Domestic and Sexual Violence in Virginia - Virginia Attorney General

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(Virginia Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) fundingfrom the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS)to address domestic violence and sexual assault committedagainst victims in later life. VCoA receives funding fromthe Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund(VSDVVF) to support statewide efforts against familyviolence, including training and technical assistance, as wellas training materials on elder abuse and domestic violencein later life. Additionally, VCoA receives funding from theOffice on Violence Against Women (OVW), United StatesDepartment of Justice, to pilot a three-year training projectfor criminal justice professionals on elder abuse, neglect,and exploitation, including domestic and sexual violencein later life.Domestic Violence in Later Life Grant ProjectsVCoA is the leading agency of the Central Virginia TaskForce on Domestic Violence in Later Life, a regionalcollaboration of aging services, criminal justice professionals,domestic and sexual violence programs, andallied professionals working together to raise awarenessand improve the community response to women aged50 and older who are the victims of domestic and sexualviolence.VCoA administered two grant projects on behalf ofthe Task Force in 2007-2008: the Central Virginia TaskForce on Domestic Violence in Later Life Project and theFamily Violence Project.In both 2007 and 2008, VCoA was awarded $31,467 inannual V-STOP grant funding for the Central VirginiaTask Force on Domestic Violence in Later Life Project. 63The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive,coordinated, and cross-trained community responseto domestic violence and sexual assault in later life byincreasing awareness, education, and specialized resourcesfor law enforcement, criminal justice professionals, agingservice providers, domestic violence advocates, and alliedservice professionals. The project currently focusesits efforts on the City of Richmond and Counties ofChesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico. During 2007, theproject trained 352 individuals, and in 2008, throughSeptember, 165 individuals.Also in 2007 and 2008, VCoA was awarded $9,808 inannual continuation funding from the Virginia Sexualand Domestic Violence Victim Fund (VSDVVF) for theFamily Violence Project. 64 The goal of the statewideproject is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated, andcross-trained community response to family violence thatimpacts women aged 50 and older. During 2008, theproject coordinator provided consultations and presentationsat meetings of statewide organizations, assisted theVirginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance(VSDVAA) with the Rural Outreach and Education forSexual Abuse Services initiatives, and worked with theWomen’s Resource Center of New River Valley for aconference in October 2008. Also in 2008, the projectcoordinator participated in national presentations ondomestic violence in later life, including a presentationat the Annual Meeting of the Southern GerontologicalSociety, and a co-presentation on “Community Collaboration:Responding to Domestic Violence in Later Life”at the National Coalition Against Domestic ViolenceConference.Central Virginia Training Alliance to StopElder Abuse, Neglect and ExploitationVCoA and a coalition of Richmond area law enforcementagencies, Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ offices, andservice providers were awarded one of ten competitivegrants in October 2006 to pilot a three-year trainingproject for criminal justice professionals on elder abuse,neglect, and exploitation. During 2007 and 2008, theCentral Virginia Training Alliance to Stop Elder Abuse,Neglect and Exploitation, funded by the OVW, focusedon building cross-sector collaboration (investigationto prosecution) and providing access to training forlaw enforcement, prosecutors, and judges. The Allianceoffered five two-day training programs for law enforcementofficers in Central Virginia, training a total of 120officers and 13 additional allied professionals on elderabuse dynamics and investigation strategies. Trainingfunds were also used to send eight prosecutors and onejudge to national discipline-specific trainings on elderabuse. In addition to training efforts, the Alliance isnearing completion of a legal remedies booklet fortraining participants, project collaborators, and othercommunity stakeholders. The booklet will be distributedat training courses in 2009.Virginia Department ofCriminal Justice Services 65The Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) ischarged with planning and implementing programs to18
