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Collaborating to Help Trafficking Survivors: Emerging Issues and Practice Pointers (pdf)

added 11/15/2009

"This manual is for those committed to assisting trafficking survivors, especially sexual assault and domestic violence advocates and their allies in the criminal and legal systems who have basic knowledge of the trafficking assistance process. This manual examines issues and promising practices that have emerged during the six years since the federal government decided in 2000 to devote significant attention to trafficking and its victims."

Child and Family Service Review Outcomes: Strategies to Improve Domestic Violence Responses in CFSR Program Improvement Plans (pdf)

added 11/15/2009
Shellie Taggart

"Child and Family Service Reviews (CFSRs) evaluate public child welfare systems to determine how well they achieve safety, permanency, and well-being in difficult situations of neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and co-existing domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health issues, poverty, and community violence. This guide can help stakeholders develop effective (Program Improvement Plans) PIPs for achieving safety, permanency, and well-being in domestic violence cases, and to identify or anticipate related technical assistance needs."

Factors Associated With Women’s Risk of Rape in the Military Environment (pdf)

added 11/13/2009
Anne G. Sadler, Brenda M. Booth, Brian L. Cook and Bradley N. Doebbeling

"This study assessed military environmental factors associated with rape occurring during military service, while controlling for pre-military trauma experiences. The goal of this exploratory study was to describe characteristics of rape victims and perpetrators and to attempt to identify workplace environmental factors associated with rape occurring during military service."

Moving From Them to Us: Challenges in Reframing Violence Among Youth (pdf)

added 11/13/2009

"This paper explores how youth and violence have been framed in the media, how the issue of race complicates depictions of youth and violence, and how public attitudes about government can inhibit public support for strategies to effectively prevent violence. This paper makes recommendations for the next steps in re-framing violence among youth."

Sustainability 101: Fostering Collaboration Between SANE Program Coordinators and Medical Directors (pdf)

added 11/13/2009
Jamie Ferrell , Dr. Sally Henin Awad, Jenifer Markowitz, NSVRC

In addition to collaboration between Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs), community partners and other agencies, this document talks about the importance of collaboration between SANEs and physician colleagues to assist with the credibility and sustainability of a SANE Program.

Sustainability 101: Creating A Business Plan For Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (pdf)

added 11/13/2009
Elise J. Turner, MSN, CNM, SANE-A, NSVRC

This guide reviews the basic steps of developing a business plan and explains the components needed for SANE services to be successful. It is identified as a critical tool for starting and sustaining existing healthcare services.

Utilizing Social Media Tools to Engage the Community - Webinar Materials

added 11/13/2009
Nakia Hansen for the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

"Materials from the webinar on September 15 and 16, 2009 that includes the powerpoint presentation and questions and answers from Nakia Hansen, the presenter. The webinar focused specifically on how the domestic violence community can utilize social networking sites, tools, and applications to get our message of prevention and effective intervention out to the community."

Prosecuting Conflict-Related Sexual Violence at the International Criminal Court (pdf)

added 11/11/2009

"The report assesses the effectiveness of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in reducing acts of sexual violence in armed conflict. The report explores whether the existence of the ICC acts as a deterrent for gender-based violence in conflict situations, and whether perpetrators of sexual violence can be brought to justice under provisions of the Rome Statute specifically addressing gender violence. The report also offers recommendations for improving the ICC’s ability to actually and symbolically reduce violence against women by characterizing gender-based violence in conflict situations as an international war crime."

Domestic violence laws in Australia

added 11/11/2009

The report analyzes domestic violence legislation in all Australian States and Territories and in New Zealand in order to assist the Australian Government’s National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children. The report notes gaps and overlaps between State and Territory domestic violence protection orders and the Family Law Act 1975.

Operationalizing Accountability: The Domains and Bases of Accountability (pdf)

added 11/08/2009
Jeffrie K. Cape ACSW, LMSW & David J. H. Garvin MSW, LMSW

In this article, the authors focus on batterer accountability from a personal accountability standpoint. They created a working definition of accountability that was both theoretically sound and user friendly for participants. The authors concluded that learning how to be accountable in the domains of their daily life is important in facilitating their understanding of accountability in ways that will be useful to them in the future.

Civil Tort Actions Filed by Victims of Sexual Assault: Promise and Perils

added 11/08/2009
Ellen Bublick with contributions from Jessica Mindlin, VAWnet

"This Applied Research paper examines tort actions for sexual assault - law suits that seek financial compensation for wrongs that cause injury to the victim. The paper also discusses benefits and drawbacks of tort litigation for sexual assault survivors."

Other formats: pdf

The Effectiveness of Sexual Assault Services in Multi-Service Agencies

added 11/08/2009
Debra Patterson with contributions from Sally Laskey, VAWnet

"This Applied Research paper examines whether organizational affiliation and structure affect the quantity and quality of sexual assault services. The paper offers recommendations for future research evaluating the effectiveness of rape crisis centers."

