Attitudes / Perception / Awareness Content Topic Results

Identifying and Preventing Gender and Intersectional Bias in Law Enforcement Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence

berdman — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 15:13:06 +0000

Identifying and Preventing Gender and Intersectional Bias in Law Enforcement Responses to Domestic and Sexual Violence berdman Fri, 04/05/2019 - 11:13

Published

January 14, 2022

Author(s)

Carrie Bettinger-Lopez

Rosie Hidalgo

Olivia Garcia

Renu Sara Nargund

This special collection is a product of the COURAGE in Policing Project, jointly supported by the Human Rights Clinic at the University of Miami School of Law, Casa de Esperanza National Latin@ Network, and UN Women. [Note: Rosie Hidalgo contributed to the production of this Special Collection prior to January 2021, in her capacity as Senior Director of Public Policy, Casa de Esperanza (now Esperanza United).] The purpose of this special collection is to compile resources focused on improving the law enforcement responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence (GBV) are pandemics that are globally ubiquitous, despite decades of efforts to address these ills through public health, criminal justice, education, and social welfare sectors. Despite the devastating prevalence of GBV, the United Nations (UN) has reported that in most countries, less than 40% of women who experienced violence sought any sort of help, and of those, less than 10% sought help from the police (United Nations Statistics Division 2015). This reflects a profound mistrust of state systems whose frontline responders are usually law enforcement officers and whose purported mission is to protect and serve.

The reasons behind the fraught relationship between survivors and law enforcement are complex. They range from a lack of effective trainings on responding to GBV and communicating with survivors, to the use of investigation and prosecution policies and practices that do not account for the effects of trauma on victims, to a lack of accountability mechanisms for misconduct, including GBV perpetrated by law enforcement officers themselves, to biases (gender, race, and otherwise) that are ingrained in the criminal legal system. These dynamics particularly impact survivors from marginalized or underserved communities, who often have a deep mistrust of the police. Recent surveys underscore the significance of gender, racial, and other forms of bias in police responses to GBV, and the effects of bias on how people engage with the criminal legal system.

While law enforcement response is only one component of a comprehensive approach to GBV, it is a critical piece, particularly in the context of high-risk situations and when survivors seek to engage with the police. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) began stepping up its investigations into discriminatory law enforcement responses to GBV in several cities and, in 2015, the DOJ published a Guidance entitled Identifying and Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (DOJ 2015). The Guidance, which articulates eight principles, was created to improve responses to GBV by the 18,000 law enforcement agencies (LEAs) across the U.S.

The guidance provides a foundation for considering how law enforcement can improve responses to survivors, women and girls of color, and people from historically exploited and vulnerable communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) individuals, who are disproportionately impacted by sexual assault and domestic violence. Through eight sections (A-G), this collection offers resources for identifying and preventing gender, racial, and other forms of bias, especially for underserved and marginalized survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

We hope that this special collection will provide various perspectives and resources for advocates, law enforcement leaders, and others who are considering ways to improve law enforcement responses to gender-based violence, particularly in underserved or marginalized communities. Our hope is to expand and improve pathways to safety for survivors.

We recognize that there are many unanswered questions that may come up for readers in the review of this special collection. These may include questions such as: how have advocates approached law enforcement issues? What is the historical impact of the work done by advocates? What is the ability of law enforcement to implement measurable and sustainable change? and how can law enforcement evaluate and correct itself at this point? While this special collection does not directly answer these questions, we recognize the importance of exploring these pertinent questions in future collections to better identify and prevent gender bias in the law enforcement response to sexual assault and domestic violence. We also acknowledge the need for rigorous evaluations of existing law enforcement training programs to bring greater accountability, enhance credibility, and bridge gaps in the program to ensure training effectiveness.

In the future, the COURAGE project plans to develop a collection of resources highlighting the importance of different pathways to safety, particularly for survivors who want alternatives to the criminal legal system, such as “violence interruption” programs, restorative and transformative justice, collective healing, economic justice, and health and housing justice. We welcome your feedback and ideas.

