Features
Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence
The National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence is the nation’s clearinghouse for information on the health care response to domestic violence and provides free technical assistance and materials to thousands of people each year. The Center is one of five specialized domestic violence resource centers in the country funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. [more...]
Futures’ Work to Engage Men Highlighted During Capitol Hill Briefing
If you’ve been following the bipartisan battle over the Violence Against Women Act this week, here’s a completely different approach: On Monday, May 14, Futures Without Violence teamed up with Congressmen Mike Quigley, Dave Reichert and John Lewis to host a panel that emphasized the importance of incorporating men into strategies to prevent violence against women. [more...]
Let's Move Forward!
May 18, 2012 On April 26, 2012, the US Senate reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act with a 68-31 bipartisan vote. But now the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a revised bill that excludes key improvements that were passed by the Senate. [more...]
Mentors in Violence Prevention Conference
Whether you’re a student, a teacher, a parent, or a friend, everyone has an opportunity to be a role model for respect. In a world where abuse too often goes unreported, where young students are being bullied and harassed at school every day, and young women risk being sexually assaulted on college campuses across the country, it’s critical that we stand up and not stand by in the face of violence. [more...]
Preventing Violence Against Women on College Campuses
With support from the Avon Foundation for Women, Futures Without Violence, launched a groundbreaking campaign to address dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault on college campuses. [more...]
Announcing New Publication on Batterer Intervention Programs
We are excited to announce that Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund, is soliciting recommendations for batterer intervention programs to include in a publication about promising approaches for working with men who batter. The publication is currently funded by “The Woods” Charitable Foundation and the Office on Violence Against Women. [more...]
Violence Against Women Act Has Been Reauthorized By Senate!
April 26, 2012 Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the Senators who have reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, but also to friends, advocates and supporters who made their opinions and priorities known in Senate and congressional offices all over the country. [more...]
Obama Issues Workplace DV Order
April 18, 2012; WASHINGTON, D.C. President Obama today took a major step today to protect the lives of women and men who are federal employees when he issued an order directing all federal agencies to develop a policy to prevent and respond to domestic violence experienced by employees that affects the workplace. [more...]
First Ever Y Factor Summit: Men Leading by Example
April 16, 2012; San Francisco Our first-ever national summit, called the Y Factor: Men Leading By Example, launched on Thursday, April 12, and was a day filled with all-American heroes, unconventional advocates, committed public figures and journalists who helped us probe topics ranging from social media to the rise of sexual assault on college campuses. [more...]
Celebrate Mom and Help Us Raise Critical Funds!
Starting TODAY through May 13, every time you send a Mother’s Day e-card from the Macy’s Facebook page and select Futures Without Violence, Macy’s will donate $3.00 to our critical violence prevention programs - up to $100,000. [more...]
SOS INSTITUTE: Supporting Organizational Sustainability Institute
Futures Without Violence's Supporting Organizational Sustainability Institute (SOS Institute) offers an interactive training and technical assistance to assist US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grantees to enhance their organizational infrastructure.
[more...]President Obama Addresses White House Forum on Women and the Economy
Our thanks to President Obama, who included the importance of domestic violence screenings in his April 6 remarks at the White House Forum on Women and the Economy. Here's an excerpt:
[more...]National Conference on Health & Domestic Violence a Success!
With over 1,000 participants from around the world and across the United States, the 2012 Conference, hosted by Futures Without Violence in San Francisco, and funded by the Administration for Children and Families, U.S. DHHS, was a huge success! In addition to 70 workshops and plenary sessions featuring cutting-edge research at the intersection of health and domestic and sexual violence, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee addressed Conference attendees at lunch on Friday. [more...]
Willie Mays, Joe Torre and Sergio Martinez join our National Summit
April 2, 2012 On April 12, 2012, The Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention and Futures Without Violence will host an all-day national summit in San Francisco called The Y Factor: Men Leading By Example. The summit will draw men from all across the country who are leading gender-based violence prevention and education programs in their communities, along with leaders and activists who work in business, sports, entertainment, new media, and international affairs. [more...]
Know More Say More
The reproductive health consequences of sexual coercion and violence are the focus of an initiative launched by Futures Without Violence, Formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund Fund – kNOwMORE.
[more...]SF Sheriff Removed and Charged with Misconduct
March 21, 2012, San Francisco San Francisco’s Mayor Ed Lee showed good judgment in filing official misconduct charges, temporarily suspending Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi from office, and starting the process to permanently remove him from the post. Once again, Mirkarimi has declined an opportunity to complete the process of accountability by stepping down gracefully. It is now up to the ethics committee to hold a hearing and refer the matter to the Board of Supervisors. The supervisors will then determine what standards of conduct the city and county expects of its public officials. [more...]
Countdown to the Conference
Futures Without Violence is gearing up to host the biennial National Conference on Health & Domestic Violence in San Francisco March 29 – 31. This year’s Conference will kick-off with notable advocate and teen dating violence survivor Johanna Orozco presenting a keynote address on the importance of educating young people to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV). [more...]
Battle to Pass Violence Against Women Act in U.S. Senate
March 26, 2012 The US Senate is expected to vote on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act mid-April but Republican leaders are urging Republican senators to oppose the bill’s reauthorization. So every vote is critical. [more...]
Celebrating International Women’s Day
March 9, 2012 Yesterday, Futures Without Violence celebrated International Women’s Day by attending the 2012 International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony. First Lady Michelle Obama joined Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer to present the honor to ten inspirational women from around the world. Special guests included Ms. Leymah Gbowee of Liberia and Ms. Tawakkol Karman of Libya, two of the three women 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates who advocated for women’s equality and empowerment. [more...]
Gender-based Violence Key Outcome of USAID Gender Policy
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) released a new policy on gender equality and female empowerment this week. Futures Without Violence is thrilled to report that the reduction of gender-based violence is one of three key outcomes outlined in the policy, along with reduction in gender disparity and enhancement of women’s capacity. [more...]
Teaming up with Avon Foundation for The Communications X-Change
Futures Without Violence will work with the Avon Foundation for Women to create The Communications X-Change, the first interactive global hub for international communications materials that will promote efforts to end domestic and gender-based violence around the world, it was announced this week by Avon Chairman and CEO Andrea Jung. [more...]
The Week in Washington
Futures Without Violence has been busy in Washington, DC, with three major events and accomplishments in the last week. [more...]
Celebrating Our First Global Impact Awards
Many thanks to all the friends and colleagues who joined us for a reception on February 23 in Washington DC to honor Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer. [more...]
Anna Deavere Smith to Perform at National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence - Register Today!
Award winning actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith will perform part of her one-woman show on healthcare, Let Me Down Easy, during the biennial National Conference on Health & Domestic Violence to be held in San Francisco March 29 – 31, 2012. [more...]
New Policy to Combat Trafficking in Persons
February 23, 2012, Washington, D.C. The Obama Administration today announced the release of a new comprehensive policy to combat trafficking in persons, the buying and selling of women, children and men for forced labor or prostitution. Exact numbers are difficult to know, but more than a million women and girls are currently in sex slavery throughout the world, often kidnapped or sold by desperately poor families, when they are only 10 or 11. [more...]
Standing Up for Yeardley Love
February 23, 2012 The trial of George Huguely for the alleged murder of his ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love began this week, bringing the nation’s attention once again to the tragic consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV). Love, a University of Virginia lacrosse player, was murdered in May 2010 shortly after breaking up with her boyfriend, George Huguely. While this case may seem like an anomaly, abuse can occur among the well-educated and well-off, and the devastating truth is that forms of dating or intimate partner violence are actually quite common amongst college students. [more...]
