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KEY INITIATIVES...

Another strategy employed by the NRCDV to support domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts is the design and implementation of key initiatives that facilitate a deeper focus on a particular issue or population. The NRCDV’s key initiatives include VAWnet, Women of Color Network, and Building Comprehensive Solutions to Domestic Violence.

VAWnet: the National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women. One of the NRCDV’s core initiatives, VAWnet is a comprehensive, full-text collection of online resources, supported with core funding from the National Center on Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). VAWnet serves as our primary dissemination vehicle for domestic violence information and materials to the field on domestic violence policy, practice and research. Ongoing feedback from the field confirms that advocates and practitioners working to end violence against women utilize VAWnet resources to increase their capacity, expand their knowledge, and identify best practice models for prevention and intervention.

The Women of Color Network. The mission of Women of Color Network (WOCN) is to provide and enhance leadership capacity and resources that promote the activities of women of color advocates and activists to address violence against women and families within the Sovereign Nations, the United States and U.S. Territories. In May 2010, WOCN held a powerful National Call to Action Conference in New Orleans with over 300 participants and continues to promote diverse leadership within the domestic and sexual violence movement.


In October 2010, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded WOCN a five-year grant for a groundbreaking partnership to develop and implement a national project to expand leadership opportunities for women of color and currently underrepresented advocates within the anti-violence movement. Other Department of Justice-funded initiatives include a National Women of Color Economic and Policy Leadership Project and a National Call to Action Training and TA Project. WOCN also supports cultural competency and ally training, a mentor project providing peer support to advocates, and research on women of color and their programs.

Building Comprehensive Solutions to Domestic Violence. Look for our re-launched website soon! Established in 1996 with Ford Foundation support, Building Comprehensive Solutions to Domestic Violence (BCS) is a collaborative project with Greater Hartford Legal Aid (GHLA) in Connecticut. Jill Davies, GHLA Deputy Director and national recognized DV advocate and author, serves as BCS Director. The project has produced practical and concrete guidance on emerging and cross-system policy areas, poverty, and challenging advocacy issues, such as child safety and victims remaining in their relationship. BCS uses a four-pronged approach to support the development of comprehensive solutions:

• Individual victim-defined advocacy ensures that each victim’s experience of violence, culture, children’s needs, and life circumstances determine the direction and focus of advocacy and safety strategies;
• Systemic victim-defined advocacy ensures that the range of adult and child victims’ experiences  of violence, cultures, and life circumstances determine the direction of strategic efforts to improve systemic responses;
• Collaboration is essential because no one field or system can provide comprehensive solutions; and
• Advocate-defined resources offer practical, ready to use information and tools that support advocates opportunity to learn, think critically, and to offer victim-defined advocacy.

New! Meeting Survivors' Needs Study Resource Page: Substantial data collection documents how well local domestic violence programs are addressing the needs of those reaching out to them for assistance.

See the TA Question of the Month in recognition of National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, How can I talk about healthy sexuality to prevent sexual violence?