A Balanced Collaboration

Vermont's Protocol for Law Enforcement Response to Children

Jane Sadusky for BWJP

Partnership and collaboration in name only has characterized many attempts to draft protocols or working agreements and build a coordinated community response. Vermont had a different experience in building a protocol to guide law enforcement's response to children on domestic violence calls. This paper examines the process they used, including areas of agreement and uncertainty, and introduces the protocol to a wider audience of interveners. It provides a starting point for other communities to explore their own response to children at domestic violence incidents, as well as an approach that can be used to examine other aspects of intervention.

View Article » A_Balanced_Collaboration.pdf

A Balanced Collaboration

Vermont's Protocol for Law Enforcement Response to Children at the Scene of a Domestic Violence Incident

Jane Sadusky

Partnership and collaboration in name only has characterized many attempts to draft protocols or working agreements and build a coordinated community response. Vermont had a different experience in building a protocol to guide law enforcement's response to children on domestic violence calls. This paper examines the process they used, including areas of agreement and uncertainty, and introduces the protocol to a wider audience of interveners. It provides a starting point for other communities to explore their own response to children at domestic violence incidents, as well as an approach that can be used to examine other aspects of intervention.

View Article » Vermont_Model_Protocol.pdf

A Practitioner's Guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act

Custody Tools Series

National Center on Full Faith and Credit

This is a 2-page statute guide to the Indian Child Welfare Act 25 U.S.C. § 1901 et. seq.

View Article » icwa revised 10-08.pdf

A Tribute to Susan Schechter

The Visions and Stuggles of the Battered Women's Movement

View Website » http://www.ncdsv.org/images/Tribute%20to%20Susan%20Schechter.pdf

Abuse of Power

Provides resources for victims of law enforcement-involved domestic violence and their advocates.

View Website » http://www.dwetendorf.com/

Advocacy in a Coordinated Community Response

Overview and Highlights of Three Programs

Rose Thelen, Gender Violence Institute, for BWJP

This article gives an overview of advocacy - namely individual advocacy and systems advocacy - and describes them as an integral part of a community response to domestic violence. It also stresses the importance of each type of advocacy working collectively in enabling battered women to overcome obstacles.

View Article » Advocacy_in_a_Coordinated_Community_Response.pdf

Advocates and Victim/Witness Specialists

Differing Roles to Achieve Common Goals

Stephanie Avalon

This article compares two major groups of victim service providers working in the court system: advocates working for battered women's program and victim/witness specialists employed by prosecutor's offices. It disucsses inevitable conflicts arising from their different roles and offers some strategies for working together.

View Article » Advocacy_and_Victim_Witness_Specialists_Differing_Roles_to_Achieve_Common_Goals.pdf

American Bar Association

Commission on Domestic Violence

Among other resources, the American Bar Association provides research and legal information on domestic violence at their website.

View Website » http://www.abanet.org/domviol/

American Probation and Parole Association

An informational and resource site for probation and parole

View Website » http://www.appa-net.org/eweb/

An Approach to Legal Advocacy for Individual Battered Women

Jill Davies, Greater Hartford Legal Assistance, Inc. Posted with permission.

This chapter was developed for non-lawyer advocates working with individual battered women. Effective legal advocacy requires a thorough understanding of the law, the courts, and domestic violence.

View Article » Approach_to_Legal_Advocacy.pdf

Asian and Arabic Language Resources

A new list of translated materials for victims in Asian dialects and Arabic

View Website » http://www.apiahf.org/apidvinstitute/ResearchAndPolicy/materials.htm

Assisting Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence

Advocate's Guide

BWJP

This guide for advocates and volunteers focuses on the needs of newly-arrived battered immigrant women whose immigration status is unsettled. It explores: how to more effectively respond to battered immigrant women; how immigration status is used as a weapon in domestic violence cases; the options open to immigrant victims, the documents they need, and when a referral to an immigration attorney should be made.

View Article » Immigrant_Victims_Advocates_Guide.pdf

Assisting Immigrant Victims of Domestic Violence

Law Enforcement Guide

BWJP

This guide provides a brief overview of the issues law enforcement should consider when working with immigrant communities, and in particular immigrant victims of crime by: exploring various immigration laws and terms that officers need to know; examining the challenges immigrant crime victims face navigating the justice system; identifying how officers can protect and assist immigrant crime victims while managing their enforcement role.