Pressure to Share Passwords...Cool or Not Cool?
How would you feel about getting pressured to share your online passwords with someone you’re dating? This question is posed in the latest video to be released by the That’s Not Cool campaign as part of their speaking avatar application. Launched in July 2011, the speaking avatar tool encourages teens to have their say when it comes to pressure and control in their relationships. After watching an animated prompt video addressing digital dating abuse on the homepage, users create a personalized character and voice to respond to the question posed in the video. Each unique video entry can be posted and shared on www.thatsnotcool.com. [more...]
President Obama's New Budget
President Obama has unveiled his new budget for 2013 and demonstrated his commitment to ending violence against women by proposing $599 million for programs and solutions related to the issue. If Congress were to follow this budget proposal, they would authorize $6.5 million more than last year’s funding. [more...]
February is Teen Dating Violence Prevention & Awareness Month
Marcus McTear and Ortralla Mosely were once among the most popular kids at Reagan High School in Austin, Texas. He was a football star and she was a beautiful cheerleader with straight ‘A’s. From the outside, It looked like an ideal teenage romance, but inside the relationship, Marcus was an emotional wreck who demanded complete control over his 15-year-old girlfriend. After several violent outbursts with her, he pulled an 8 inch kitchen knife out of his backpack in the school hallway and stabbed her to death.
[more...]Violence Against Women Act Needs More Senate Sponsors
February 9, 2012, Washington, D.C. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), first enacted in 1994, gives law enforcement, prosecutors and judges the resources they need to hold offenders accountable and keep communities safe while supporting victims. VAWA programs now also address the need to prevent violence and abuse, and engage more stakeholders in the work to prevent and respond, such as health care providers and employers. Now that it’s time for reauthorization, we need your help to ensure the continuation of these vital, lifesaving programs and laws. [more...]
Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Update
February 2, 2012, Washington, D.C.
The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. This is the first major step in renewing this landmark piece of legislation known by many as VAWA. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration and will be taken up in the House of Representatives later this year.
[more...]Esta Soler Testifies Before Attorney General Eric Holder's Task Force
February 1, 2012, Albuquerque Yesterday Futures Without Violence Founder and President Esta Soler testified before Attorney General Eric Holders National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence. The public hearing stemmed from Attorney General Holders Defending Childhood initiative, which was launched in 2011 to harness resources from across the Department of Justice to prevent, mitigate the negative impact of, and develop knowledge about children's exposure to violence. [more...]
Does Your Doctor Screen for Intimate Partner Violence?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (The College) announced this week their committee opinion that all ob-gyn doctors should routinely screen women for intimate partner violence (IPV). This marks the first time that a major medical association has formally recognized reproductive coercion as an important issue related to abusive and controlling relationships. Specifically, reproductive coercion refers to behaviors that a partner engages in to promote unintended pregnancy against a woman’s will by sabotaging her use of contraception and/or by using threats or abuse if she does not comply with his desires about the pregnancy outcome. [more...]
Military Rape Victims Speak Up in New Documentary: The Invisible War
Among the most talked about documentaries at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival is The Invisible War, a disturbing film that examines the epidemic of rape within the US military. Today, a female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire. Directed by Kirby Dick and executive produced by a line-up of activists including Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Geralyn Dreyfous, Abigail Disney, Nicole Boxer Keegan and Maria Cuomo Cole, the film features hard-hitting interviews with rape survivors, high-ranking military officials, and members of Congress. [more...]
Twitter Town Hall a Success
January 27, 2012 In case you missed it, check out the highlights from yesterday's #CoachesCount Twitter Town Hall on what makes a great coach. With former Boston Celtics great M.L. Carr weighing in, the conversation ranged from positive coaching techniques to the impact of the Sandusky case on coaching. We hope this will be the first of many important conversations facilitated by @WithoutViolence on Twitter. If you haven't already, find us on Twitter and Facebook today. [more...]
Sheriff Mirkarimi Pleads 'Not Guilty' in Court
January 19, 2012
San Francisco's newly elected sheriff Ross Mirkarimi pleaded "not guilty" to 3 misdemeanors: domestic violence battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness in court on Thursday, January 19.
The charges stemmed from a New Year's Eve incident between Mr. Mirkarimi and his wife, Eliana Lopez. Police were called by a neighbor and with a search warrant seized evidence consisting of text messages with Ms. Lopez and a photograph of a bruise on her arm.
[more...]Sandusky and the Media: Our Take
January 10, 2012 This morning, CNN contributor Sara Ganim reported that former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's autobiography "Touched" helped investigators identify his sex abuse victims, and that police may have evidence of hundreds of criminal charges that will not be prosecuted against him. Yesterday, the Ms. Foundation for Women and the Berkeley Media Studies Group issued a major report praising the national media's coverage of the events involving Sandusky for these revelations, but still holding a critical eye to journalists' failure to address more solutions for preventing future crimes from happening. [more...]
Happy New Year!
January 3, 2012, San Francisco 2011 has marked several major milestones for our organization, including a new name, a new headquarters, and several policy and programmatic accomplishments that are already making the world a safer, healthier and more equitable place for women, children, and families everywhere. [more...]
Sportswriters Are Standing Up, Not Standing By
As the facts continue to unfold in the Penn State and Syracuse abuse cases, the only good news may be that the country has reached a tipping point on the subject of child sexual abuse. Thousands of voices have denounced the silence that prevailed for years inside two of the country's top sports franchises. And do you know who we think is doing a great job fueling the public conversation? Sportswriters. [more...]
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Calls for Action on Women, Peace, and Security
We commend President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton for creating the first ever U.S. National Action Plan to help reduce violence against women and girls and expand women's roles in peace-keeping, peace-building and reducing conflict. [more...]
Sexual Violence is Alarmingly High
In a nationwide study released this week, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that 1 in 5 American women have been a victim of sexual assault in their lifetime and 1 in 4 have experienced domestic violence. [more...]
Futures Thanks 16 Days of Activism Honorees
December 11, 2011 Our heartfelt gratitude to the individuals and organizations that allowed us to highlight their accomplishments during our 16 Days of Activism salute. During the past few weeks, we've been inspired by the great work being done worldwide at the crossroads of health and gender based violence. In the year ahead, we look foward to featuring even more examples of courageous efforts helping to prevent and end violence against women and children. [more...]
KOFAVIV, Haiti
December 10, 2011 After losing their homes and possessions in the January 2010 earthquake, Haiti’s KOFAVIV reconstituted their organization in one of the sprawling, makeshift camps of Port-au-Prince. [more...]
Project Alert, Nigeria
December 9, 2011 Defending the human rights of women and young girls, Project Alert on Violence Against Women, is a non-governmental organization in Lagos, Nigeria established by Josephine Effah-Chukwuma in January 1999. [more...]
Professors Jane Koziol-McLain and Denise Wilson, New Zealand
December 8, 2011 Offering bi-cultural support and assistance to Māori abused women and children across New Zealand, Professors Jane Koziol-McLain and Denise Wilson have been leaders in the work to create a health care system that is culturally competent. [more...]
Virginia Project Connect, Virginia
December 7, 2011 Transforming the way that home visitation programs and family planning clinics respond to victims of domestic violence and their children, Virginia State’s Department of Health provided safety and support for nearly 85,000 women in 2010. [more...]