Other formats: pdf

Rape Prevention and Risk Reduction: Review of the Research Literature for Practitioners

added 11/08/2009
Kimberly A. Lonsway, Victoria L. Banyard, Alan D. Berkowitz, Christine A. Gidycz, Jackson T. Katz, Mary P. Koss, Paul A. Schewe, and Sarah E. Ullman With contributions from Dorothy Edwards

"This Applied Research paper examines both single- and mixed-gender rape prevention and risk reduction programs, and provides suggestions for practitioners to design, implement, and evaluate programs."

Other formats: pdf

Interpersonal Violence and Women With Disabilities: A Research Update

added 11/08/2009
Laurie E. Powers, Rosemary B. Hughes, and Emily M. Lund, VAWnet: The National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women

"This article provides an update on what researchers have learned during the past ten years about abuse and women with disabilities and offers some perspectives on the state of current research and its implications for future studies and advocacy efforts."

Other formats: pdf

Update of the 'Battered Woman Syndrome' Critique

added 11/08/2009
Mary Ann Dutton with contributions from Sue Osthoff and Melissa Dichter, VAWnet: The National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women

"This Applied Research paper reviews the definition, evolution, and utilization of “battered woman syndrome” in the courts and offers a critique of its framework and its use."

Other formats: pdf

Sexual Violence Public Policy Topics

added 11/08/2009

"This area contains topic-specific resources related to public policy and systems advocacy. Current topics include: civil legal rights, clergy sexual abuse, DNA, drug-facilitated sexual assault, indigenous issues, marital rape, privacy & confidentiality, public health, sex offender, sexual harassment, sexual violence in military, prisons and on campus, and trafficking."

Employment and Domestic Violence

added 11/08/2009

"This special collection includes a categorized and selected listing of articles, bibliographies, fact sheets, laws and court action, papers, regulations, reports and surveys relating to domestic violence and employment. It is offered as an additional tool to assist advocates working on and interested in employment issues related to ending violence against women. "

Domestic Violence and Health Care

added 11/08/2009

"This special collection on health care and domestic violence draws heavily from the work of the Family Violence Prevention Fund's Health Resource Center. The resources included in this special collection are organized into the following five areas: 1) the impact of domestic violence on health; 2) public health approaches to domestic violence prevention; 3) guidelines and issues concerning identification and intervention by health care providers; 4) information about collaboration between health care providers and domestic violence advocates; and 5) training. This special collection also includes a bibliography of related journal articles."

Men in the Movement to End Violence Against Women: Training and Education

added 11/08/2009

"This collection highlights several training tools and background information for use in promoting men's involvement in the movement to end violence against women. Also included are educational materials to support the teaching of non-violence to boys and young men. It is one in a series of three special collections focusing on the domestic violence prevention and education efforts of men. "

Preventing and Responding to Teen Dating Violence

added 11/06/2009
Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse in consultation with the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence

"This special collection emphasizes collaborative and multilevel approaches to the prevention of and response to teen dating violence. It draws on the work of many organizations and organizes the resources on TDV prevention and responses by different populations."

Battered Women’s Protective Strategies

added 11/04/2009
Sherry Hamby With contributions from Andrea Bible, VAWnet

"This Applied Research paper adopts a holistic approach to understand battered women’s protective strategies, reviewing a wide range of strategies used by women to cope with numerous threats posed by battering, not just the threat of bodily harm."

Other formats: pdf

The Use of Expert Testimony on Intimate Partner Violence (pdf)

added 11/04/2009
Kathleen J. Ferraro and Noël Bridget Busch-Armendariz, VAWnet

"This Applied Research paper presents an overview of the uses of expert testimony, the qualifications and roles of experts, the literature on the use of testimony on the effects of battering, and considerations for future research."

Other formats: html

The Safe Start Center Series on Children Exposed to Violence: Pediatric Care Settings (pdf)

added 11/04/2009
Betsy McAlister Groves, LICSW, and Marilyn Augustyn, MD

This issue brief translates emerging research and program practice into action steps for practitioners in pediatric care settings to design and implement programs that meet the needs of children who are exposed to violence.

Understanding Children’s Exposure to Violence (pdf)

added 11/04/2009
Elena Cohen, Betsy McAlister Groves, and Kristen Kracke

The Safe Start Center has developed a series of briefs on Children Exposed to Violence. The briefs are developed to respond to an urgent need to translate research-based information and disseminate it to practitioners who can use it in their work with children and families in different settings. This particular brief describes core concepts—gleaned from research and program practice—used in designing and implementing programs that address children’s exposure to violence.

Safe Start Promising Approaches Communities: Working Together to Help Children Exposed to Violence (pdf)

added 11/04/2009

Launched by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention(OJJDP) and its Federal partners in the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, the initiative is designed as a national framework which seeks to address the needs of children exposed to violence. This booklet describes each of the 15 Safe Start Promising Approaches communities and outlines how these programs are integrating evidence-based or promising practices as well as other complementary interventions within their geographical, agency, and community contexts.