View Article » Immigrant_Victims_LE_Guide.pdf

Association for Women's Rights in Development

Organizing and networking efforts to achieve gender equality, sustainable development, and women's human rights.

View Website »  http://www.awid.org/

Batterer Intervention Services of Michigan

The Batterer Intervention Services of Michigan's website contains useful national information on state standards, etc.

Bridging Domestic Violence Intervention and Community Policing

Partnership and Problem-Solving Tools

Jane M. Sadusky

In 1999, the Battered Women's Justice Project Criminal Justice Center began working with four communities to explore the application of community policing, with its emphasis on community engagement and problem-solving, to domestic violence. BWJP and its partners set out to analyze and articulate how it might intersect with the core principles of domestic violence organizing: victim safety, offender accountability, and community change. A complete discussion of this undertaking, and a case study for each community, can be found in Community Policing and Domestic Violence: Five Promising Practices, also available at this website. The project produced and used several tools that help link domestic violence intervention and community policing principles. The ideas, concepts, and strategies summarized in the following pages are meant to encourage community-based advocates and their law enforcement allies to consider new approaches to partnership and problem-solving.

View Article » Bridging_DV_Intervention_and_Community_Policing.pdf

Center for Court Innovation Child Support Protocol

Liberty Aldrich and Judge Judy Reichler, for the Center for Court Innovation

A guide for integrated domestic violence courts

View Article » http://www.courtinnovation.org/_uploads/documents/child_support.pdf

Centro de Justicia Para Mujeres

Women's Justice Center

Latina resources and Spanish language information

View Website » http://www.justicewomen.com/

Civil Tort Suits and Economic Justice for Battered Women

By Barbara Hart, Esq. and Erika Sussman, Esq.

This article provides tort lawyers considering representation of domestic violence victims with a foundation to develop their cases in a manner that attends to their clients particular financial needs, incorporates the context of their clients' experiences, and results in an award of damages that adequately accounts for the losses and injuries resulting from the abuse. *Posted here with permission from Victim-Advocate*

View Article » CivilTorts_EconomicJustice.pdf

Community Policing and Domestic Violence

Five Promising Practices

Jane Sadusky for BWJP

In 1999, the Battered Women's Justice Project Criminal Justice Center began working with four communities to examine how domestic violence intervention could move beyond the limits of the criminal justice system and develop the capacity of diverse communities to engage in active problem-solving. The intent was to explore the application of community policing, with its emphasis on community engagement and problem-solving, to domestic violence. BWJP and its partners set out to analyze and articulate how community policing principles might intersect with the core principles of domestic violence organizing: victim safety, offender accountability, and community change. This article is the summary and analysis of that project.

View Article » Community_Policing_Domestic Violence.pdf

Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence

Information on the origin of the Duluth CCR can be found at this website.

View Website » http://www.theduluthmodel.org/duluthmodelonpublic.php

Countering Confusion About the Duluth Model

Michael Paymar and Graham Barnes

In this paper, the authors examine and respond to research and criticism from these three sources and clarify other myths and misinformation about the Duluth Model. Given the difficulty of changing historically entrenched battering behavior, the authors explain why the Duluth Model, in its true form, provides an effective, ethical framework to address battering given scarce resources.

View Article » Countering_Confusion_Duluth_Model.pdf

Crime Victim Compensation

Policy Paper Series

Barbara Hart, Esq., BWJP

This paper examines the context and gives an overview of the Victims of Crime Act; also considers policy implications.

View Article » Crime_Victim_Compensation.pdf

Domestic Violence Advocates and the Unauthorized Practice of Law

Kristine Lizdas and Sandra Murphy, BWJP

This document is intended for both volunteer and paid staff of nongovernmental domestic violence programs who work directly with victims of domestic violence currently engaged in one or more legal matters related to their battering. This document is intended to highlight the possible issues for advocates and provide suggestions for better advocacy practice; it is not intended as, and should not be construed as, the provision of legal advice in any capacity.