Foundation Rama Levina (FORAL), Democratic Republic of the Congo
December 6, 2011 Foundation Rama Levina (FORAL) provides free health care services to girls and women, and facilitates innovative solidarity groups that engage gender based violence survivors with other village women in microfinance activities. [more...]
Promundo, Brazil
December 5, 2011 Engaging men and boys around the world, Promundo is a non-governmental organization founded in 1997 that seeks to promote gender equality and end violence against women, children and youth. [more...]
National Domestic Violence Hotline, Texas
December 4, 2011 The National Domestic Violence Hotline receives approximately 23,500 calls each month and offers toll-free, confidential and anonymous services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in more than 170 different languages. [more...]
Dilaasa, India
December 3, 2011 Applying an innovative approach, Dilaasa is a hospital-based crisis centre operating in partnership with the public health system in Mumbai, India. [more...]
Hearty Sendai, Japan
December 2, 2011 Hearty Sendai is a non-governmental organization that provides shelter and counseling for battered women in Sendai, capital of Miyagi Prefecture. [more...]
Dr. Claudia Garcia Moreno, World Health Organization
December 1, 2011 Leading the World Health Organization’s (WHO) efforts to address gender based violence (GBV), Dr. Claudia Garcia-Moreno, M.D., coordinated the first ever WHO Multi-Country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence Against Women in 2005. [more...]
Violence Against Women Act Reintroduced
Dec 1, 2011 Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vermont) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) have introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), first championed in 1994 by then-Senator Biden. [more...]
KMG, Ethiopia
November 30, 2011 KMG Ethiopia, an indigenous civil society organization founded in 1997 by Bogaletch and Fikirte Gebre, opened the area’s first clinic to improve not just women’s health, but their economic empowerment and education. [more...]
Dr. Natalia Lokhmatkina, Russia
November 29, 2011 Advocate, researcher and physician, Dr. Natalia Lokhmatkina founded Women's and Children's Crisis Center Anastasia, the first hotline for abused women and children in the Russian Far East. [more...]
Buklod Center & Nagkakaisang Kababaihan (NAGKA), Philippines
November 28, 2011 These sister organizations have provided assistance to victims and survivors of military sexual exploitation and trafficking in the "red light" districts of Olongapo City and Angeles City. [more...]
Jane Root, Maine
Nov 27, 2011 Jane Root has been instrumental in the transformation of the health care response to domestic violence on the tribal lands of the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians in Maine. [more...]
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hoai Duc, Vietnam
Nov 26, 2011 Dr. Nguyen Thi Hoai Duc is an obstetrician and gynecologist whose work has helped shape the maternal health landscape in Vietnam. She is a specialist and national training expert on gender, reproductive health and social and community health. [more...]
Sebastiana Vásquez Gómez, México
Nov 25, 2011 Sebastiana Vásquez Gómez is a community educator and midwife in Chiapas, México whose training of birth attendants and efforts to battle domestic abuse has transformed the indigenous Tzotzil community of Chalchihuitan. [more...]
Futures Celebrates the 16 Days of Activism
Beginning November 25, Futures Without Violence will recognize and honor 16 individuals and organizations for their innovative projects that deepen the link between promoting women's health and ending gender based violence (GBV). These advocates are being saluted for their ground-breaking work in GBV health education and intervention, reproductive or maternal health care, HIV/AIDS prevention, and services in post-conflict situations and natural disasters. [more...]
CDC to Release Largest Study on Sexual Violence
This week, the Centers for Disease Control will release the largest survey on sexual and intimate partner violence in a decade. [more...]
Thank You Macy's!
Macy’s Thanks for Sharing campaign has reached its goal of $15 million for a select group of national nonprofit organizations. Thanks to Macy’s shoppers across the country, Futures Without Violence will receive a $1.5 million donation from Macy’s as a result of this years campaign!! [more...]
Live from New York
With a new name and a new international conference and education center in the Presidio of San Francisco, we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to reach the 1.5 million people that are said to pass through New York City’s Times Square daily. [more...]
LA Unified School District Resolves to Prevent Teen Dating Violence
The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) has unanimously approved a resolution that will call on schools to actively prevent teen dating violence – and kudos to Peace Over Violence's Start Strong program for leading the charge. [more...]
President Obama Marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month
October 3, 2011 President Obama released a statement today to mark the beginning of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month 2011. In it, he affirmed his administration’s commitment to preventing and ending domestic violence in the United States. [more...]
Start Strong Releases Model School Policy
Many schools are responding to state laws and developing policies to prevent teen dating violence. Start Strong has developed a model policy with tools and resources for schools. [more...]
Engaging Men Program Orientation a Success
Futures Without Violence is partnering with the Office on Violence Against Women, Men Stopping Violence, A CALL TO MEN, and The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault as the lead technical assistance provider for the Engaging Men Program - an exciting new federal program focusing on engaging men to prevent violence against women. [more...]
Coaching Boys into Men Launches New Kit
September 19, 2011 How do you teach boys to respect the women and girls in their lives? Coaching Boys into Men, a Futures Without Violence public education initiative, engages athletic coaches to provide an answer to that question. [more...]
No Means No: VP Biden Calls Students to Action
September 13, 2011 Vice President Joe Biden is calling on high school and college students to share their ideas for how to prevent dating violence and sexual assault at their schools and on their college campuses. Over the next two weeks, young men and women are invited to join this important conversation by submitting their ideas via the new whitehouse.gov/1is2many page or by using the hashtag #1is2many on Twitter. [more...]
Home Visitation Programs Can Help More Families if They Address Domestic Violence
The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, included new benchmark requirements for maternal infant and early childhood home visitation programs. One such benchmark requires home visitation programs to measure a reduction in "crime or domestic violence". [more...]
Groundbreaking Bill Integrates Teen Pregnancy & Violence Prevention
Jul 28th, 2011 Recognizing the role coercion and violence plays in unintended pregnancy, legislators today introduced a bill to help young people of color get information and skills they need to build healthy relationships. [more...]
Teens "Talk Back" with New Avatar
July 27, 2011 Pressuring someone for nude pics…cool or not cool? Teens can now create personalized talking avatar videos to answer that important question. That’s Not Cool, a Futures Without Violence public education initiative, has launched this new tool that allows teens to “Have Your Say” when it comes to relationship abuse. [more...]
Legislation To Reduce Teen Dating Violence
In the wake of a growing number of teenagers killed from dating violence, Democratic and Republican legislators have joined together to introduce legislation to help schools address the problem of teen dating violence. [more...]
'That's Not Cool' Wins Youth Award
That’s Not Cool, a Futures Without Violence public education campaign, has been recognized as a Y-Pulse GennY Award Finalist. The GennY Award honors initiatives that use new and innovative techniques to connect with teens and tweens. [more...]
New Film Asks All to Give RESPECT!
A new three-minute documentary featuring the RESPECT! Campaign highlights Coaching Boys into Men and the critical role men are playing in the lives of young people from Massachusetts to Mumbai. [more...]
We’ve Moved!
This week, Futures Without Violence relocated its headquarters, moving into a historic building located in The Presidio of San Francisco. This move is a milestone for our organization, representing years of planning, partnership, and donor support. We look forward to opening the public area of this new facility in 2012. Futures Without Violence at the Presidio will include an international conference center, classrooms, and a public exhibit space. [more...]
Creating Futures Without Violence Worldwide
Ending violence against women is essential if we are to live peacefully together and bring development, health, and prosperity to nations and communities around the globe. Learn more about the ways Futures Without Violence is working to end and prevent violence against women and children worldwide. [more...]
