Justice Department Awards More Than $3.2 Million to Reduce Domestic Violence Homicides

The Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) today announced more than $3.2 million in new investments to help communities prevent domestic violence homicides.

“Despite improvements in shelter, protection orders and training for law enforcement, judges and prosecutors, domestic violence homicide is all too common,” said Principal Deputy Director Bea Hanson of OVW.  “These awards we’re announcing are part of OVW's ongoing efforts to prevent domestic violence homicide.”

OVW will provide $700,000 to the Battered Women’s Justice Project to improve the criminal justice system’s response to domestic violence homicides involving firearms.  The funds will establish a National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms that will build the capacity of victim service providers to respond effectively to domestic violence cases involving firearms.

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges will receive $900,000 to provide enhanced training and technical assistance, working closely with OVW, to implement an effective firearms response at the local, state and tribal levels.

National Intimate Partner Violence Intervention Initiative (NIPVII), a partner of the National Network for Safe Communities at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, will also receive $1.6 million.  NIPVII will work with three cities, to be selected as part of the demonstration pilot, to replicate a promising strategy for reducing intimate partner violence and homicides.  The National Institute of Justice will oversee an evaluation of the initiative through a grant to Yale University.

Additionally, OVW also announced the addition of two new cities, Miami and Winnebago County, Illinois, as replication sites for the evidence-based Lethality Assessment Program model, which has been shown to be effective in encouraging victims to use domestic violence support and shelter services.  The Lethality Assessment Program model was included as part of OVW’s Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Demonstration Initiative, established in 2012.

OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence against women through the implementation of VAWA and subsequent legislation.  Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking.  More information is available at www.justice.gov/ovw.