View Article » DV_Advocates_and_the_Unauthorized_Practice_of_Law.pdf

Domestic Violence and Probation

Fernando Mederos for BWJP

This article offers specialized management techniques that probation officers can use to monitor batterers and intervene in domestic violence cases more effectively. The author offers suggestions on how to manage offenders on probation, respond to common excuses, and handle those offenders least likely to be held accountable.

View Article » Domestic_Violence_and_Probation.pdf

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Data Resource Center

This website provides information to researchers, practitioners, and members of the public interested in finding, using, or understanding domestic and sexual violence and stalking data.

View Website »  http://www.jrsa.org/dvsa-drc/index.html

Domestic Violence and Stalking

A Comment on the Model Anti-Stalking Code Proposed by the National Institute of Justice

Nancy K.D. Lemon

This article presents basic information about the extent of stalking in the U.S. and discusses the origin and current status of stalking laws. An analysis of the proposed NIJ anti-stalking code discusses their effectiveness and limitations from a domestic violence perspective.

View Article » Domestic_Violence_and_Stalking.pdf

Domestic Violence Programs and Children's Records

Issues of Confidentiality and Release

Sandra Tibbetts Murphy and Jenna Yauch

Preserving confidentiality for battered women and their children is central to ensuring their safety and allowing them to regain and retain control over their lives. The vital services of a shelter or domestic violence program mean nothing if anyone can access their records, putting battered women and their children in danger of being located. This paper endeavors to provide guidance to domestic violence programs regarding children's records and to serve as a starting place for internal policy development on this issue.

View Article » Domestic_Violence_Programs_and_Children's_Records.pdf

Domestic Violence Safety and Accountability Audits

For information and contacts on conducting a Safety Audit in your community, visit Praxis International's website.

View Website » http://www.praxisinternational.org/

Effective Interventions in Domestic Violence Cases

Context is Everything

Loretta Frederick, BWJP

In order to ensure that criminal justice system interventions are effective in holding offenders accountable and protecting victims from harm, the context in which each act of domestic violence occurs must be understood.

View Article » Effective_Interventions_Context_is_Everything.pdf

El Paso County, Colorado Institutional Safety and Accountability Audit Report

A Project of the El Paso County Greenbook Project

Contributors: Audit Team Members (see Acknowledgements);Audit Coordinator Lisa Tessarowicz; Project Director Amber Ptak, and BWJP Consultant Rhonda Martinson

A multi-disciplinary team in El Paso County, Colorado mapped their domestic violence prosecution system, conducted focus groups of battered women, interviewed numerous practitioners, observed domestic violence court appearances and reviewed prosecution files to determine what information/factors influence prosecutorial decision-making and case disposition in misdemeanor domestic violence cases, as they related to adult/child victim safety and offender accountability. Four themes in victim safety and offender accountability were discovered; These themes and recommendations to address them are set forth in this report.

View Article » ElPaso_County_Audit_Report.pdf
View Article » ElPaso_DataChart1.pdf
View Article » ElPaso_DataChart2.pdf

Emerge

Emerge's website provides useful resources for people working with domestic violence offenders.

View Website » http://www.emergedv.com/

Enforcing Domestic Violence Firearm Prohibitions

A Report on Promising Practices

National Center on Full Faith and Credit

This report highlights promising practices currently employed around the United States and in tribal jurisdictions that represent innovative approaches to enforcing domestic violence firearm prohibitions. It provides brief descriptions of programs that are located primarily in law enforcement agencies, prosecutors' offices, courts, and probation departments.

View Article » Enforcing_Firearms_Prohibitions.pdf

Enhanced Penalties for Domestic Violence

State Statute Chart

Eve Zamora

The following is an alphabetical listing of all states that have enacted statutes enhancing penalties for domestic violence crimes. The term "enhanced penalties" as used in this document encompasses sentencing, charging, fines, protection order violations, repeat offenders and mandatory treatment. An updated 2009 version will be available soon.

View Article » Enhanced_Penalties_2005.pdf

Family Violence Prevention Fund

The FVPF breaks new ground by reaching new audiences including men and youth, promoting leadership within communities to ensure that violence prevention efforts become self-sustaining, and transforming the way health care providers, police, judges, employers and others address violence.