I-VAWA: International Violence Against Women Act
Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, a public health epidemic and a barrier to solving global challenges such as extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS and conflict. It devastates the lives of millions of women and girls, their families, their communities, their societies, and the world --- in peacetime and in conflict --- and knows no national or cultural barriers. [more...]
Parivartan: Adapting CBIM for India
Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund, is currently conducting the most extensive international adaptation of CBIM. Taking place in Mumbai, India this CBIM adaptation is called “Parivartan”, or “Change” in Hindi. [more...]
Stopping Violence Against Women and Girls Globally
Violence against women and girls is a worldwide pandemic - approximately one out of every three women worldwide will be beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime
[more...]Our Vision is Now Our Name
On May 1, 2011, the Family Violence Prevention Fund officially became Futures Without Violence. Our mission remains to prevent and end violence against women and children around the world. [more...]
Supporting Children Who Live With Violence
Supporting children who live with violence ensures a better tomorrow for all of us. Many children are resilient and can thrive if we put our knowledge into action. Futures Without Violence is undertaking a number of initiatives and programs to better address the needs of children, families, and communities experiencing violence. [more...]
National Institute on Fatherhood and Domestic Violence
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Fatherhood can be a strong motivator for some abusive fathers to renounce their violence. Some men choose to change their violent behavior when they realize the damage they are doing to their children. [more...]
I-LED: Institute for Leadership in Education Development
Futures Without Violence’s Institute for Leadership in Education Development (I-LED) offers hands-on workshops and technical assistance to help US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) grantees to improve the organization, quality, and consistency of education and training programs. [more...]
Enhancing Judicial Skills in Elder Abuse Cases Workshop Program Overview
The National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence (NJIDV), a partnership of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), and Futures Without Violence (formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund), offers a four-day, hands-on, highly interactive workshop that will help new and experienced state court judges and judicial officers to improve their skills and ability to respond to cases involving violence against the elderly. [more...]
Continuing Judicial Skills (CJS) in Domestic Violence Cases
The Continuing Judicial Skills in Domestic Violence Cases (CJS) Program is designed specifically for judges and judicial officers who have successfully completed the Enhancing Judicial Skills (EJS) in Domestic Violence Cases Workshop or a similar intensive, foundational program. The CJS program addresses judges’ specific court assignments at a more advanced level and introduces new topics of special interest. [more...]
Engaging Men to Prevent Violence Against Women
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What are ordinary men willing to do to end violence against women and girls? Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund, has been asking this question for more than a decade. The good news is that many men are willing to get involved and act as influencers of children, other men and institutions [more...]
Advocates Turn Horrific Events Into Successful Call for Action
Activists are calling on the Obama Administration to appoint a USAID Senior Gender Advisor to oversee and coordinate the agency’s gender-based violence and women’s empowerment activities. [more...]
New Effort to Address Sexual Violence in Schools
April 6, 2011 For the first time, the U.S. government has specifically advised schools, colleges and universities that it is their responsibility to protect students from sexual violence. [more...]
Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation
The Senate Special Committee on Aging held a hearing entitled, Justice for All: Ending Elder Abuse, Neglect and Financial Exploitation, on March 2. Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund, President and Founder Esta Soler submitted testimony for the record. Soler’s testimony emphasizes that part of the solution to ending elder abuse lies in training judges and law enforcement personnel to better recognize and respond to it. [more...]
Middle School – A Key Time to Intervene To Prevent Dating Violence
February 16, 2011 United States Representatives John Lewis (D-GA) and Gwen Moore (D-WI) joined leaders from the Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Office on Violence Against Women on Capitol Hill on February 10 to discuss promising initiatives that communities, schools and parents can use to address teen dating violence during the middle school years. [more...]
Key Senate Committee Passes I-VAWA
December 14, 2010 The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the International Violence Against Women Act on on December 14. This bipartisan legislation will establish a comprehensive, five-year strategy to stop violence against women and girls around the world. [more...]
Employers Address Domestic & Sexual Violence
As part of a series of initiatives to prevent violence and help victims, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden launched Workplaces Respond to Domestic and Sexual Violence: A National Resource Center. [more...]
New Resources for California Advocates and Providers
Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund, has received funding from the California Endowment to increase awareness among health care providers, nonprofit organizations, shelters, and domestic violence advocacy agencies in Los Angeles. [more...]
Using Music, Movies, Video Games & School Curricula, Start Strong Is Promoting Healthy Relationships
The middle school years offer key moments to educate young people and their parents about healthy relationships and teen dating violence prevention. Programs that are doing this work should meet youth where they spend time, such as in schools, and engage a range of community partners. [more...]
Passionate Human Rights Advocate Passes
Rhonda Copelon, a human rights attorney and City University of New York School of Law professor who helped convince United States federal courts and key international tribunals to recognize gender-based violence and international human rights violations as illegal forms of torture, has died of ovarian cancer. During her 40-year career, Copelon worked on a range of legal cases involving gender-based violence, racial discrimination, government wiretapping, employment discrimination, and women’s reproductive rights. [more...]
Futures Without Violence Shapes New National Prevention Strategy
June 16th, 2011 Last month, the United States Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin released the first ever National Prevention Strategy, a provision of last year’s health care reform legislation dedicated to improving American’s health and well-being and containing health care costs, influenced by Futures Without Violence. [more...]
Reproductive Health Initiative
Pregnancy is an important experience in a woman’s life and violence should not be a part of it. With nearly one in three women at risk for abuse in her lifetime, domestic violence is more common than pre-eclamplsia and hypertension -- both commonly addressed during pregnancy. Yet women are rarely asked about abuse or given information about the links between violence and their health. [more...]
Project Connect
Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund has chosen ten sites in nine states for a groundbreaking two-year violence prevention initiative designed to improve the health and safety of women and children. Project Connect: A Coordinated Public Health Initiative to Prevent Violence against Women is funded by the Office on Women’s Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It will find new ways to identify, respond to and prevent domestic and sexual violence, and promote an improved public health response to abuse. Project Connect funding stems from the health provisions in the Violence against Women Reauthorization Act of 2005. [more...]
Launch of Coaching Boys into Men in Asia
Well-known cricket coaches and players in Mumbai, India are beginning to educate boys to treat girls with respect and recognize that violence is wrong, thanks to a new program that is based on lessons learned through the Family Violence Prevention Fund's Coaching Boys into Men initiative. The new Parivartan pilot program launched in India on March 8 - International Women's Day. [more...]
Support I-VAWA:Go to the Movies Tonight!
Get ready for International Women’s Day and support the International Violence Against Women Act by attending a special one-night-only event in movie theatres around the country today, Thursday, March 4. “Half the Sky Live” will be shown at 450 theaters in the United States and Canada this evening at 7:30 PM. It was inspired by stories from the critically-acclaimed book, Half the Sky, by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. [more...]
Pelosi, Kidman, Torre Help FVPF Break Ground on New International Center
Demonstrating a powerful commitment to end violence, leaders from government, entertainment and sports joined experts and survivors when the Family Violence Prevention Fund broke ground on its new international conference center and exhibition hall on January 8. The star-studded ceremony featured House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, actress Nicole Kidman appearing on behalf of UNIFEM, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, and actress Joan Chen, among others. [more...]
