Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Initiative

In 2019, our office’s Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section (SODV) created and launched this Initiative to strengthen expertise within the Office on the multifaceted issues surrounding the very serious national and local issue of intimate partner violence (IPV) and to allow these experts to serve as a resource within and outside the office. This Initiative is spearheaded by Felony 1 AUSA Dana Joseph, who handles a hybrid caseload involving sexual and physical IPV cases and co-chairs certain IPV homicides and federal cases.  AUSA Joseph also collaborates with community partners to develop new strategies to address IPV and serves as the Office’s point person for IPV-related community engagement and committees; legislative efforts; governmental, non-governmental, judicial, and office training; and other projects and outreach requiring expertise on IPV issues. Find more information about the DC justice system’s aid to victims here, and the Superior Court’s Domestic Violence Division here.

Local and Federal Partners

SODV members work closely with local and federal law enforcement agencies and community organizations on issues related to domestic violence, sexual abuse, trafficking, and other forms of crimes against children, including conducting training on relevant topics.  These community organizations include the Child & Adolescent Protection Center of Children’s National Health System, the D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center, the Domestic Violence Intake Center at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, the D.C. Forensic Nurse Examiners, the Network for Victim Recovery of D.C., the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing, D.C. Rape Crisis Center, George Washington University, and Medstar Washington Hospital Center.  SODV AUSAs and advocates also conduct regular training on sexual assault and consent to students at high schools in the Washington D.C. Members of the public may be interested to learn more about these issues such as the power and control wheel, general awareness, and common questions about intimate partner violence.

*Please click the links on the right for more community resources on intimate partner violence. Haz clic aquí para recursos de COVID en español.