View Website » http://endabuse.org/

Female Officers as Victims of Police-Perpetrated Domestic Violence

Diane Wetendorf

The purpose of this article is to increase advocates' knowledge of how the expectations and values of the female officer's profession and workplace culture influence her behavior and decisions regarding her abusive relationship.

View Article » Female_Officers_Victims_DV.pdf

Future Directions for BIPs: Examining the Power of Male Peer Support and Building Alternative Support Communities

Barbara Hart, JD

This article explores the concept of "male peer support – and the strength and direction of that support – is undeniably a factor in the decision-making of male batterers regarding the infliction of violence,verbal denigration and coercive controls on their intimate partners."

View Article » Future_Directions_BIPs.pdf

Giles v. California Amicus Curiae

Sandra Murphy and Kristine Lizdas, BWJP

Amicus Curiae Brief of the Battered Women's Justice Project and other domestic violence organizations in support of Respondent.

View Article » Giles_Amicus.pdf

Injustice Defined

Why Battered Women Cannot And Should Not Be Charged With Violating Civil Protection Orders That Were Issued At Their Request

Carolyn Ham

This memo provides advocates and attorneys with arguments against charging and convicting women with the violations of their own civil protection orders.

View Article » Injustice_Defined.pdf

Intimate and Caregiver Violence Against Women with Disabilities

Patricia E. Erwin

At the intersection of disability and domestic violence is a population of women that has been rendered invisible by a lack of services in the battered women's movement and a lack of recognition of violence in their lives by disability services providers.

View Article » Intimate_Caregiver_Violence_against_Women_with_Disabilities.pdf

La Crosse County Domestic Violence Safety and Accountability Audit

Phase 2: Post-Arrest through Prosecution, Findings and Recommendations

Produced by the La Crosse County Domestic Violence Safety and Accountability Audit Team. Primary Contributors: Safety Audit Coordinator Dar Jaeger and Safety Audit Consultant Jane Sadusky

The La Crosse County Safety Audit - Phase 2 explored the following question: How do post-arrest and prosecution responses to domestic violence cases in La Crosse County enhance or diminish victim safety and batterer accountability? The constant focal point of any Safety Audit is the gap between what people experience and need and what institutions provide; its focus is on institutional processes, not individual workers. A trained local team conducted interviews and observations with practitioners who are skilled and well-versed in their jobs. Their knowledge of the institutional response in everyday practice and their first-hand experience with the people whose cases are being processed supplied many of the critical observations and insights of the audit. The team also reviewed case files, policies, and other documents; this report summarizes their findings.

View Article » LaCrosse_Audit_Phase_2_PostArrest_Through_Prosecution.pdf

Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Calls

Jackson County, Oregon

Audit Coordinator: Jennifer Maile, Jackson County Council Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; Community Works

Audit work continued, next examining dispatch and law enforcement responses. The audit team analyzed 50 calls to two 911 centers, and a consultant and the audit coordinator analyzed 15-20 police reports of domestic violence from 7 law enforcement agencies (a total of 92 reports) for how victim safety and offender accountability are built into the response of law enforcement officers to dual allegations of violence, sexual assault, stalking, strangulation, child witnesses and individuals from underserved populations; Team members observed and interviewed practitioners, and interviewed battered women; The team and a consultant debriefed all the information, discovering together the themes, conclusions, and recommendations that appear in this report, which truly is a product of group development and writing.

View Article » Jackson_OR_Law_Enforcement_Audit_Report.pdf

Legal Momentum

The National Organization of Women's Legal Defense and Education Fund tracks federal litigation related to violence against women.

View Website » http://www.legalmomentum.org/

Minnesota's Standards for Batterer's Programs

A Policy Review and Report on Implementation in Hennepin County

Sarah Myott

This report was created as a result of work conducted by the Battered Women's Justice Project and Hennepin County Community Corrections in order to begin work to implement MN Statute 518B.02, which sets minimum standards for batterers' programs used for court-mandated offenders. This report examines the legislation, including its background and context; reports on work done to implement this legislation in Hennepin County, and discusses ideas for policy change and implementation.

View Article » MN_Standards_for_Batterers_Programs.pdf

National Center for Women and Policing

A division of the Feminist Majority Foundation, the National Center for Women & Policing (NCWP), promotes increasing the numbers of women at all ranks of law enforcement as a strategy to improve police response to violence against women, reduce police brutality and excessive force, and strengthen community policing reforms.