New International Center for Family Violence Prevention Fund
FVPF's new international center will function as a vibrant base for global action through groundbreaking programs that engage the public, facilitate dialogue and collaboration, and train the leaders who will help build safer, healthier, and more civil societies everywhere. Here, on the Main Post of San Francisco’s historic Presidio, we are transforming Building 100, a barracks where military bands once practiced songs that rallied troops on their way to war, into a center for generating peaceful alternatives to violence. [more...]
Half of 14- to 24-Year Olds Have Experienced Digitally Abusive Behavior, Survey Finds
MTV has unveiled a new multi-year initiative that will use shows, contests and online tools to try to stop the spread of sexting and cyberbullying. To coincide with the initiative’s launch, MTV and the Associated Press released a new online survey which finds that 50 percent of 14- to 24-year-olds have been the target of some form of digital abuse, and nearly one in three have sent or received nude photos of other young people on their cell phones or online. [more...]
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Events
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and across the country, advocates are joining health care providers, business leaders, policy makers, faith-based groups, college students and others at events and activities designed to educate the public about domestic and sexual violence. Activities include national campaigns, events like the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence on October 8 to 10 in New Orleans, and state and local activities of all kinds. [more...]
Young Women at Highest Risk for Rape, Sexual Assault
Rape and sexual assault remain serious problems in the United States and the vast majority of victims are women, with those ages 16 to 24 experiencing the highest rates of this violence, according to a new report from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics. Released this week, Criminal Victimization, 2008 finds, “The greatest disparity between violent crimes committed against males and females in 2008 was in the percentage committed by intimate partners.” [more...]
Some States Avoid Deep Cuts, But CA Lawmakers Put Domestic, Sexual Violence Victims in Peril
When Linda Healy got word last month that the Illinois legislature planned to slash funding for the domestic violence program she oversees, she decided to protest with a powerful but simple symbol: shoes. The executive director of Mutual Ground, Inc., a non-profit organization in Aurora, Illinois, that provides shelter, counseling and legal services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, Healy and her staff rounded up more than 400 pairs of shoes and placed them along the wrought-iron fence surrounding the organization. [more...]
Door Opens for Battered Immigrant Women Seeking Asylum
In a case involving a Mexican woman seeking to escape brutal domestic violence in her home country, Obama Administration officials have taken a position that may open a door to asylum in the United States for some victims of severe abuse. The Family Violence Prevention Fund, Center for Gender and Refugees Studies, and other advocates for victims of violence have long advocated this kind of move. [more...]
Key Senate Committee Considers VAWA
The Violence Against Women Act has been highly effective in helping stop domestic violence and other violent crimes against women, expert witnesses - including Ann Burke and Gabrielle Union (with Chris Burke) - told the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 10. But challenges remain, including better services for rural women, women of color and children exposed to violence, and homicide prevention. [more...]
Parents Say They Are Talking About Dating Violence, But Teens Aren't Getting the Message
Teens across the United States are experiencing high levels of abuse in their dating relationships, and not confiding in parents when abuse occurs. The new poll, conducted by Teenage Research Unlimited for the Family Violence Prevention Fund and Liz Claiborne Inc., finds that nearly one in three teens report threats of violence, or sexual or physical abuse. Nearly one in four report being victimized through technology, and nearly one in two who are in relationships report being controlled, threatened, and pressured to do things they did not want to do. [more...]
RESPECT! CampaignSM
In honor of Mother’s Day this year, the RESPECT! Campaign is proud to share a very special FREE e-card that you can send to a special woman in your life to let her know how much you respect her for the positive role she plays in shaping a world that is free from relationship violence. The card is available at www.GiveRespect.org, which also features unique ways to celebrate mom by giving back. This Mother’s Day, consider making a gift in her honor and we will send a special acknowledgment on your behalf. Or, give her the gift of RESPECT with the official RESPECT! bracelet for only $5, available exclusively at Macy’s and on macys.com. Half the proceeds of each bracelet sold benefit the Family Violence Prevention Fund. [more...]
An Emerging Issue
In Vermont and Nebraska, lawmakers are considering measures that would disallow felony prosecutions. In Pennsylvania, a federal judge issued a restraining order to stop a zealous prosecutor from filing criminal charges. But in jurisdictions around the country, teens are being prosecuted for child pornography. It’s all because of sexting – a relatively new phenomenon made possible by ubiquitous new technologies that allow teenagers to send nude or semi-nude photos, usually of themselves, to someone else’s cell phone. [more...]
Native Health Initiative
Intimate partner violence poses a significant health threat across Indian Country. Increasingly, health care professionals recognize that it is a major public health problem that causes grave and lasting harm to individuals, families and communities. In the largest-ever survey of its kind, a 2008 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on health and violence found that 39 percent of Native women reported that they were victims of intimate partner violence some time in their lives – a rate higher than any other race or ethnicity surveyed. [more...]
That's Not Cool
Developed by Futures Without Violence (formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund) in partnership with the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women and the Advertising Council, That’s Not Cool is a national public education campaign to prevent teen dating abuse. [more...]
Lessons from Literature
Developed by Futures Without Violence and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Lessons from Literature is a free online resource that gives English teachers a framework to use the novels, poems, plays and stories they are already teaching to help their students build healthy, non-violent relationships. [more...]
New Developments in the Rihanna/Chris Brown Case
March 6, 2009 "Sadly, the alleged violent assault of Rihanna by Chris Brown is not unique -- women and girls in every community experience violence every day," said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler. "While there are many unanswered questions, the police report seems to suggest that this was an extremely violent and sustained assault. It is deeply disturbing. [more...]
Helping Teens Draw Their ‘Digital Line’
With digital communication a central part of teens’ lives, the Family Violence Prevention Fund is launching a new PSA campaign to help teens recognize digital dating abuse and take steps to prevent it. At a congressional briefing on February 4, during National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week, the FVPF launched ThatsNotCool.com.It is designed to start a conversation among teens about how controlling behavior and harassment from a boyfriend or girlfriend, online or via cell phone, can turn into abuse.
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Violence, Coercion Affect Women's Reproductive Health
With Congress and state legislatures in session, analysts expect hundreds of bills to be introduced that would in some way restrict women’s access to reproductive health information and services. The need for action is urgent. In the next few months, legislatures are likely to consider laws and regulations that would, among other things: make it harder for women to access emergency contraception; allow pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for birth control; and require school-based sex education programs to teach abstinence-only and prohibit them from providing contraceptive information or services. [more...]
More Than 3 Million Stalked Each Year
Stalking is more prevalent than previous studies have shown. The U.S. Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that some 3.4 million persons said they were victims of stalking during a 12-month period in 2005 and 2006. About half these victims experienced at least one unwanted contact per week, 11 percent had been stalked for five or more years, and one in seven moved as a result of the stalking. [more...]
Clinton: Women's Rights Are Human Rights
At her confirmation hearing, Secretary of State nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke powerfully about improving the lives and strengthening the rights of women and children worldwide. [more...]
Give Respect and Geoffrey Beene Gives $5 to FVPF
Everytime you visit GiveRespect.org Geoffrey Beene Gives BackTM will donate $5 to FVPF on your behalf. That’s right. With just one click of your mouse, you can help generate a $5 donation to FVPF, up to $500,000. It’s that easy. It costs you nothing. And, it raises critical funds for the FVPF’s programs to end and prevent violence against women and children. To start giving respect and raising money for FVPF, click here. [more...]
New Violent Crime Report
Dec 23, 2008, San Francisco A new study from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics finds that the violent crime rate in the United States was largely unchanged from 2005 to 2007, but that there was a 25 percent increase in rape and sexual assault over those two years. However, because the methodology for the survey changed in 2006, and because the overall number of rapes and sexual assaults is low compared to other crimes such as burglary, theft and assault, statisticians at the Bureau caution that the increase is not statistically significant. [more...]
