Justice Blogs

OVW Commemorates Pride Month

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 12:00:00 +0000

As we continue to celebrate Pride Month, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) reaffirms our commitment to using every available resource to protect and uphold the safety, dignity, and well-being of the LGBTQI2S+ community. Our dedication extends beyond June, ensuring support throughout the entire year.

Advancing Our Nation’s Commitment to End Gender-Based Violence

Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), landmark bipartisan legislation first enacted by Congress in 1994, is a testament to the power of collective action. The hallmark of VAWA and its subsequent reauthorizations is a coordinated community response, which seeks to bring together advocates, service providers, agencies, and community partners across many disciplines to break down silos so that all survivors can access safety, justice, healing, and well-being, tailored to their own unique needs and circumstances. We know there is no one-size-fits all approach and that supporting survivors requires collective action and a sustained commitment.

OVW Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month

Thu, 02 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In April, we marked the 23^rd annual observance of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. This year’s theme, “Building Connected Communities,” recognizes that the best way to prevent sexual assault and support survivors is by working together to create strong, connected communities that are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone.

Black History Month: The Struggle Makes Us Stronger

Sylvia Pauling, Senior Policy Advisor for Culturally Specific Communities — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

During Black History Month, and in moments of personal adversity, I find strength by looking at my own hands, a reminder of the legacy I carry. My parents’ perseverance wasn’t just about survival; it was a manifestation of their belief in better days ahead. This belief led them to leave the farm in 1968, seeking a future beyond the cotton fields of Creston.

OVW Observes the 20th Anniversary of National Stalking Awareness Month

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000

This month marks the 20th annual observance of National Stalking Awareness Month (NSAM) – a time when we come together to raise awareness about the harmful impact of stalking on survivors and the larger community. It is also an important opportunity to center the voices of survivors and strengthen our collective commitment to improve prevention efforts and increase access to safety, justice, and healing for survivors of stalking.

DVAM 2023: Ending Domestic Violence Requires Us All to Work Together

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Survivors are at the center of our work at the Office on Violence Against Women and it is their courage, leadership, and vision that drives the commitment to continue to improve efforts to address and prevent domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and stalking. We observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) to take stock of the collective progress we’ve made, strengthen our commitment to advancing our work, and ensure that millions of people who are impacted by abuse from intimate partners every year know that they are not alone and can reach out for help.

Violence Against Women Act: Milestones Achieved and the Road Ahead

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Today marks the 29th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) — landmark legislation aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Born from years of grass-roots advocacy, and from the voices and leadership of survivors, VAWA’s 1994 enactment was a testament to the power of collective action in shaping public policy and in setting a vision for our nation to advance a society that does not tolerate abuse. Significant progress has been made over the past nearly three decades and we are committed to continuing to strengthen and expand initiatives to prevent and address gender-based violence, and to providing comprehensive support for survivors and their families to access safety, justice, and healing.

OVW Celebrates LGBTQI+ Pride Month 2023

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

As President Biden said in his proclamation, Pride Month is “a celebration of generations of LGBTQI+ people, who have fought bravely to live openly and authentically. And it is a reminder that we still have generational work to do to ensure that everyone enjoys the full promise of equity, dignity, protection, and freedom.” At the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), we wholeheartedly embrace the President's vision, proudly standing as staunch allies to everyone – friends, neighbors, family members, co-workers, advocates, and survivors – who constitute the diverse and invaluable Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) community.

OVW Observes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2023: Reaffirming Our Commitment to Reduce Elder Abuse

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Communities throughout our country and across the world are gearing up to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). First recognized on June 15, 2006, by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations, WEAAD aims to promote a better understanding of the abuse and neglect experienced by millions of older adults – crimes that are too often overlooked or unreported. Through this observance, WEAAD brings focus to the cultural, social, economic, and demographic circumstances affecting elder abuse and neglect.

OVW Proudly Stands with AANHPI Communities in the Pursuit of Safety and Justice

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0000

As May draws to a close and we move into June, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) continues to honor the richness of the cultures, distinctive histories and influential contributions of the Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community. As President Biden proclaimed, “Throughout our history, they have represented the bigger story of who we are as Americans and embodied the truth that our diversity is our strength as a nation.