View Website » http://www.womenandpolicing.org/

National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Family Violence Department

The Family Violence Department improves the way courts, law enforcement agencies, and others respond to family violence, while recognizing the legal, culural, and psychological dynamics involved with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of domestic violence victims and their children. This site also provides a database of state laws on domestic violence.

View Website » http://www.ncjfcj.org/content/view/20/94/

National Criminal Justice Reference Service

This website is a federally funded resource offering, among many things, research and statistical data on violence against women.

View Website » http://www.ncjrs.org/

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline advocates are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 170 languages through interpreter services. If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.

View Website » http://www.ndvh.org/

National Institute of Justice

The National Institute of Justice's website also houses research on violence against women.

View Website » http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/

National Network on Behalf of Battered Immigrant Women

The three offices (web addresses) listed form the National Network on Behalf of Battered Immigrant Women. Each organization can be contacted individually, or the Network can be found at the www.endabuse.org website.

View Website » http://www.endabuse.org/section/programs/immigrant_women
View Website » http://www.legalmomentum.org/our-work/immigrant-women-program/
View Website » http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/

National Network to End Domestic Violence

The National Network to End Domestic Violence's website contains the latest information on federal legislative activity.

View Website » www.nnedv.org/

OVW Giles v. California Statement

Cindy Dyer

Office on Violence Against Women official statement on the Giles v. California case. For more information, please see the BWJP amicus.

View Article » OVW_Giles_Statement.pdf

Potential Collateral Consequences of a Conviction for Misdemeanor Domestic Assault

Carolyn Ham, BWJP

This handout outlines many of the possible collateral consequences of a conviction for misdemeanor domestic assault in areas such as housing, immigration, and family court.

View Article » Potential_Collateral_Consequences.pdf

Primary Aggressor Chart

Compiled by Sandra Murphy and MaryKathleen Fenske, 2008

This is a 2008 compilation of all state statutes that use “primary” or “predominant” or “principle” aggressor language. Only the portion of the statute that applies to primary aggressor or mutual or dual arrest is cited in this chart.

View Article » Primary_Aggressor_Chart_Final.pdf

Prosecution Diversion in Domestic Violence

Issues and Context

Jane Sadusky

This paper examines the issues surrounding prosecution diversion and the context for reconsidering its role and related cautions in promoting victim safety and offender accountability

View Article » Prosecution_Diversion_DV_Cases.pdf

Prostitution Research and Education

Provides research on prostitution and trafficking, and links to services for prostituted women.

View Website »  http://www.prostitutionresearch.com/

Reducing Language Barriers To Combating Domestic Violence

The Requirements Of Title VI

Carolyn Ham

In addition to the usual obstacles to leaving a violent relationship, battered immigrant women face a host of additional issues such as fears about being deported, loss of legal immigration status and cultural barriers to leaving their spouses. But perhaps the most daunting barrier can be their inability to speak and read English.

View Article » Reducing_Language_Barriers_to_Combating_Domestic_Violence.pdf

Safety and Accountability Audit of Probation Supervision in Domestic Violence Cases

Carolyn Ham and Stephanie Avalon, edited by Denise Gamache, BWJP

Report of Hennepin County Probation Audit, findings and recommendations. The safety audit was directed toward two questions of interest: 1) Do probation officers have adequate information to enable them to refer domestic violence offenders to an appropriate batterer intervention program?, and 2) How does the communication of probation officers with domestic violence victims contribute to victim safety and offender accountability?

View Article » Safety_Accountability_Audit_Probation_Supervision_in_DV_Cases.pdf

Safety and Accountability Audit Report

Freeborn County, Minnesota

Kristine Lizdas and Rhonda Martinson, BWJP

This is the report from the first phase of the Freeborn County Safety and Accountability Audit. It explores Freeborn County's dispatch and law enforcement response to domestic violence calls.

View Article » Safety_Audit_Freeborn_County_MN.pdf

Sample Motion to Quash Grand Jury Subpoena

BWJP

This document serves as a sample motion to be submitted by a domestic violence program that has received a subpoena in a grand jury proceeding, ording it to disclose confidential information.

