A Message from OVW Director Cindy Dyer

Dear Friends,

I would like to update you on recent activities and program development that I and OVW staff have been undertaking in the past few weeks.

Highlighting the important work we are doing and expanding our mutual understanding of issues facing women around the globe has been a priority of mine since becoming Director of OVW. I recently attended a thematic debate at the UN Security Council addressing sexual violence against women in conflict and post-conflict areas chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on June 19, 2008. To read Secretary Rice’s full remarks please visit http://www.state.gov/s/we/c26140.htm. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other world leaders attended the session to propose solutions to provide necessary protection and assistance for victims of sexual violence. One of my goals as OVW Director is to establish new relationships and partnerships, both here and abroad, as we continue to combat violence against women.

I would like to thank the staff and core partners of the New York City Family Justice Center located in Brooklyn, New York for hosting a special tour and visit for me and OVW staff last month. The Center was the first to be launched under the President’s Family Justice Center Initiative and it continues to expand, grow, and serve victims. Centers like the New York Family Justice Center embody a strong coordinated community response by bringing together victim advocates, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, probation officers, forensic medical professionals, civil legal attorneys, chaplains, and representatives from community-based organizations into one centralized location to better serve victims of violence. More information about the President’s Family Justice Center Initiative is available on OVW’s website or visit www.familyjusticecenter.org.

OVW continues its work on the implementation of funding the new programs authorized by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005. These new programs are the Sexual Assault Services Program; Services to Advocate for and Respond to Youth; Grants to Assist Children and Youth Exposed to Violence; Violence Against Women Act Court Training and Improvement Grants; Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program; and Engaging Men and Youth in Preventing Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking. OVW is working on the development of these new programs. Please continue to check our website www.ovw.usdoj.gov for future announcements, solicitations, and descriptions of these new programs.

On behalf of all OVW staff, we express our sympathy and support for victims and grantees affected by recent flooding in the Midwest. If you were affected by the recent flooding or other natural disasters and need additional time to complete your grant award, progress reports, or changes to your approved budget as a result of this natural disaster, please contact your OVW Program Manager. I encourage you to visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website for information related to disaster assistance. Several national anti-sexual assault organizations have created the Relief Fund for Sexual Assault Victims, to help victims impacted by natural disasters. More information about the Relief Fund is available on their website, http://www.relieffundforsexualassaultvictims.org/.

Thank you for your commitment to advocate for those victimized by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Working together we can be a formidable opponent against these crimes.

Sincerely,

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

A Message from OVW Director Cindy Dyer on World Elder Abuse Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is an excellent opportunity to share information about the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of persons in later life. The face of aging in the United States is changing dramatically. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population age 65 and over is expected to double in size within the next 25 years. By 2030, almost one out of five Americans — some 72 million people — will be 65 years or older and the 85 and older age group is now the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. As the number of older Americans grows, so does the number of potential targets for elder abuse.

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is committed to raising awareness and supporting training and services aimed at addressing elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, involving older individuals. OVW joins our partners, including the National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life, in providing training programs to assist criminal justice professionals and others working with older individuals.

Since 2002, OVW’s Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program (Elder Program) serving populations over 50 years of age has provided more than $25 million to communities to support training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts to enhance their ability to recognize, address, investigate, and prosecute instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

I encourage you to join others around the nation and world in observing this important day. Individuals can help prevent elder abuse by volunteering to call or to visit an isolated senior who may be at risk of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation. Getting involved in any activity in your own neighborhood or community that aims to create awareness of domestic violence, sexual abuse and stalking in later life adds value to the collective efforts underway.

Thank you for doing your part to help raise awareness!

A Message from OVW Director, Cindy Dyer

Dear Friends,

Thank you to all who offered feedback in response to our request for information regarding technical assistance (TA).  Your input and suggestions are critical to the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) as we develop TA that is responsive to your specific needs and concerns.  I encourage you to continue to communicate with us so that we may better serve the needs of our grantees.

On June 15, 2008, I hope you will join OVW as we observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.  Through OVW’s Enhanced Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse of Women Later in Life Program (Elder Program) we provide services to communities to support training for law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts to enhance their ability to recognize, address, investigate, and prosecute instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.  Please help, in any way you can, to ensure that we continue to raise awareness and support at-risk older individuals who are targeted for abuse.

As some of you may know, the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 amended the STOP formula statutory certification requirement pertaining to forensic examinations.  This new requirement ensures that sexual assault victims receive access to a forensic examination regardless of whether the victim cooperates with law enforcement.  OVW has developed Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Anonymous Reporting and Forensic Examinations that is now accessible online.  I encourage you to view this new fact sheet for more information regarding the new forensic examination certification requirement.

Thank you for your commitment to advocate for those victimized by the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.  I look forward to sharing more information and news from OVW with you as the summer progresses.

Sincerely,

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

A Message from OVW Director, Cindy Dyer

Dear Friends,

April, designated as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, was highly successful!  Thank you to everyone in the field who participated in events, conferences, and other activities to raise awareness for those victimized by sexual assault. OVW staff and I were very moved by the inspiring events you organized around the country and the level of national attention brought to this important issue.