Trafficking in persons monitoring report July 2007 – December 2008 (pdf)

added 11/01/2009

This report details governmental responses to trafficking, comparing Australia’s approach to those of other Asia-Pacific countries. The report identifies factors that contribute to high levels of trafficking within a country, and highlights economic instability as a major obstacle to effectively identifying and preventing trafficking activities. Finally, the report offers recommendations for continuing to prevent and prosecute trafficking activities.

Confronting Sexual Violence in Conflict Situations (pdf)

added 11/01/2009

"This document is one of four sections to be published in the organization's upcoming handbook, 'Women Claiming Justice: Using International Law in Conflict and Post-Conflict Situations'. The report outlines the various manifestations of sexual violence frequently exhibited in conflict zones, specifically highlighting rape and sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexual exploitation, and trafficking. Also provides a “Peace Builders Action Toolkit” with resources for activists working to create peace and justice. "

Handbook for legislation on violence against women (Russian) (pdf)

added 11/01/2009

"A Russian translation of the 2009 Handbook for legislation on violence against women, a report of the expert group meeting organized by the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The group studied different legislative approaches to violence against women and developed this handbook for legislation based upon best practices and lessons learned. The handbook also includes commentary on legislation on violence against women in a number of countries."

Violence in the EU Examined (pdf)

added 11/01/2009

"A report published by the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia on good practices and general recommendations for domestic violence initiatives in the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The project includes findings on sexual harassment, female genital mutilation, honor crimes, exploitation, trafficking, and other issues affecting women and children. A summary of the report’s general recommendations is also available."

Sexual Intercourse Among Adolescents Maltreated Before Age 12: A Prospective Investigation (pdf)

added 11/01/2009
Maureen M. Black, PhD, Sarah E. Oberlander, PhD, Terri Lewis, PhD, Elizabeth D. Knight, MSW, Adam J. Zolotor, MD, MPH, Alan J. Litrownik, PhD, Richard Thompson, PhD, Howard Dubowitz, MS, MD, Diana E. English, PhD

"This study found that maltreatment (regardless of type) predicts sexual intercourse by 14 and 16. Emotional distress explains the relationship by 14. By 16, other factors likely contribute to intercourse. Maltreated children are at risk for early initiation of sexual intercourse and sexually active adolescents should be evaluated for possible maltreatment."

A Novel, Intensive Home-Visiting Intervention for Runaway, Sexually Exploited Girls

added 11/01/2009
Laurel D. Edinburgh and Elizabeth M. Saewyc

"This study both describes a home-visiting intervention program for young, sexually assaulted runaways (10-14 years old) and provides preliminary outcomes from the first 20 female participants. Following the one-year intervention, teens' risk behaviors decreased, including truancy, runaway episodes, sexually transmitted infections and substance use."

Anti-Human Trafficking Manual for Criminal Justice Practitioners

added 10/28/2009

"The purpose of this manual is to support criminal justice practitioners in the prevention of human trafficking, the protection of its victims, the prosecution of its culprits and in the international cooperation needed to achieve these goals. The manual is divided into fourteen modules which outline the indicators of human trafficking, the impact of abuse on victims, international cooperation in prosecuting cases, how to engage with trafficked persons, and victims’ needs and support mechanisms."

The Power To Change

added 10/28/2009
Women's Aid, NANE, Associazione Artemisi, MTÜ Naiste Varjupaik, Associacao de Mulheres Contra a Violencia

Power to Change is a new European resource to help victims of domestic violence. It is a practical guide to running support groups and self-help groups with victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Promoting gender equality to prevent violence against women (pdf)

added 10/28/2009

"The World Health Organization has released a briefing highlighting the importance of the role gender plays in interpersonal violent situations, community- and school-based initiatives to empower women, the role of the media in altering gender norms, and the importance of engaging with men to combat violence against women. The briefing is one of an eight-part series on how to prevent interpersonal and self-directed violence."

Toolkit for Integrating Domestic Violence Activities into Programming in Europe and Asia (pdf)

added 10/28/2009

"A manual designed to address violence against women, and specifically domestic violence, as a global human rights violation. Additionally, it explores the connections between domestic violence and human trafficking and analyzes different programming models for addressing the needs of survivors in (United States Agency for International Development) USAID programs. The toolkit is intended for USAID workers, donor organizations, and local organizations working to combat violence against women in countries where USAID operates."

Children’s Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Survey (pdf)

added 10/23/2009
David Finkelhor, Heather Turner, Richard Ormrod, Sherry Hamby, and Kristen Kracke

"This Bulletin discusses the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence that measured the past-year and lifetime exposure to violence for children age 17 and younger across several major categories: conventional crime, child maltreatment, victimization by peers and siblings, sexual victimization, witnessing and indirect victimization (including exposure to community violence and family violence), school violence and threats, and Internet victimization."