View Article » Sample_Motion_to_Quash_Subpoena.pdf

Slipping Through the Cracks

How Incomplete Data Collection Allows Domestic Abusers Access to Firearms

Citizens for a Safer Minnesota and the Battered Women's Justice Project

Citizens for a Safer Minnesota Education Fund (CSMEF) and the Battered Women's Justice Project (BWJP) recently conducted a project to assess the completeness of the Criminal History Database maintained by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) for domestic violence misdemeanors. It was determined that less than 30% of individuals convicted of misdemeanor domestic assault during a one-year period were found in the BCA live criminal database. The following report provides background information, detailed methodology, implications, and recommendations based on these results.

View Article » Slipping_through_the_Cracks.pdf

Specialized Criminal Domestic Violence Courts

Julie A. Helling

The National Center for State Courts surveyed courts by mail in 1998 and received approximately 200 responses indicating that the court had some type of specialized procedures for domestic violence cases. This article provides a basic overview of issues involved in the specialization of criminal domestic courts. To provide a framework for the study of these types of courts, this paper profiles the criminal domestic violence courts of Seattle, Washington, Sacramento, California, and Vancouver, Washington. These three courts are representative of four basic models for specialization.

View Article » Specialized_Criminal_DV_Courts_part1.pdf
View Article » Specialized_Criminal_DV_Courts_part2.pdf

Strangulation Matrix

Compiled by the National Center for the Prosecution of Child Abuse in 2007 and the Battered Women's Justice Project in 2008

This chart is a compilation of the strangulation laws in the United States. Updated 2008.

View Article » State_Strangulation_Matrix.pdf

The American Prosecutors Research Institute

The American Prosecutors Research Institute's website offers information on violent crime against women for prosecutors, including training information.

View Website » http://www.ndaa-apri.org/

The Dangers of Presumptive Joint Physical Custody

Gabrielle Davis, Kristine Lizdas, Sandra Tibbetts Murphy, Jenna Yauch

This article details the problems that arise for victims of domestic violence and their children from legal presumptions for joint physical custody, and strongly advocates against such legal presumptions.

View Article » Dangers_of_Presumptive_Joint_Physical_Custody.pdf

The Domestic Violence Project of Silicon Valley, California

A website with valuable information and resources.

View Website » http://www.growing.com/nonviolent/index.htm

The Evolution of Domestic Violence Theory and Law Reform Efforts in the United States

Loretta Frederick, BWJP

Criminal justice system intervention in domestic violence cases takes place in the context of more than two decades of organizing and legislative change. This history has repercussions for today's practice and informs contemporary reform efforts.

View Article » Evolution_DV_Theory_and_Law_Reform.pdf

The Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse

The Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse offers a large number of articles related to many forms of violence and abuse.

View Website » http://www.mincava.umn.edu/

The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health

The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma and Mental Health is a national technical assistance project designed to cultivate a deeper understanding about the mental health and advocacy needs of survivors of domestic violence and their children and the impact of trauma on individual healing and social change; their website contains numerous resources for professionals and survivors.

View Website » http://www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org/home.php

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides a list of state domestic violence coalitions and other resources for victims and advocates.

View Website »  http://www.ncadv.org/

The Role of Restorative Justice in the Battered Women's Movement

Loretta Frederick and Kristine Lizdas, BWJP

This article provides a comparison of the principles and practices of the restorative justice and battered women's movements. It provides an analysis and critique of each movement's response to domestic violence, and proposes an interpretation of what is effective, redemptive and liberating about the practices of each. Ultimately the paper provides suggested directions for future work within both fields.

View Article » Role_of_Restorative_Justice_Battered_Women's_Movement.pdf

U.S Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics

This U.S. Department of Justice website offers research and statistical publications on domestic violence.

View Website » http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/

U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women

Website of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. DoJ

View Website » http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/

Understanding the Military Response to Domestic Violence

Tools for Civilian Advocates

By Judith Beals, Updated by Patricia Erwin

This handbook has been updated to include information about the DoD policy on restricted reporting for victims of domestic violence. It is designed to assist civilian advocates who are working with military victims of domestic violence -- both active duty victims and partners of active duty service members. It will help you respond to the uniquely challenging needs of this population of survivors.