Technical Assistance (TA) is vital to meet the challenges of addressing violence against women through the essential training, peer-to-peer networking, and the creative problem-solving strategies employed by our TA providers.  I would like to ask for your help to ensure that OVW is providing you with TA that is most responsive to your needs and concerns as grantees.  Please reply to OVW.Director@usdoj.gov  with “Technical Assistance” in the subject line with your suggestions on how we can improve TA and let us know what you most need and want.  Your feedback is important to us, so I encourage you to be as detailed as you can.  Thank you for taking the time to help us enhance our TA strategy.
OVW is pleased to announce the members of the Section 904 Violence Against Women in Indian Country Task Force, a Federal Advisory Committee authorized by Title IX of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005.  The Task Force will advise and make recommendations to OVW and the National Institute of Justice regarding the development and implementation of a research program on violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women.  Read more about the Section 904 Task Force.

As OVW continues to grow, I am pleased to announce that Jan Langbein joins our staff as Senior Policy Advisor to the Director.  Prior to joining OVW, Ms. Langbein served as the Executive Director of Genesis Women’s Shelter in Dallas, Texas for nineteen years offering help and services to victims of violence.  Her enthusiasm and expertise as an advocate will bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to OVW.  I hope many of you have the opportunity to meet and work with Ms. Langbein in the near future.

Sincerely,

Cindy Dyer
Director, Office on Violence Against Women

A Message from OVW Director, Cindy Dyer

Please join me during the month of April, recognized as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, to renew our commitment to ending all forms of sexual violence. Sexual assault is a serious crime and continues to impact thousands of women, men, and children every year. The 2008 national theme, “Prevent Sexual Violence . . . in our workplaces,” focuses on ways for us to reach out to our families, friends, and co-workers who may have been the victim of sexual assault. I encourage you to be a good listener and recognize the impact this crime has on those living and working in your own community.

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is committed to raising awareness and supporting services aimed at helping victims of sexual assault. OVW joins our partners, including the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, to provide much needed help and support for victims of this crime. In addition, as Director, I plan to strengthen OVW’s outreach and enhance services to victims of sexual assault by developing new, innovative ways to better train prosecutors, forensic examiners, and advocates who work with victims of sexual assault.

I encourage you to help us engage in this important dialogue. “Participating in opportunities to speak out about the crime of sexual assault is an important step to stopping this violent crime against women. During April 2008, designated as National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I encourage everyone to use resources being publicized and to participate in events, discussions and programs to increase public awareness about this crime that affects 1 in 6 American women. Working together we can change attitudes, continue to support victims and hold perpetrators responsible.”

Thank you for doing your part to help us raise awareness!

Resources:

Sexual Assault Awareness Month Poster
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations
National Training Standards for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiners
Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) Virtual Practicum
National Institute of Justice- Rape and Sexual Violence Page
Centers for Disease Control- Sexual Violence Prevention Page
Tribal Justice and Safety- U.S. Department of Justice
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, U.S. Department of Defense
The Voices and Faces Project
Enditnow.gov- OVW’s Public Awareness Campaign Website on Domestic Violence, Stalking, Sexual Assault and Dating Violence

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, please call 1-800-656-HOPE to be connected to the local rape crisis center nearest to you, or visit www.rainn.org for assistance and more information.

If you are in immediate danger, dial 911.

A Message from OVW Director, Cindy Dyer

Dear Friends,

My first few months as Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) have been wonderfully productive and gratifying. I anticipate that 2008 will be a significant year in our efforts to address the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.  One of my priorities as Director is to be actively involved in the field and increase our collaborative efforts.  Each month I will be sharing with you the latest news, events, and resources from OVW. 

Fellow advocates will honor National Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April around the country and our office marks this month by renewing our commitment to ending all forms of sexual violence. Sexual assault is a serious crime and continues to impact thousands of women, men, and children every year.   Our 2008 national theme, “Prevent Sexual Violence... in our workplaces,” focuses on ways for us to reach out to our families, friends, and co-workers who may have been victims of sexual assault. I encourage you to be a good listener and recognize the impact this crime has on those living and working in your own community. 

OVW is pleased to announce the newly designated Sexual Assault Services Program.  This important new program will support the establishment, maintenance and expansion of rape crisis centers and other programs and projects to assist those victimized by sexual assault.  I look forward to working with advocates, sexual assault service providers, and criminal justice professionals to implement this important program.

As a former grantee, I value the importance of Technical Assistance to our projects.  OVW recently released the FY 2008 Technical Assistance Program solicitation, Call for Conference Support Announcement.  The deadline for submission is May 13, 2008.  OVW grant recipients can access information about current Technical Assistance projects through OVW’s Technical Assistance Provider Calendar and Directory by contacting their OVW grant manager.

I invite you to visit our new page dedicated to the “Safety of Indian Women” to view information about plans for the upcoming 2008 Tribal Consultation, the final 2007 Tribal Consultation Report, the December 2007 report from the Focus Group on Public Law 280 and the Sexual Assault of Native Women, and other important news on tribal affairs.