We approach this work with the intention of dismantling misogynist, anti-black and racist norms that are prevalent throughout U.S. society, including in the criminal legal system. Indeed, it is well understood that many survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault choose not to engage with the criminal legal system for a variety of reasons, including: a history of violence by law enforcement and other state agents against women, black and minority communities; fear of the immigration, child welfare, public assistance, and other consequences for survivors and their family members; deportation, exploitation, and a desire to protect one’s family from justice system involvement. Nonetheless, for the victims who do interact with the criminal legal system, the focus of this initiative is to make existing law enforcement systems more trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and accountable.

While criminalization of individuals who inflict GBV has historically been viewed as a proxy for justice, advocates and scholars are proposing alternative frameworks, such as “violence interruption,” restorative justice, community justice, collective healing, economic justice, health and housing justice, and “police abolition.” We endorse these calls for increased research and investment in non-criminal approaches to preventing and responding to GBV, and we believe they are in line with a human rights-based, “due diligence” approach.

While we must develop and embrace a long-term vision for safety, justice, and healing for survivors, we also believe that we must develop viable models to improve police response to GBV for the foreseeable future. For such a devastating and deadly problem, we must approach the problem in the here-and-now with tactical precision. This means investing in the alternative approaches outlined above, while insisting on improvements to the criminal legal system that currently exists.

While the role of law enforcement will likely evolve in response to these crises, it remains an important system actor in the GBV context for the foreseeable future. It is thus critical that LEAs espouse and implement the following principles, expanding on the DOJ Guidance: accountability for officer-perpetrated GBV; trauma-informed interactions with survivors; effective investigation of GBV reports; and attention to intersecting forms of discrimination. Doing so will help prevent gender and other intersectional forms of bias, thereby improving responses to GBV and contributing to a safer world for all of us.

The authors are grateful to colleagues from UN Women who contributed feedback and ideas to this special collection: Mirko Fernandez, Laura Capobianco, and Caroline Meenagh.

Capacity Building for Domestic Violence Prevention Programming

ckeene — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 00:05:54 +0000

Capacity Building for Domestic Violence Prevention Programming ckeene Tue, 08/09/2016 - 20:05

Published

August 01, 2012

Domestic violence is preventable! As the movement to end domestic violence embraces this concept and explores the implementation of effective prevention programming, it is necessary to first examine the capacity of our networks, communities, and agencies to take on this work. The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence defines organizational capacity for primary prevention as “the agency’s ability to support and implement domestic and sexual violence prevention efforts” (2012). When an agency fully embraces primary prevention, the work becomes part of the organizational culture, existing in all departments, volunteers, board members, and administrators (PreventConnect, 2012). It all begins with systems change within our organizations.

This collection provides materials to support the work of building this capacity for primary prevention work – primarily on the organizational level, but also as it relates to assessing and influencing change in individuals, communities, and institutions. The resources offered as part of this collection describe lessons learned from the CDC’s DELTA PREP project, provide capacity building guidelines, and review the necessary steps of readiness assessment, program development, training, evaluation, and planning for sustainability when it comes to implementing effective strategies to prevent domestic violence.

This collection was developed by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Special thanks to PreventConnect, the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence, the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control for sharing their expertise and input to inform the content of this collection.

FindTreatment Directory

fdaza — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:45:42 +0000

FindTreatment Directory fdaza Wed, 07/01/2026 - 19:45

General Material

Published Date

July, 2026

New Resources Added

July 01, 2026

Publisher(s)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

This confidential federal resource helps individuals locate mental health and substance use treatment facilities across the United States using an easy-to-use search tool. It also provides information about treatment options, crisis support services, payment resources, and recovery, making it a valuable resource for survivors of domestic and sexual violence seeking trauma-informed behavioral health care.