Lessons from Literature
Developed by Futures Without Violence and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Lessons from Literature is a free online resource that gives English teachers a framework to use the novels, poems, plays and stories they are already teaching to help their students build healthy, non-violent relationships. [more...]
Honor a Man you Respect
Honor a man you Respect and Win a $500 holiday shopping spree for him!Just in time for the holidays, you can win and give a gift that will mean so much more to that special man in your life this year! Tell us about a man that you respect by entering him into the Geoffrey Beene Dress Up The Man You Respect contest and he could win a $500 shopping spree at Macy's for Geoffrey Beene clothing. [more...]
FVPF Has a New Look!
Dec 5, 2008 - Today, a new and improved endabuse.org was born. The goal of our redesign is to create a more interactive and empowering experience for you. The quality information and resources you’re looking for are easier to find and there are more opportunities to take action to end abuse. Over the next few weeks, your help in ensuring that everything is functioning properly would be great. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with your suggestions and any problems you encounter. [more...]
16 Days Against Gender Violence
Today is the beginning of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, which each year sends a powerful worldwide message that gender-based violence violates basic human rights. [more...]
Coaching Boys into Men
The boys in your life need your time and energy. Your son, grandson, nephew, younger brother. The boys you teach, coach and mentor. All need you to help them grow into healthy young men. [more...]
Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships
Preventing intimate partner violence begins with ensuring that young people's first relationships are healthy ones. Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships, is a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation administered by Futures Without Violence to support the creation of community-based models of prevention that aim to prevent relationship violence among 11 to 14-year-olds. [more...]
Seven Reasons Employers Should Address Domestic Violence
Employers face numerous human resource concerns, with limited time and money. Often a decision to focus on a specific problem is not made until the problem becomes significant and costly. [more...]
Coaching Boys into Men Goes Global
FVPF and UNICEF joined forces in 2007 to enlist international celebrity soccer coaches and players as “teachers” of violence prevention. Development of a new International Coaches Manual based on concepts from the original Coaching Boys into Men Playbook was completed and includes quotes and endorsement from stars such as David Beckham, Emmanuel Adebayor, and Thierry Henry. The manual is available in English, French, and Spanish with other languages to follow. [more...]
RESPECT! Campaign SM
The RESPECT! CampaignSM is a social action campaign to promote respect in relationships and increase awareness about the positive role everyone can play to help end and prevent relationship violence and abuse. It starts with something everyone can do: Give Respect to others. [more...]
Immigrant Women and Domestic Violence
Immigrant women are a diverse group and include women who have lived in the United States for one month, as well as women who have lived here for forty years. The immigrant woman who contacts you for help may be a refugee fleeing persecution, a student, a tourist, or a worker seeking better economic conditions. Get the tools to help you meet the needs of immigrant women who are victims of domestic violence. [more...]
Human Trafficking: A Hidden Shame
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery involving people being bought, sold, and forced into slave labor and/or sexual exploitation. The United Nations recently reported that four million people are traded each year against their will to work in servitude in their own country or around the globe. Thousands are trafficked into the United States. Get the facts on human trafficking. [more...]
Leadership Development for Immigrant Survivors of Violence
Helping immigrant women become their own advocates and become community leaders may be the best and only sustainable way to address the needs of immigrant women survivors of abuse. As emerging leaders, they can play a critical role in supporting other women, informing institutions on their needs, demanding accessible services and teaching their peers how to address domestic violence and sexual assault in their communities. [more...]
Working With Abusive Men & Fathers
Fatherhood can be a strong motivator for some abusive fathers to renounce their violence. Some men choose to change their violent behavior when they realize the damage they are doing to their children. [more...]
A Week of Events Honoring Women
In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, events were held throughout that week around the globe to shine a spotlight on challenges facing women and girls. In the United States, President Barack Obama established a White House Council on Women and Girls, Afghani women briefed congressional leaders about the plight of women in their country, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bestowed the 2009 Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Awards, and more. [more...]
CA Court: Domestic Violence Programs Must Serve Men, But Not with Identical Services
Nov 24, 2008 In mid-October, California’s 3rd District Court of Appeals ruled in Woods vs. Shewry that state-funded domestic violence programs must provide services to male as well as female victims. While “men’s rights” groups hailed the ruling, a closer look shows that it supports the practices that most shelters and domestic violence agencies use today, because the Court explicitly recognized that most victims of domestic violence are women, and that women tend to suffer more serious injuries. [more...]
Mixed Messages on Asylum
Oct 29, 2008 Attorney General Michael Mukasey recently took action in two cases involving women who are seeking asylum in the United States. One is positive, and the other deeply concerns advocates for women asylum-seekers who are fleeing gender-based violence in their home countries. Mukasey sent the cases of Alima Traore from Mali, and Rody Alvarado Peña from Guatemala, to the Board of Immigration Appeals to reconsider. [more...]
Join National Respect! Day
Sept 19 2008 Today the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) and Macy’s ask the nation to join in marking the first annual National RESPECT! DaySM. A newly designated observance, National RESPECT! DaySM, will launch a multi-year movement designed to raise awareness of domestic and dating violence and to encourage positive discourse about prevention by teaching respect. [more...]
Charges Filed Against Iowa Meat-Packing Plant
Sept 16, 2008 Iowa’s Attorney General filed 9,311 criminal charges against the managers and owners of the Agriprocessors meatpacking plant on September 9 for violations of the state’s child labor law. The Postville plant has been a focal point of public concern about the raids carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the human rights violations that often accompany them. [more...]
Political Parties Address Violence Prevention
Aug 31, 2008 Issues relating to domestic and sexual violence took center stage at the Democratic National Convention in late August, highlighted by the selection of United States Senator Joseph Biden (DE) as his party’s vice presidential candidate. A longtime champion of measures to prevent violence against women, Senator Biden is an author of the bi-partisan Violence Against Women Act and a co-sponsor of the bi-partisan International Violence Against Women Act. [more...]
A Beloved Pioneer Passes
Aug 28, 2008 Del Martin, a courageous and visionary leader who helped shape the movement to end domestic violence in the United States, died in late August. Martin wrote one of the first books ever published on the issue, helped frame it in the human rights context, and was instrumental in creating the Family Violence Prevention Fund and providing crucial support and guidance in the organization’s early years. [more...]
Macy's Shop For A Cause
Aug 28, 2008
Macy's and Family Violence Prevention Fund are teaming up to support
local efforts to prevent domestic and sexual violence and raise public awareness!
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Sexual Assault in the Military Underreported
Aug 27, 2008 Women serving in the military today “are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than to be killed by enemy fire in Iraq,” Representative Jane Harman (D-CA) charged at a contentious House hearing in late July at which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that rape and sexual assault in the military may be under-reported by as much as half. [more...]
Violence Common Among Youth
Jul 29, 2008 Three studies released in July find high rates of dating, sexual and other forms of violence among youth in the United States. The researchers who conducted the studies all recommend more education, detection and interventions that begin early in life. [more...]
High Court Rules in Cases Affecting Victims of Violence
Jun 26, 2008 On June 25, the U.S. Supreme Court decided two cases affecting victims of domestic and sexual violence. In Giles v. California, the Court ordered a new trial for Dwayne Giles, who had been convicted of the brutal murder of Brenda Avie after a lower court allowed a police officer to testify about the domestic violence charges Avie had filed against Giles a few weeks before she was killed. In Patrick Kennedy v. State of Louisiana, the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot use the death penalty to punish child rapists. [more...]
