Domestic and Sexual Violence in Virginia - Virginia Attorney General

Agency Effortsand InitiativesIn 2008, agencies and organizations across theCommonwealth continued their efforts to provideservices to victims of domestic and sexual violence;increase public awareness and educate communitiesabout domestic and sexual violence; and holdoffenders accountable. These agencies and organizationsalso developed new programs and initiatives tosupport the fight against sexual and domestic violence.Office of the Attorney GeneralThe Office of the Attorney General (OAG) promotespublic awareness of domestic and sexual violence issuesin the Commonwealth through the implementationof a number of domestic violence initiatives, training,collaboration, and grant programs. The OAG activelypromotes sound public policy and legislative efforts toenhance victim safety and to hold offenders accountable.The OAG also collaborates with state agencies, nonprofitorganizations, and businesses to address the issuesof domestic and sexual violence in communities acrossthe Commonwealth. Further, the OAG assists withproviding training to prosecutors, law enforcement, andallied professionals, as well as provides resources to victimsof domestic and sexual violence. The OAG employs theStatewide Facilitator for Victims of Domestic Violence,a position created by Virginia Code §2.2-515.1, to assistagencies with the implementation of domestic violenceprograms.Training and Technical AssistanceThrough two grants from the Office on Violence AgainstWomen (OVW), the STOP Violence Against WomenGrant (V-STOP) and the Grant to Encourage ArrestPolicies and Enforcement of Protection Orders (GEAP),the OAG provides training and technical assistance toprosecutors, law enforcement, and allied professionalsin the criminal justice system on domestic and sexualviolence issues.Through funding from the V-STOP grant, the OAGproduces resource materials and provides training forlaw enforcement, prosecutors, victim service providers,and victims. The materials and training includes informationon domestic and sexual violence laws; accessingdomestic violence resources; and working with victimsfrom underserved communities, including victims fromthe elderly, disabled, non-English speaking, tribal, andimmigrant populations.The OAG also participates in the Virginia GEAP Partnership,a collaborative effort of five state agencies and onenonprofit organization. In October 2007, the VirginiaGEAP Partnership was awarded a total of $1,264,542in continuation funding for a two-year grant cycle,ending September 30, 2009. The OAG received $193,904from this amount to fund an Assistant Attorney Generalposition and to provide training and technical assistanceto prosecutors and law enforcement on domestic andsexual violence issues. Currently, the Virginia GEAPPartnership provides training and technical assistanceon domestic violence issues including arrest policies,protective orders, and community collaboration tostakeholders in fourteen Virginia communities.As a joint effort under the V-STOP and GEAP Grants, inAugust and September 2008, the OAG conducted twotraining conferences for 122 prosecutors, law enforcement,and victim-witness assistants entitled “ProsecutingDomestic Violence Cases.” Training topics included anoverview of domestic and sexual violence laws and recentlegislation, evidence-based prosecution of domesticviolence cases, working with elderly and disabled victims,overcoming cultural barriers, and working with forensicnurse examiners in domestic and sexual violence cases.Address Confidentiality ProgramPursuant to Virginia Code §2.2-515.2, the OAG alsoadministers the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP),a voluntary, confidential mail-forwarding service for vic-14