Associated Links

FindTreatment.gov

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Accessibility

Counseling & Crisis Intervention

Self Care / Vicarious Trauma

Healthcare

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Health / Public Health

Mental Health

Resilience / Healing

Redefining The Rules: A Digital Literacy Guide for Boys and Young Men

fdaza — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:52:16 +0000

Redefining The Rules: A Digital Literacy Guide for Boys and Young Men fdaza Wed, 07/08/2026 - 12:52

General Material

Published Date

July, 2026

New Resources Added

July 08, 2026

Publisher(s)

Safety Net Project

This guide supports boys and young men in safely navigating digital spaces by promoting online safety, digital responsibility, and healthy relationship skills. Using accessible language, infographics, and real-life examples, it explores how social media, gaming culture, and harmful stereotypes about masculinity can influence behavior, while providing practical strategies to prevent digital abuse, foster respectful online interactions, and create safer digital communities. The guide is available in both English and Spanish.

Associated Links

Guide

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Gender

Technology

Young People

Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments Minimizing Domestic Violence

berdman — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 17:35:03 +0000

Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments Minimizing Domestic Violence berdman Tue, 09/09/2025 - 13:35

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Published Date

September, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV) strongly disagrees with recent comments made by President Trump suggesting that “a little fight with the wife” should not be treated as a crime.

“Domestic violence is not a ‘little fight.’ It is a crime in every state,” said Pamela Jacobs, CEO of NRCDV. “Language that downplays abuse puts lives at risk. Domestic violence is a serious issue that affects 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men in their lifetimes. It’s the leading cause of death for pregnant and postpartum women. When leaders minimize violence in the home, it sends a message that survivors don’t matter and that those who use violence won’t be held accountable. That message is incredibly dangerous.”

Full press release available here.

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments (English)	245.54 KB
Press Release: NRCDV Responds to Dangerous Comments (Spanish)	446.28 KB

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Domestic Violence

Sexual Violence

A Wildflower Path: Healing in Hard Times

fdaza — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 02:24:48 +0000

A Wildflower Path: Healing in Hard Times fdaza Mon, 07/06/2026 - 22:24

General Material

Published Date

September, 2025

New Resources Added

July 07, 2026

Publisher(s)

National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health (NCDVTMH)

This collection combines a practical toolkit with a six-part webinar series that introduces free, adaptable mind-body-spirit practices for reducing stress, promoting trauma recovery, and fostering resilience. Designed for survivors, families, advocates, and organizations, the resources support both individual healing and the integration of holistic, trauma-informed approaches into services and workplace culture. Both resources are also available in Spanish, expanding accessibility for Spanish-speaking communities.

Esta colección reúne una guía práctica y una serie de seis seminarios virtuales que presentan prácticas gratuitas y adaptables de mente-cuerpo-espíritu para reducir el estrés, promover la recuperación del trauma y fortalecer la resiliencia. Diseñados para sobrevivientes, familias, profesionales y organizaciones, estos recursos apoyan tanto la sanación individual como la integración de enfoques holísticos e informados por el trauma en los servicios y la cultura organizacional. Ambos recursos también están disponibles en español, lo que amplía el acceso para las comunidades hispanohablantes.

Associated Links

Toolkit

Webinar

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Self Care / Vicarious Trauma

Trauma Informed Approach

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Mental Health

Resilience / Healing

Criminal Victimization, 2024

fdaza — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:46:53 +0000

Criminal Victimization, 2024 fdaza Tue, 07/07/2026 - 17:46

General Material

Published Date

September, 2025

New Resources Added

July 07, 2026

Publisher(s)

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

This Bureau of Justice Statistics report presents national estimates of nonfatal violent and property crime victimization, including sexual assault, robbery, assault, and domestic violence, based on data from the National Crime Victimization Survey. In addition to the full report, the publication includes downloadable data tables and topic-specific infographics on violent crime, domestic violence, victimization prevalence, and property crime, making it a valuable resource for advocates, researchers, educators, and policymakers seeking current, evidence-based information on crime victimization trends.