Teen Dating Violence Awareness: Investing in Young Leaders

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000

For many teenagers, developing bonds with an intimate partner is an important time in learning how to foster respectful, caring relationships. It’s a vital part of growing up and often comes at a time that can be fraught with anxiety and confusion as they explore and establish their own identities and navigate complex relationships.

OVW Celebrates Black History Month

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is proud to honor Black History Month with our grantees and the Department of Justice. In a proclamation honoring National Black History Month, President Biden stated, “During Black History Month, we celebrate the legacy of Black Americans whose power to lead, to overcome, and to expand the meaning and practice of American democracy has helped our Nation become a more fair and just society.” Standing for almost 30 years, OVW awarded more than $9.5 billion in grants and cooperative agreements to communities across the country. This Black History Month, we recognize the work of our grantees as well as OVW leaders who continue to uplift the voices of Black survivors and lead innovative programs and initiatives to respond to and prevent gender-based violence.

OVW Observes National Stalking Awareness Month, 2023

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Every year, we set aside the month of January in support of the millions of people across the country who are survivors of stalking. Stalking is a form of gender-based violence that permeates every community and every neighborhood – statistics show that one in three women and one in six men face stalking in their lifetimes. Research shows that the majority of perpetrators of these crimes are people whom the survivors know – and in many cases, at one time trusted.

A New School Year Begins

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Where did the summer go? Labor Day has come and gone, and millions of young people are back their classrooms for the beginning of another school year. It can be an exciting time for families – you may have seen proud family members and loved ones posting first-day-of-school photos on social media – but it can also be a stressful time for young people.

OVW Celebrates Disability Pride Month

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Thirty-two years ago, Congress passed the Americans With Disabilities Act, which makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities. It’s an important law upholding our nation’s civil rights – and it is why we commemorate Disability Pride Month in July. This month is a powerful reminder about the importance of disability rights and why, as a federal partner of the anti-violence movement, we celebrate people with disabilities and honor all the achievements the community has accomplished. The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) reaffirms our commitment to ensuring access and inclusion while rejecting all forms of ableism.

OVW Honors LGBTQI+ Advocates and Survivors

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:00:00 +0000

As June comes to a close, OVW is reflecting on a month of celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month. It is an important time to reaffirm our continued support for the LGBTQI+ community. Also, it is an opportunity to reflect on LGBTQI+ rights, and how upholding those rights is a vital part of our commitment to justice and equality for all.

Strengthening Our Efforts to Prevent and End Sexual Assault

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Last month, we celebrated Women’s History Month and the reauthorization and modernization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). We honored the progress society has made since the original VAWA passed in 1994, and we also acknowledged the work ahead to make equality real for all. As I said then, “Preventing and ending violence creates a more equal and equitable world for women and girls, and people of all genders who experience harm.” April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month – this month, we lift up and believe survivors; express our endless gratitude to service providers and advocates; and rededicate ourselves to ending sexual violence.

OVW Celebrates Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000

This week, President Biden signed into law the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2022. VAWA’s inclusion in the fiscal year 2022 spending bill, which passed both chambers of Congress last week with bipartisan support, is no small feat. As Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated, “Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are serious violations of criminal law that demand our sustained attention and action. The Department of Justice welcomes the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and will continue to use the resources at our disposal to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and provide critical services for survivors.”

OVW Commemorates National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Traffickers prey on vulnerable people. A 15-year-old boy who flees his foster family home or residential treatment placement. A transgender youth who is forced to leave their home solely due to their identity. A mother who takes the brave step to leave her abuser and becomes homeless, or a survivor who is unable to access justice because her trafficker is a non-Indian and the crime occurred on tribal lands. As Kristina Rose, Director of the Office for Victims of Crime stated, “there is no single profile of a trafficking survivor, their experiences differ.” Those of us who work in the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) know this to be true, which is why it is crucial to listen to survivors and the people who serve them—they know what they need.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Culturally Specific Services, Legal Assistance, and Engaging Everyone in Bringing an End to Violence

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Domestic Violence Awareness Month gives me the opportunity to highlight some of the incredible things that the Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) are doing to support survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence and prevent future intimate partner violence.