improve the functioning and effectiveness of the criminaljustice system. DCJS accomplishes its mission throughproviding funding, training, and technical assistance toagencies, programs, individuals, and localities. Throughthe Victims Services Section, DCJS develops, coordinates,and funds victim-witness programs, sexual assaultcrisis centers, and programs that combat violence againstwomen. DCJS offers services, training, and resources tovictim service providers, law enforcement officers, alliedprofessionals, prosecutors, and other local governmentofficials. The Victims Services Section also providestechnical assistance to localities in establishing, maintaining,and expanding victim assistance programs; monitors,assesses, and disseminates information on victim-relatedlegislation; and monitors and evaluates grant programs.In 2008, the Victim Services Section administered morethan $16.8 million in grant funding to support localvictim assistance programs, local prosecutors, local domesticand sexual violence agencies, and state and local victimwitnessprograms. As a result, thousands of victims receivedservices from local programs, thousands of law enforcementofficers and allied professionals received domesticand sexual violence-related training, and dozens oflocalities benefited from funding and technical assistance.The Virginia Partnership Grant toEncourage Arrest Policies andEnforcement of Protection Orders (GEAP)In October 2007, the Department of Justice Office onViolence Against Women awarded a competitive federalGrant to Encourage Arrest and Enforcement of ProtectionOrders (GEAP) to the Commonwealth of Virginiain the amount of $1,264,542. DCJS, along with partneragencies—the Office of the Attorney General, the VirginiaState Police, the Office of the Executive Secretaryof the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Office of the ChiefMedical Examiner of the Virginia Department of Health,and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence ActionAlliance, applied for this grant as the Virginia “GEAP”Partnership. The goal of the GEAP Partnership is toimprove coordinated community response to domesticviolence on the local and state levels.As a member of the GEAP Partnership, DCJS conductsinstructor schools for law enforcement trainers at thelocal level to obtain advanced skills in the area of domesticviolence intervention and nonstranger, adult sexual assault.DCJS also works with local law enforcement agenciesand task forces on improving the reporting, investigation,and documentation of domestic and sexual violenceincidents. In November 2008, DCJS conducted a three-daytrain-the-trainer program, “Law Enforcement Responseto Domestic Violence,” for teams of law enforcementofficers and domestic violence advocates in Bristol,Virginia. In addition, DCJS will offer a three-daytrain-the-trainer program for law enforcement officersand sexual violence advocates in 2009 entitled “LawEnforcement Response to Adult Sexual Violence.”The Virginia Sexual andDomestic Violence Victim FundFirst created by legislation enacted by the VirginiaGeneral Assembly in 2004, the Virginia Sexual andDomestic Violence Victim Fund (VSDVVF) providesfunding to assist in protecting and providing necessaryservices to victims of and children affected by sexualviolence, domestic violence, stalking, and family abuse.VSDVVF funds are generated by a two dollar increasein the assessment of misdemeanor fees in general districtcourts. During the past two-year period, approximately$2.4 million has been deposited into the VSDVVF fundfor the purpose of funding discretionary victims’ servicesprograms. An additional $2.4 million has been depositedfor the purpose of funding local prosecutors.During the 2007–2008 funding cycles, VSDVVF grantswere awarded by DCJS to 31 discretionary programs forthe purpose of providing services to victims of domesticviolence, sexual violence, stalking, and family abuse.Funding was also provided to 29 local units of governmentfor the purposes of funding the costs of additionalprosecutors, paralegals, or legal secretaries, or to enhanceexisting resources that provide services to victims andtheir children who are affected by domestic violence,sexual violence, stalking and family abuse.In 2007, VSDVVF supported victims’ services programsprovided services to 4,693 victims of domestic violence,sexual violence, stalking, and family abuse. Also, in 2007,a total of 8,700 charges involving adult and/or childvictims were reported by programs and agenciessupported by VSDVVF funding.VSDVVF funds were used to support important andinnovative programs on the local level. For example,VSDVVF grant funds supported a program at Sentara19
Page 1: Domestic andSexual Violencein Virgi
Page 4 and 5: DOMESTIC ANDSEXUAL VIOLENCEIN VIRGI
Page 6 and 7: ExecutiveSummaryOn a daily basis, d
Page 9 and 10: Domestic andSexual Violencein Virgi
Page 11 and 12: Table 1: Children Present During Fa
Page 13 and 14: Source: Domestic Violence Services
Page 15 and 16: children and youth and made increas
Page 17 and 18: Source: Virginia Department of Crim
Page 19 and 20: for the prevention of family violen
Page 21 and 22: Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violen
Page 23 and 24: tims of domestic violence who have
Page 25: developed pursuant to Senate Bill 2
Page 29 and 30: Virginia Department of Health,Divis
Page 31 and 32: grant assists homeless families in
Page 33 and 34: To accomplish its mission, VSDVAA r
Page 35 and 36: COLLABORATIVE EFFORTSIn addition to
Page 37 and 38: 2008 LegislativeUpdateDuring the 20
Page 39: FutureRecommendationsAs evidenced i
Page 42 and 43: 5Virginia Sexual and Domestic Viole
Page 44: Appendix A36
Page 48 and 49: Domestic Violenceand Sexual Assault
Page 50 and 51: Carroll CountyFamily Resource Cente
Page 52 and 53: Greene CountySexual Assault Resourc
Page 54 and 55: Mecklenburg CountyMadeline’s Hous
Page 56 and 57: Total Action Against PovertyWomen
Page 58 and 59: Crisis CenterP.O. Box 642Bristol, V
Page 60 and 61: Local FatalityReview TeamsChesterfi
Page 64: The design and printing of this Ann

Domestic and Sexual Violence in Virginia - Virginia Attorney General

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