A Message from OVW Acting Director Catherine Pierce
Dear Friends,
It is my pleasure to continue the Director’s monthly messages and share with you the latest news from the Office on Violence Against Women. I am honored to have been designated Acting Director by President Barack Obama.
This week we welcome Attorney General Eric Holder. He has challenged every one of us at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to “roll up our sleeves” and “get down to work.” OVW is very excited to have the opportunity to work closely with new DOJ leadership and we will continue to be actively involved with the field in both policy and program development. We rely on you for feedback on improving our efforts to end violence against women.
The U.S. Senate designated the week of February 2-6 as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week. According to the Center for Disease Control's 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, approximately 10% of adolescents nationwide reported being the victim of physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner during the previous year. Under the Violence Against Women Act of 2005, Congress directed OVW to include teens in our intervention work, specifically through three of our new programs: Services to Advocate for and Respond to Youth, Children and Youth Exposed to Violence, and Engaging Men and Youth. Through collaborative efforts, we can enhance understanding of healthy relationships, help teens identify signs of abuse, and help them locate services if they or someone they know is experiencing a physically or emotionally abusive relationship.
This week, the Family Violence Prevention Fund in partnership with OVW, the AD Council, and R/GA launched a national public service advertising campaign to help teens recognize digital dating abuse and its prevention. This web-based campaign is tailored to teen interaction and communication with peers. Diverse focus groups and additional research provided insight on the forms of digital dating abuse through social networking sites and mobile communication. We also learned that technology is at the center of most teenagers’ lives, regardless of class, sex, or race, and can be a tool to abuse and control.
To address this problem, the four partners launched www.ThatsNotCool.com, asking teens, “Where Do You Draw Your Digital Line?” to define what is acceptable behavior and what is not. The website provides interactive, web-based tools and resources to prevent teen dating violence by promoting positive friendships and relationships, raising awareness about the signs of abuse, and most importantly, educating teens about “digital gray areas.” A recent New York Times article details the development of the campaign.
We urge you to visit www.ThatsNotCool.com and we hope this website will aid in your community’s efforts to reach out to teens and prevent teen dating violence.
Lastly, as we approach the 15th anniversary of the passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), we would like your help in creating a display of artwork, posters, graphics and photographs that reflect the spirit of the VAWA as demonstrated by the extraordinary work of our grantees and partners in the field. Please send us items you have developed and we will exhibit a diverse selection in OVW’s office space.
Please send submissions via FedEx or UPS (or another courier service) and/or electronically to OVW.Outreach@usdoj.gov. There is no need to rush shipping but please DO NOT send items through the U.S. Postal Service as they will be damaged by DOJ security screening. Send your submissions with complete contact information to:
Office on Violence Against Women
U.S. Department of Justice
800 K Street NW, Suite 920
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 307-6026
Attn: Linda Richardson
We look forward to your response!
I want to thank each of you for the work you do every day to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Without your hard work and dedication, we never would have come this far. But as you know, there is much more work to do. As Attorney General Holder said in his first message to DOJ employees, “Our task will not be easy. Our days will be long and our challenges will be great. But I know that because of your professionalism, your integrity, and your hard work, we will succeed in our vital mission.”
Together we can bring about the change we are dedicated to. I wish you the best in your continuing endeavors.
Sincerely,
Catherine Pierce
Acting Director, Office on Violence Against Women
U.S. Department of Justice |