Associated Links

Webpage

Full Report

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Prevention Programming

Criminal Justice

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

WEBINAR: Navigating the Media Spotlight

ckeene — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 18:06:14 +0000

WEBINAR: Navigating the Media Spotlight ckeene Tue, 04/08/2025 - 14:06

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

May, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

Author(s)

Renée Williams

Kim Goldman

Nela Kalpic

For better or worse, media coverage of crime is here to stay. Crime survivors and victim advocates know the media glare can be unwelcome and intrusive. There are also times it can be useful, such as renewing investigators’ attention on unsolved crimes or raising awareness of victims’ issues and resources for survivors. The National Center for Victims of Crime has published a guide to help victims and advocates navigate media coverage. Learn how to use this guide and get tips about how to protect survivors, including those of domestic violence, from unwanted attention, how to leverage coverage for positive results, and more. Join this panel of advocates who helped create the guide for an informative discussion.

Learning outcomes:

Learn how to access and use NCVC’s media guides
Hear from experts with lived experience about dealing with media pressure, encouraging victim-centered storytelling, and protecting survivors’ privacy and rights
Get a basic understanding of common media terms and learn how to use NCVC’s media survival tip sheets

Associated Links

NCVC’s media guides: Media Ethics and 'True Crime'

Webinar Recording - English

Webinar Recording - Spanish

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Webinar Slides	14.55 MB

Material Categories

Media Advocacy / Literacy

Raising Awareness

Staff Development

Privacy & Confidentiality

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

WEBINAR: #TriumphOverTrauma Launch Party

ckeene — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:39:42 +0000

WEBINAR: #TriumphOverTrauma Launch Party ckeene Tue, 04/08/2025 - 13:39

General Material

NRCDV Publications

Training Tools

Published Date

May, 2025

Publisher(s)

National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)

NRCDV’s Youth Advisory Board is excited to introduce the Triumph Over Trauma Campaign in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month 2025. This youth-led campaign invites us to normalize and destigmatize experiences of trauma and adversity, and explore the ways we grow from these experiences towards resilience and healing. The launch party will center the voices of youth leaders who will share their experiences and reflections in celebration of survivorship. Join us to learn more about the #TriumphOverTrauma campaign and how you and your community can be part of it!

Associated Links

Campaign Page

Launch Party Registration

Campaign Flyer - English & Spanish

Awareness Highlights Blog Post

Launch Party Recording - English

Launch Party Recording - Spanish

Xaimara - Affirmations

Zofia - How did it change the way you see or move in the world?

Reid - Who do you lean on?

Rai-Elle - What did you learn about yourself?

Leyla - Who do you lean on?

Kiera - What are some of your coping strategies?

Katja - What are some of your coping strategies?

Julia - How did it change the way you see or move in the world?

Dee - What would you say to others who struggle to see their own strength in th…

Clementina - How did it change you?

Chenaya - What motivates you to move forward?

Cassie - What motivates you to move forward?

Xaimara - Why this campaign matters to me

Associated Files

Attachment	Size
Speaker Profiles	13.3 MB
Launch Party Slides	3.65 MB

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Self Care / Vicarious Trauma

Trauma Informed Approach

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Mental Health

Young People

Supporting Men Survivors

fdaza — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 22:06:57 +0000

Supporting Men Survivors fdaza Tue, 07/07/2026 - 18:06

General Material

Published Date

March, 2025

New Resources Added

July 07, 2026

Publisher(s)

National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health (NCDVTMH)

This resource explores the experiences of men who have survived intimate partner violence and emphasizes the importance of trauma-informed, culturally responsive services that address their unique needs. It also highlights the connection between victimization, mental health, suicide, and substance use, offering guidance for advocates and service providers seeking to improve outreach, support, and access to care for male survivors.

Associated Links

Webpage

Material Categories

Raising Awareness

Trauma Informed Approach

Attitudes / Perception / Awareness

Gender

Sexual Violence

Substance Abuse