UN Debates Women, Peace and Security
Jun 24, 2008 Following an emotional debate, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday June 19 adopted a resolution that declares rape and sexual violence to be weapons of war, and demands an end to sexual violence against civilians in armed conflicts around the world. [more...]
Senators Biden and Lugar Urge Passage of I-VAWA
Jun 18, 2008 In a powerful guest editorial in today’s edition of The Hill, United States Senators Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) urge their colleagues to support the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA). [more...]
A Father's Day Message Against Violence
Jun 16, 2008 On Father’s Day 2008, a group of visionary leaders urged other men to join them in teaching our sons what it means to be a real man -- that women deserve honor and respect, and that violence never equals strength. [more...]
Abuse of Children by Aid Workers Common & Under-Reported, Study Finds
Jun 3, 2008 Too many children living in countries affected by conflicts and natural disasters are being sexually exploited and abused by the humanitarian aid workers and peacekeepers hired to help them, and many of these children are afraid to report the violence. [more...]
International Violence Against Women Act Introduced in House of Representatives
May 1, 2008 Groundbreaking legislation to address the global crisis of violence against women and girls was introduced in the House of Representatives late Wednesday by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA). The International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA – HR 5927) would apply the force of U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid over five years toward preventing abuse and exploitation, which is estimated to affect one in three women worldwide. [more...]
New Studies Examine Violent Deaths, Child Maltreatment
Apr 21, 2008 Two studies released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in April find that many people who die violently experience intimate partner violence and/or relationship problems beforehand, and tens of thousand of newborns and infants experience abuse or neglect. [more...]
Two Supreme Court Cases Could Affect Victims of Violence
Apr 21, 2008 Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases with implications for victims of domestic and sexual violence: Patrick Kennedy v. State of Louisiana; and Plains Commerce Bank v. Long Family Land & Cattle Co. Rulings are expected in both cases later this year. [more...]
Mixed News on Sexual Violence in the Military
Apr 1, 2008 Reports of sexual assault are beginning to drop in the military, following sharp increases in 2005 and 2006 – but more military women say they experienced sexual harassment in 2007 than in the recent past. Those are the conclusions of two studies released by the U.S. Department of Defense in March. [more...]
Impact of Violence Lasting, Severe
Mar 12, 2008 Several new studies shed light on the effects of domestic and sexual violence. They find that being a victim of child abuse results in higher health care costs for women decades later, children of mothers experiencing violence are twice as likely to end up in emergency rooms as other children, and physical abuse during pregnancy can increase the chances of preterm delivery. [more...]
Survey Finds Health Problems More Common for Victims of Violence
Feb 8, 2008 Domestic and sexual violence are pervasive and costly, and can create health problems that last a lifetime, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. It finds 1,200 deaths and two million injuries to women from intimate partner violence each year, and nearly 600,000 injuries to men. Nearly one in four women reports experiencing violence by a current or former spouse or boyfriend some time in her life. [more...]
Bush Budget Threatens Violence Prevention Programs
Feb 6, 2008 Advocates are deeply concerned about President Bush’s FY09 budget proposal, in which he asks Congress to slash funding by more than $100 million for U.S. Department of Justice programs to address and prevent violence against women. The President also would turn all funding for the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) into a block grant. [more...]
Stopping Gender-Based Violence Key to Preventing HIV
Jan 31, 2008 Last week, experts from some of the world’s leading women’s health and violence prevention organizations told more than 100 congressional leaders and advocates that highly effective programs, from Kenya to Hong Kong, Fiji to Papua New Guinea, and Nicaragua to South Africa, are helping to stop gender-based violence and HIV infection. [more...]
Justice Department Releases '05 Intimate Partner Violence Data
Dec 20, 2007 New data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics show that partner violence and domestic homicide remain costly and devastating problems in this country. Although the overall decline in partner violence in the last decade is encouraging, "it is clear that our nation is not yet doing nearly enough to keep women and children safe," said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler. [more...]
Dating Violence Up in NYC Schools
Dec 19, 2007 Dating violence and forced sex increased among students in New York City public schools from 2003 to 2005 even as overall school violence, including fights and students carrying weapons, declined. [more...]
International Violence Against Women Act
Nov 1, 2007 Groundbreaking legislation to combat the global crisis of violence against women and girls was introduced in the Senate on October 31st by Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Richard Lugar (R-IN). The International Violence Against Women Act would, for the first time, systematically apply the force of U.S. diplomacy and foreign aid totaling $1 billion over five years to prevent the abuse and exploitation that affects up to one in three women worldwide. [more...]
UN Finds 'Hideous' Violence Follows Conflicts
Nov 1, 2007 “Violence against women has reached hideous and pandemic proportions in some societies attempting to recover from conflict,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in opening remarks at an October 23 meeting on women, peace and security. [more...]
Where There is Violence Against Women, There is AIDS
Oct 31, 2007 Given the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS on women and girls, it is imperative that gender-based violence be given a high priority when Congress reauthorizes the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in early 2008. A new fact sheet from the Family Violence Prevention Fund, Global AIDS Alliance and International Center for Research on Women outlines changes needed in the legislation, including increased funding to stop gender-based violence, legal reforms, and enhanced technical assistance to indigenous women’s organizations in PEPFAR countries. [more...]
Partner Violence, Teen Pregnancy Linked
Sept 25, 2007 A groundbreaking new study finds a significant connection between abusive relationships and teen pregnancy. Published in the journal Ambulatory Pediatrics and released last week, the study finds that one quarter of adolescents with histories of abusive relationships said that their abusive partners had actively tried to get them pregnant by manipulating condom use, sabotaging birth control, and making explicit statements about wanting them to become pregnant. [more...]
State Legislation
Aug 28, 2007 The hard work of advocates across the nation paid off this summer as state lawmakers passed and governors signed several new laws that protect domestic violence victims, their families and, in some states, their pets. These new laws will help make domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking victims safer at work and at home. [more...]
Traumatized Soldiers Need Better Care
Aug 14, 2007 With the military’s health care system badly overtaxed and extended tours of duty putting soldiers and military families under great stress, experts are looking at whether mental health services available to veterans are adequate. A new report from the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors underscores the need for better mental health care and interventions. Because domestic violence and sexual assault have long been serious problems in the military, violence prevention experts are paying attention. [more...]
WHO Says World Must Step Up Violence Prevention
Aug 14, 2007 Countries around the world need to scale-up domestic violence prevention and make a concerted effort to measure violence-related deaths, injuries and health conditions, according to the World Health Organization. In Third Milestones of a Global Campaign for Violence Prevention Report 2007, the agency reviews progress since the 2002 creation of the Global Campaign for Violence Prevention, assessing how far the world has come and where more work is needed. [more...]
More Nations Cited for Trafficking
Jun 29, 2007 Approximately 800,000 people are trafficked across borders around the world each year, with 14,500 to 17,500 trafficked across the U.S. border. Worldwide, four in five trafficking victims are women and girls, and up to half are minors, the U.S. State Department’s 2007 Trafficking in Persons Report finds. This year’s report adds seven countries, including four Arab nations that are allies to the United States, to its list of worst offenders. [more...]
On Father’s Day, A Special Group of Men Say: No More Violence
Jun 17, 2007 While many dads receive ties and gadgets on Father's Day, a dynamic group of more than 1,800 men -- including major business leaders, politicians, professional athletes, coaches and others -- are giving back to their families and communities by sending a powerful message about what it means to be a father and a positive role model. [more...]
