Policy & Systems Advocacy Content Topic Results

This monograph is an introduction and overview of the issues involved in providing mental health trauma services for refugees in the United States. It is intended primarily for people who work in or care about the public mental health system.

This news article discusses a 2008 study by Dr. Bair-Merritt. Findings of the study underscore the need for pediatricians to screen mothers for domestic violence.

This guide book offers user-friendly information for law enforcement on how to respond to a wide range of victims. It attempts to highlight the most salient issues involved for victims of certain crimes and for certain populations of victims.

"This report shares findings garnered from a series of interviews held with a diverse group of women from throughout the Gulf region. In telling their stories, it provides an analysis of women's increased vulnerability during times of natural disasters and lays out policy recommendations that pinpoint how best to address those needs in the wake of this disaster, and in anticipation of the next."

This is a guide booklet from The National Center for Victims of Crime which “outlines the process of DNA collection for victims and its potential impact on their cases.” Este documento es una guía de la organización The National Center for Victims of Crime (Centro Nacional para Víctimas del Crimen) para las víctimas que explica “los procedimientos para la colección del ADN y el impacto potencial del ADN en sus casos.”

This is a guide booklet for victim services providers with the aim of helping them become “more knowledgeable, comfortable, and confident when supporting victims in cases where DNA evidence is relevant.” Available in English and Spanish.

This report provides an analysis of patterns of human rights abuses against women who are exposed to the risk of or are already living with HIV in rural contexts of widespread poverty and unemployment.

This report describes the impact of the Safe and Together model, developed specifically for domestic violence cases involving children to improve practice and decision making with the goal of safety, permanency and well-being of children at its center.

The federal courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) have classified female genital mutilation (FGM) as a form of persecution, which can be used as the basis for a successful asylum claim. However, recent developments in this area of law have created a split between the federal courts and the BIA over the treatment of applicants who have already endured FGM. Federal courts that have addressed FGM acknowledge past infliction of FGM as a basis for fear of persecution, while the BIA rejects this position. This article summarizes the legal controversy surrounding FGM and asylum.

In this 8 minute podcast, Dr. Michele Black discusses a link between intimate partner violence and illnesses, including asthma, arthritis, stroke, increased heavy or binge drinking, smoking, and risk factors such as HIV or sexually transmitted diseases.

This report indicates that persons who report having experienced IPV in their lifetimes also are more likely to report current adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors, underscoring the need for IPV assessment in healthcare settings. Additionally, the results indicate a need for secondary intervention strategies to address the health-related needs of IPV survivors and reduce their risk for subsequent adverse health conditions and health risk behaviors.

This report is the product of two-year research. The study examined elder abuse cases and specialized response to elder abuse by courts. Included in this report are innovative and promising practices in addressing elder abuse and elder needs.