View Article » BWJP_Military_Part1.pdf
View Article » BWJP_Military_Part2.pdf
View Article » BWJP_Military_Part3.pdf
View Article » BWJP_Military_Part4.pdf
View Article » BWJP_Military_Part5.pdf

VAWnet Library

The VAWnet Library is an online resource for advocates working to end domestic violence, sexual assault, and other violence in the lives of women and their children.

View Website »  www.vawnet.org/

VictimLaw

A comprehensive on-line database of state, federal, and tribal victims' rights law and protections; the website offers free, user-friendly access to information that until now has been difficult to find.

View Website » http://www.victimlaw.info/victimlaw/

Violence Against Native Women

A Guide for Practitioner Action

Office on Violence Against Women; National Center on Full Faith and Credit

This paper includes discussion of the theories of Native scholars regarding the sharp rise of the level of violence against Native women, as well as history and demographic information relevant to an overall understanding of the contemporary lives of Native women. This paper also reviews actions taken by the U.S. government and many tribal nations to respond to violence against Native women who have survived domestic or sexual violence.

View Article » Violence_Against_Native_Women.pdf

Violence Against Women Online Resources

This Office on Violence Against Women website, Violence Against Women Online Resources, contains a plethora of articles and research on violence against women.

View Website » http://www.vaw.umn.edu/

Violence Against Women: A Curriculum for Empowerment

Facilitator's Manual

Susan Schechter, Sharon Szymanski, Michele Cahill

A manual for facilitators of battered women's groups. The curriculum and workshops were the attempt of the authors to "institutionalize consciousness raising within shelters" and it "offers tools to staff who may never have participated in or led groups." Co-authored by Battered Women's Movement leader, the late Susan Schechter.

View Article » Violence_Against_Women_A_Curriculum_for_Empowerment.pdf

WATCH

A Minnesota Court Monitoring Program. WATCH's mission is to make the justice system more effective and responsive in handling cases of violence, particularly against women and children, and creating a more informed and involved public.

View Website » http://www.watchmn.org/

When Is Arrest Not An Option?

The Dilemmas of Predominant Physical Aggressor Language and the Regulation of Intimate Partner Violence

Trish Erwin

This article explores the philosophical, practical, and legal issues involved in using predominant physical aggressor language in response to addressing intimate partner violence.

View Article » When_is_Arrest_Not_an_Option.pdf

When the Batterer is a Law Enforcement Officer

A Guide for Advocates

By Diane Wetendorf

This is a comprehensive resource for any advocate working with a survivor of a batterer who is in law enforcement, including information on particular safety considerations and advocacy strategies.

View Article » Batterer_LE_Advocate_Guide2009.pdf

Why Should Advocates for Battered Women Want Batterers To Be Provided with Adequate Legal Representation When They Are Arrested for Assaulting Their Partners?

Loretta Frederick, BWJP

The existence of a competent defense bar in any community does not undermine the effort to use the law to stop domestic violence. A fair and well-functioning criminal legal system may create general deterrence even where the conviction rate is less than 100%.

View Article » Adequate_Legal_Representation_for_Batterers.pdf

Winona County Child Custody Safety and Accountability Audit Report

Local Safety Audit Coordinators: Loretta Frederick, Sr. Legal and Policy Advisor, BWJP and Valerie Williams, Women's Resource Center of Winona, MN

The Winona County Child Custody Safety and Accountability Audit explored the question: How is the safety and well-being of victims of domestic violence and their children addressed and promoted in the process of resolving child custody matters in Winona County, MN? This Audit report, the first to address family court child custody cases, consists of key findings and recommendations.

View Article » Winona_Custody_Audit_Report.pdf

Women of Color Resource Center

The Women of Color Resource Center promotes the political, economic, social and cultural well-being of women and girls of color in the United States.

View Website » http://www.coloredgirls.org/

Working Effectively with the Police

A Guide for Battered Women's Advocates

Jane Sadusky for BWJP

Battered women's advocates and police departments in several jurisdictions have been successful in developing a more effective police response to domestic assault cases. This article highlights information advocates need in order to work collaboratively and effectively with police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The author discusses the changes police officers have made regarding when and how they arrest, investigate, write reports, and how they work with and support prosecutors and victim advocates.

View Article » Working_Effectively_with_Police.pdf