Thank you for your commitment to advocate for those victimized by the crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. I look forward to working together as we continue to engage in this important dialogue. 

Sincerely,

Cindy Dyer
Director, Office on Violence Against Women
OVW.Director@usdoj.gov

Let's take action! Dating violence continues to impact vulnerable individuals, particularly teens. Please join the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in our efforts to address the serious issue of dating violence and the behaviors often associated with it during the week of February 4-8, 2008, designated as "National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week."

Dating violence can happen to anyone. However, young victims face different obstacles than older, adult victims do. According to recent studies, 20 percent of teenage girls and young women have experienced some form of dating violence. Dating violence can include physical, emotional, verbal, psychological or sexual abuse. Teen dating violence often increases the risks of substance abuse, sexual activity, pregnancy and suicide, especially for female victims. It is important to educate teens and those who can influence them to distinguish violent dating behaviors from healthy behaviors.

"Relationships shape our personal worlds with unforgettable experiences. Violence in any relationship, including teen dating, should never be tolerated. Awareness about dating violence behaviors can help teens and other young adults avoid or end harmful relationships. During the month of February please join the Office on Violence Against Women to raise awareness by sharing resources, joining discussions and becoming informed about the impact of teen dating violence."

OVW actively supports outreach to teens, families, schools and communities to address the gravity of teen dating violence and promote the development of healthy relationships. The National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women convened a subcommittee on teen dating violence which provided guidance to OVW on this particular issue. The National Advisory Committee concluded that "teen dating violence is a major public health and safety concern in America" and more collaboration is necessary to strengthen our response to teen dating violence. In 2008, OVW plans to launch a national outreach campaign targeted towards youth. Through these and many other efforts OVW is providing much needed support to address the seriousness of teen dating violence. Please join us in February, and throughout the coming year, to encourage teens and youth to engage in healthy dating behaviors. Thank you for doing your part to help us raise awareness.

On February 27, 2008, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) will sponsor an OVC Web Forum Guest Host Session on best practices for responding to teen victims of dating violence. Join Mitru Ciarlante, Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime's Teen Victim Initiative, and Barri Rosenbluth, Director of SafePlace's Expect Respect Program, at 2 p.m. ET for the live discussion.

• www.enditnow.gov
• National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline/Love Is Respect
• Choose Respect Campaign
• Expect Respect
• www.endabuse.org
• OVW's National Advisory Committee
• Senate Resolution on National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week

A Message from OVW Director, Cindy Dyer

January is stalking awareness month—an important time for us to renew our commitment to raising awareness about this serious crime. “Although often trivialized, stalking is a crime in every state and we must do more to protect the victims who suffer from this crime. During the month of January, designated as Stalking Awareness month, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is asking for everyone’s help to increase awareness about stalking and share resources. Working together we can make a difference in identifying, preventing and stopping this crime.”

The Office on Violence Against Women supports the National Center for Victims of Crime and the Stalking Resource Center. The on-line Stalking Resource Center provides much needed information including: assistance to victims; various types of stalking awareness materials, including downloadable posters; and available hotlines.

Statistics from the National Violence Against Women Survey tell us that approximately 1.5 million people are stalked every year in the United States and 4 out of 5 of those victims are women. Most often, female victims were stalked by an intimate partner. There is a strong correlation between intimate partner stalking and the related crimes of domestic violence and sexual assault.

It is important to educate everyone about the types of stalking behaviors. Stalking can include repeated phone calls, following, damage to property or homes, and any other action that controls or frightens someone. Increasingly, more individuals are engaged in “cyberstalking” by using the internet, chat rooms, message boards, and electronic tracking devices to harass their victims. Any form of stalking can be terrifying, no matter what the age of the victim, or whether the victim knows the stalker or not.

Education and safety planning is critical to the prevention and detection of this serious crime. OVW is committed to keeping stalking victims safe and holding stalkers accountable for their deplorable actions---not just in January, but in every month of the year. Please display the posters, information, and websites on items that you may use during January. I thank you for partnering with OVW to advance the awareness of the impact of stalking and its tolls on victims, families, and communities.

In recognition of National Stalking Awareness Month, the Office for Victims of Crime, in conjunction with the Office on Violence Against Women, hosted a Web Forum Guest Host Session on best practices for serving intimate partner stalking victims. The discussion with Guest Host Michelle Garcia, Director of the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) Stalking Resource Center, took place on January 9, 2008, at 2 p.m. ET.

Click here to see the transcript (scroll down to "Intimate Partner Stalking").

OVW and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) invite you to add your stalking awareness-related events to the National Calendar of Crime Victim Assistance-Related Events.  The OVC National Calendar of Events helps you locate, plan, and promote victim assistance-related events nationwide.  Visit the National Calendar of Events for instructions on how to add your event.

RESOURCES

Stalking Resource Center
Stalking Awareness Month Poster
www.enditnow.gov
OVW Stalking Resources