbon: December 2010

Dear Friends, This past month, we joined the global community that recognized the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Each day, women and girls are attacked around the globe. Issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking are at epidemic proportions locally, as well as internationally. Across the world, at least one in three women and girls is domestically abused or sexually assaulted in her lifetime. Approximately four million women and girls are trafficked for prostitution annually. The Office on Violence Against Women and its partners are actively working to end these horrific crimes. This past month the Office on Violence Against Women had the privilege of serving as the United States’ official observers at the Council of Europe’s Convention on Violence Against Women (the Council). There, we were able to contribute constructively to the important work of ending violence against women throughout Europe. The Council had been charged with developing a visionary convention that would bind all 47 member-nations to provisions that will, collectively, bring an end to violence against women in Europe, specifically domestic violence, by the end of 2010. The final agreement is expected to be complete by the end of the year for subsequent ratification by all 47 countries in the Council. As observers, we were able to contribute thoughts and suggestions for the final document such as the importance of firearms restrictions in domestic violence civil and criminal cases, as well as protection orders. As we reported last month, the Office on Violence Against Women, in partnership with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, released new tools for communities to improve enforcement of protective orders. Civil Protection Orders: A Guide for Improving Practice will keep victims and their children safe by providing guidance to advocates, attorneys, judges, law enforcement officers and prosecutors to ensure that protective orders are issued, served and enforced throughout the United States. We offered this as an example of collaborative work in the United States that promotes a victim-centered approach to domestic violence and sexual assault cases. We are looking forward to the full dissemination and utilization of the document in the coming months. With President Obama’s his remarks at Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are proud to be setting the standard internationally on the use of civil protection orders. Commemoration of International Violence Against Women Day gives us pause to remember that all governments have more to do in fundamentally changing the way we address violence against women around the world.  As Vice President Biden stated in his statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women: Last week, we also joined the international community in celebrating World AIDS Day. Nearly 33 million individuals worldwide are infected with HIV/AIDS, nearly half of them women. The face of global HIV/AIDS is quickly becoming young and female. More than 75% of youth living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are young women and girls. In Indonesia, in 1989, women accounted for just 2.5 percent of all people living with HIV/AIDS according to the National Commission on AIDS. By 2009, women accounted for 25.5 percent of all cases. The connection between the spread of this catastrophic virus and violence against women is undeniable. For the millions of women living with HIV/AIDS, sexual assault is often the cause of their infection. Studies have shown that women living with HIV are more likely to have experienced violence, and women who have experienced violence are at greater risk for HIV infection worldwide. The stigma of HIV-positive status tends to impact a victim’s willingness to report violence. Dually, the stigma and fear of a victim’s experience with sexual assault often impacts her willingness to report HIV status or seek testing, and further reducing the likelihood she will seek or receive services, thus perpetuating the vicious cycle. As President Obama stated in his proclamation of World AIDS Day: On a completely separate note, we are very excited to announce that our Office has moved. We are now located at 145 N Street NE, Suite 10W.121, Washington, DC 20530 along with many other parts of the Justice Department. Please be certain to make a note of our new address. All phone numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses will remain the same. Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to everyone for a healthy, safe and peaceful holiday season and New Year. All of us at OVW are grateful for all the work you do, every day, to create meaningful justice in your communities. We couldn’t do it without you. Happy Holidays! Susan B. Carbon OVW Director U.S. Department of Justice 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.