Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence is a crime that affects people from all races, religions or backgrounds. Luckily, there are resources available to help victims of domestic violence protect themselves and their loved ones from being abused. This pathfinder contains links to government resources and informational materials for those interested in learning more about the problem of domestic violence. In addition, there are links for those who need assistance locating domestic violence resources.

Government Agencies

The Administration for Children and Families - Run by the Department of Health and Human Services, the ACF has several programs for families who are the victims of domestic violence. The Children's Bureau has programs for child abuse, neglect, and family preservation and the ACF's Atlanta office has a special initiative web site about domestic violence. The site also contains a list of state run domestic violence programs. http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance - According to their by-line, "The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance is a government-wide compendium of Federal programs, projects, services, and activities which provide assistance or benefits to the American public. It contains financial and nonfinancial assistance programs administered by departments and establishments of the Federal government." Use the search tool to locate government publications on domestic violence. http://www.cfda.gov.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Among members of the health care community, domestic violence is sometimes considered an epidemic. In 1994, the CDC established The Family and Intimate Violence Prevention Team. Through this team, the CDC studies societal problems that arise as a result of family violence. This site contains lots of helpful information, including statistics, proposed causes and awareness. http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/fivpt/fivpt.htm

The Department of Agriculture - The USDA has an extensive information network devoted to the prevention and treatment of domestic violence. The Partnerships Against Violence Network (PAVNET), administered through the Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service, is an excellent web site for locating all kinds of information about domestic violence. In addition, the USDA's Departmental Administration Human Resources Management Division has a Family Friendly Policy Initiative on domestic violence. There are lots of useful links as well as a list of State Domestic Violence Coalitions.

The Department of Defense - The Department of Defense has recognized that the problem of domestic violence among the military is wide spread. Recently the DOD set up the Defense Domestic Violence Task Force as a result of Public Law 106-65. The web page contains information on what the Department of Defense is doing to prevent domestic violence and assist its victims. In particular, check out the DOD report on domestic violence. http://www.dtic.mil/domesticviolence/

Health Resources and Services Administration - The HRSA, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, is a governmental agency dedicated to helping those in need obtain information about health and well being. HRSA has published several informative guides on how to recognize domestic violence and where to get help. http://www.ask.hrsa.gov/women.cfm?content=women

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service - Acting as the clearinghouse for governmental information on crime, the NCJRS has a lot of excellent materials regarding domestic violence. http://www.ncjrs.org

The National Women's Health Information Center - This site has a great deal of information about domestic violence.The Violence Against Women section has links to publications, statistics and other useful materials. http://www.4woman.gov/violence/index.htm

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management - When domestic violence occurs, the victim isn't always the only one who suffers. Oftentimes, people who work with the victim need assistance to deal with the problem. The OPM has an excellent web site called "Responding to Domestic Violence: Where Federal Employees Can Find Help". This site contains guidelines about what to do if you are the victim of domestic violence or if you suspect a co-worker is a victim of domestic or family violence. http://www.opm.gov/ehs/workplac/html/domestic.html

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs - The DOJ's Violence Against Women Office has an incredible array of information available on domestic violence. The site contains information about laws, statistics, funding, grants, and publications. The site also has information for law enforcement officials who often deal with such situations. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo/

Legislation and Congressional Activities

Library of Congress Thomas Web Site - Every year, congress poses several pieces of legislation regarding policies and laws on domestic violence. In particular, check out Public Law 103-322. http://thomas.loc.gov/

Senator Patty Murray of Washington - Senator Murray is an advocate for ending the cycle of domestic violence. Her web site has lots of great information about congressional initiatives, speeches and funding. http://www.senate.gov/~murray/index2.html

Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia - Ending domestic violence in West Virginia, and across the United States, is one of Senator Jay Rockefeller's main goals. He sponsored the Violence Against Women Act and is a cosponsor of the Violence Against Women Act II. http://www.senate.gov/~rockefeller/rockefeller.html

Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota - Known as a liberal democrat, Senator Wellstone has pushed through several legislative initiatives for the prevention of domestic violence. Working with his wife, Sheila, Senator Wellstone is another well known advocate for the prevention of domestic violence. http://www.senate.gov/~wellstone/

Non-profit Organizations

The Asian and Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence - Domestic Violence affects everyone. The Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum hosts this non-profit organization that assists Asian-American women who are the victims of domestic violence. http://www.apiahf.org/DV.html

Center for Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence - As an educational resource on abuse and religion, this center tries to explore the link between domestic violence and the role of religion. There are plenty of interesting publications and thought-provoking articles. http://www.cpsdv.org/

The Family Violence Prevention Fund - This organization is dedicated to stopping the epidemic of domestic violence. They focus on domestic violence and the workplace, the impact of domestic violence on the health care industry and public policies relating to domestic violence. http://www.fvpf.org

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence - The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence began in 1978 and is "the only national organization of grassroots shelter and service programs for battered women." The NCADV has links about laws and legislation, where to get help and how to become a member. http://www.ncadv.org/

National Crime Prevention Council - Known more widely as the Scruff McGruff organization, the NCPC seeks to prevent crimes from happening through awareness programs. Their page on Domestic Violence has some very helpful hints. http://www.ncpc.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline - The NDVH is an organization dedicated to putting victims of domestic violence in touch with local authorities who can help. They have operators who speak either English or Spanish. 1-800-799-SAFE. http://www.ndvh.org/

South Carolina State Resources

Family Preservation and Child Welfare Network - Although not a government site, this web page has a listing of non-profit agencies around the state of South Carolina who want to help women break the cycle of family violence. http://www.familypreservation.com/

South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Assault - SCCADVASA's purpose is to help South Carolinians who are victims of domestic violence. The site has links to other useful web sites, special organizations and statistical information on domestic violence in South Carolina. http://www.sccadvasa.org/

South Carolina Department of Social Services - There are many resources available to South Carolina victims of domestic violence. Often the Department of Social Services will become involved when a domestic violence case is reported. Their web site has lots of useful information to help understand the process. http://www.state.sc.us/dss/

South Carolina Victims Assistance Network - The Victims Assistance Network provides links to all types of legal resources dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence. There are links to laws, lawyers, shelters, and special forums. http://www.scvan.org/

This site was created by Maureen Clements on November 25, 2000 for CLIS 734.

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