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Selected Publications

ABOUT OVW

, January 2017 [PDF]  A summary of the achievements of the $3.4 billion in investments OVW has made in communities across the nation who serve victims and the justice system that responds to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.  

20 Years of the Violence Against Women Act: Dispatches from the Field, June 2016 [PDF] To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act and hear directly from the communities that have benefited from its funding, OVW launched a yearlong national tour in October 2014. This report is a summary of those conversations, highlighting the lasting influence of VAWA on communities’ ability to respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.

Plan for Evidence-based and Evidence-building Grantmaking, March 2016 [PDF] This document describes a plan that OVW will implement over the next several years to further develop and make maximum use of the evidence base for approaches to combatting domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. 

VAWA 2013 Summary: Changes to OVW-Administered Grant Programs, November 2013 [PDF]  This summary highlights many of the important changes and improvements that VAWA 2013 makes to OVW-administered programs. Please note that OVW created this document for informational purposes only; it does not include every VAWA 2013 change to OVW programs and does not address any of VAWA 2013’s many other provisions. Furthermore, it is not intended to provide guidance to OVW grantees or others about how the Act will be interpreted and/or implemented.

Memorandum on OVW Policy Regarding Children at OVW-Sponsored Events, June 2008 [PDF]  This memo stated that children of participants are permitted at OVW-sponsored trainings, consultations, and meetings.

Memorandum on U.S. Department of Justice Policies Pertaining to OVW Technical Assistance Grants, May 2008 [PDF]  This memo explained why OVW's logo cannot be used by third parties, described how to put disclaimers on technical assistance products, and discussed conference planning and cost reports.

PROTECTION ORDERS

Civil Protection Orders: A Guide for Improving Practice, 2010 [PDF]  Recognizing the need to promote effective issuance, service, and enforcement of protection orders, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, in partnership with OVW and the National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith and Credit, created this streamlined guide. It is intended to provide a fundamental understanding of the values and practices necessary for a more effective civil protection order system. Each year, many of the millions of women who are battered by their partners look to the civil protection order system as a way to stop the abuse. In the act of seeking protection, a victim is putting her trust and safety in the hands of numerous professionals: from the advocates and attorneys who explain the system and assist the victim in obtaining an order, to the judge who crafts an order appropriate to the victim's needs, to the law enforcement officers who serve and enforce the order, to the prosecutor who prosecutes violations. Along that complex chain, a victim can find that the promise of the civil protection order system is either kept or broken.

SEXUAL ASSAULT 

Report on September 2011 Sexual Violence Research RoundtableSeptember 2011 [PDF]  OVW and the National Institute of Justice convened a roundtable discussion on research on sexual violence on September 8 and 9, 2011. The roundtable brought together experts on sexual violence, representing fields including research and academia, victim advocacy, law enforcement, prosecution, the judiciary, and health care; as well as several survivors of sexual violence. Participants identified new and emerging priorities for research on the criminal justice system's response to sexual assault and generated ideas for bridging the gap between research and practice. A short summary (PDF) and full report (PDF) of the meeting are now available.

Sexual Violence in the United States: Summary of the Roundtable Proceedings, October 2010 [PDF]  In October 2010, OVW collaborated with the White House Council on Women and Girls and the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women to host a Roundtable on Sexual Violence in the United States.  Participants represented a broad array of disciplines and also included survivors. The discussion focused on barriers to advancing the issue of sexual violence such as the lack of community engagement which stymies public discourse, the need for more effective training and the dearth of research in the field. The roundtable provided valuable information that is helping direct OVW'€™s efforts moving forward, and it serves as a starting point for future conversations with other stakeholders.

MEDICAL FORENSIC INTERVIEWS

Please see https://www.justice.gov/ovw/sexual-assault for reports related to sexual assault forensic exams.

OTHER

 Reflections from the Field on Victim and Survivor Advocacy Report, January 2017 [PDF]  To gauge the current state of advocacy and to inform and enhance training, technical assistance and policy, OVW convened a roundtable in October 2016. Advocates provide information, support and advocacy to those affected by violence against women. This report is a summary of the discussion.

 The Impact of Incarceration and Mandatory Minimums on Survivors: Exploring the Impact of Criminalizing Policies on African American Women and Girls, January 2017 [PDF]  A summary of a Roundtable discussion based on data showing that black women and girls are disproportionately survivors of gender-based violence and are over-represented among women in criminal and juvenile carceral facilities.

Panel Discussion on the Intersection of Firearms & Domestic Violence, October 2016  The presence of a gun during a domestic violence situation significantly increases the risk of homicide. This panel discussed reducing these homicides by engaging the community in a coordinated and comprehensive approach to implementing and enforcing laws that keep people safe, including the laws that restrict an abuser’s access to guns. This discussion was sponsored by OVW as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) and Community Policing Week (October 2-8).  

Nuisance Abatement, Fair Housing and Data, November 2016 [PDF] and Using New Guidance About Fair Housing to Keep DV Victims Safe October 20, 2016 [PDF] OVW hosted two webinars to discuss the impact and enforcement of nuisance abatement ordinances, crime-free housing ordinances and crime-free housing programs. Experts explained new federal guidance designed to help families continue to live in safe housing and the unintended consequences of nuisance abatement and crime-free housing ordinances.

Federal Efforts to Improve the Safety of Domestic Violence Victims, January 2016 [PDF]  The Attorney General encouraged every U.S. Attorney's Office to renew its domestic violence outreach efforts. To provide an additional resource for state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community groups focused on domestic violence, the Attorney General asked U.S. Attorneys' Offices around the country to engage in renewed efforts to coordinate with these groups to help combat domestic violence and prevent prohibited persons from obtaining firearms. Groups interested in engagement may contact their local U.S. Attorney's Office and ask to speak with the Criminal Chief or Violent Crime Coordinator.

Updated July 15, 2018