ASC Presidential Panel: 30 Years of the Violence Against Women Act: Endurance, Expansion, and the Next Era

Session Submission Type: Presidential Session

Abstract/Description

Congress first passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994. Since then, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) has invested several billion dollars to support national, state, and local programs and to advance policies, practices and related to reducing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and increase access to safety, services, and justice for survivors. Over the same period, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has made similar investments, and both VAWA and OVC have supported the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) in investing extensively in related research. The directors of OVW, OVC, and NIJ will provide brief overview remarks about the research and evaluation stemming from federal Department of Justice (DOJ) VAWA efforts and engage in a moderated discussion to highlight documented impacts of this historic effort aimed at ending gender-based violence. They will then engage in an interactive discussion to reflect on the last 30 years of research and how it informs the evolution of policy and practices related to VAWA, including:

• Generating evidence about the experiences and needs of survivors;
• Assessing what works to hold people who cause harm accountable and to keep those who are victimized safe and restore their well-being;
• Documenting challenges and barriers to implementing VAWA provisions; and
• Discussing the implications of three decades of evidence generation on the future of VAWA.

The discussion will be followed by a question-and-answer period with conference attendees.

Sub Unit

• Area I. Presidential Panels

Individual Presentations

• Rosie Hidalgo, Director Office on Violence Against Women - Rosie Hidalgo, Office on Violence Against Women

• Nancy La Vigne, Director National Institute of Justice - Nancy LaVigne, National Institute of Justice

• Kris Rose, Director Office for Victims of Crime - Kris Rose, Office for Victims of Crime

• Karma Cottman, Chief Executive Officer, Ujima, Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community - Karma Cottman, Ujima Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community

Chair

• Rosie Hidalgo, Office on Violence Against Women

Speakers

• Nancy LaVigne, National Institute of Justice

• Kris Rose, Office for Victims of Crime

• Karma Cottman, Ujima Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community