Violence on Congress' Agenda
Jun 6, 2007 Congress is addressing a number of issues that relate to violence against women and children. A Senate subcommittee recently held a hearing on domestic violence, the House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, and Senators Biden (DE), Boxer (CA) and Feinstein (CA) introduced the Violence Against Children Act of 2007. Senator Biden also introduced a bill that would recruit volunteer lawyers to represent domestic violence victims. In addition, the appropriations process is well underway and advocates are pressing hard for full funding for the Violence Against Women Act. [more...]
‘No Private Matter’ Winners from India, Kenya, U.S.
May 17, 2007 The violence prevention community has selected winners in the “No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate and Family Relations” collaborative competition, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in partnership with Changemakers. A panel of experts chose 15 finalists with the most innovative strategies to stop domestic violence. Online voters then chose the top three: Men Can Stop Rape in Washington, DC; Kenyan Men for Gender Equality Now; and Action India's Mahila Panchayat Network. [more...]
The Murders at Virginia Tech
Apr 17, 2007 "There are still many unanswered questions about the horrific violence at Virginia Tech," Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler said, "and troubling indications that the shooter had stalked women. The police are still investigating his relationship to the first victim. We aren't doing nearly enough to stop violence against women, which frequently escalates to homicide and involves bystanders and children." [more...]
Advocates Urge Full Funding for VAWA
Mar 9, 2007 Congress is working right now on the Fiscal Year 2008 appropriations bills that fund critical programs in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As early as next week, members of the House of Representatives will send the appropriations subcommittees their budget priorities. Senators will do the same very soon. [more...]
PBS Airs ‘Beyond Beats & Rhymes’
Feb 16, 2007 Filmmaker Byron Hurt addresses misogyny, sexual violence, masculinity, homophobia and racial stereotypes in hip-hop culture in his new documentary, “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes.” PBS broadcast the hour-long program on its Emmy Award-winning Independent Lens series on Tuesday, February 20. [more...]
Showcasing Innovative Prevention Programs
Jan 31, 2007 A new competition aims to find innovative solutions to domestic violence. “No Private Matter! Ending Abuse in Intimate and Family Relations” is designed to connect promising solutions with key decision makers, investors and health and social service providers. [more...]
Government Reports Drop in Domestic Violence
Jan 17, 2007 "The new report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics is positive, encouraging news," Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler said. "Still, it is clear that violence against women remains a costly and devastating problem. In 2004, there were more than 625,000 intimate partner victimizations and, on average, more than three women a day were murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. We have a lot more work to do to keep families safe." [more...]
New System Tracks Homicides, Suicides
Dec 22, 2006 Studies on data collected through the new National Violent Death Reporting System find that women are victims in most incidents of homicide/suicide, and many more women than men are killed in homicides involving intimate partner violence. [more...]
Advocates Alarmed About Immigration Raids
Dec 15, 2006 Leading domestic and sexual violence experts are raising serious concerns about potential violations of human rights in the aftermath of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on meatpacking plants in six states on Tuesday. Advocates for victims of domestic and sexual violence are reporting inhumane treatment of those who have been detained, with some parents being separated from newborns and not being allowed to relay information about children with serious medical conditions. [more...]
UN Report Finds Violence Against Children Pervasive
Nov 22, 2006 The United Nations Secretary-General’s Study on Violence Against Children finds that much of this violence remains hidden, and it is often socially approved. [more...]
Fox “Acted Responsibly” by Cancelling Simpson Special, Soler Says
Nov 20, 2006 "Fox Entertainment acted responsibly by cancelling its planned O.J. Simpson special, sparing the nation the spectacle of a violent batterer discussing or recreating two murders he claims he did not commit," Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler said today. "It is very good news that millions of outraged viewers and Fox’s own affiliates prevailed." [more...]
New Studies Document Prevalence, Cost of Violence, Inadequate Response
Oct 16, 2006 Several studies and surveys released in recent months underscore the grave impact of domestic violence and other forms of violence against women and children. [more...]
Violence Against Women Pervasive Problem Worldwide, Says New UN Report
Oct 11, 2006 Painting a grim picture of violence against women in all parts of the world, a new United Nations report classifies violence against women – whether it happens in the home or elsewhere – as a human rights violation and argues that states are obliged by international human rights standards to hold perpetrators accountable. [more...]
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Activities
Oct 1, 2006 October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, when experts and service providers around the nation raise awareness about domestic, sexual and dating violence, and stalking, with policymakers, community and business leaders, students, faith-based agencies, and the public. This year, there are powerful and educational events planned at the national level and all across the country. [more...]
Violence Threatens Health of Pregnant Women & Newborns, Study Finds
Aug 17, 2006 A new Harvard School of Public Health study demonstrates conclusively that physical abuse by husbands and boyfriends compromises a woman’s health during pregnancy, her likelihood of carrying a child to term and the health of her newborn. [more...]
Women a Focus at XVI International AIDS Conference
Aug 13, 2006 Some 20,000 experts from science, medicine and government, and community organizers from around the world attended the XVI International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006) in Toronto in August to share lessons and identify next steps. The Conference has long been a place where key scientific developments are released and discussed, and this year there was a major focus on women. [more...]
12 Nations Cited for Human Trafficking
Jun 29, 2006 The U.S. State Department’s 2006 annual Trafficking in Persons Report estimates that 800,000 people, most of them women and children, are victims of human trafficking. This year’s report looks at slave labor as well as sex trafficking, noting that a child trafficked into one form of labor may be further abused in another. “The brutal reality of the modern-day slave trade is that its victims are frequently bought and sold many times over,” it says. [more...]
Founding Fathers 2006: Thousands of Men Are Re-defining Father’s Day
Jun 19, 2006 On Father's Day, June 18th, 2006, thousands of men across America came together to declare their support for an end to violence against women and children. [more...]
A Call To Action: New Legislation Will Address Findings From WHO Study
Jun 9, 2006 In a critically important study released late last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) found that domestic and sexual violence are serious public health problems worldwide. Based on interviews with 24,000 women around the world, it found that one-fifth to three-quarters of women had experienced physical or sexual violence since age 15, with most of it inflicted by male partners. [more...]
“Becoming Myself” Book Tour
May 10, 2006 The Family Violence Prevention Fund and retailer Marshalls are bringing the newly released book, Becoming Myself by Willa Shalit, to life for high school students in New York, Chicago and Boston. [more...]
Echoes of Trauma
Apr 21, 2006 There is a strong correlation between childhood trauma and serious adult health problems including tobacco use, substance abuse, obesity, cancer, heart disease, depression and a higher risk for unintended pregnancy. Those are key findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, presented at a congressional briefing in April. [more...]
Stop Violence Against Women Week
Apr 14, 2006 Sexual and domestic violence experts from around the country came to Washington, D.C. the week of April 3rd to advocate for full funding of the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence sponsored a series of events, held in conjunction with Lifetime Television’s annual Stop Violence Against Women Week. [more...]
PSAs Urge Dads, Role Models to Teach Boys that Violence is Wrong
Apr 14, 2006 Men teach boys how to hit a baseball, hit the net, hit the receiver, and much more. But are men taking the time to teach boys that violence against women and girls is wrong? The Family Violence Prevention Fund, the Waitt Institute and the Advertising Council recently released a new 30-second public service advertisement for television that invites men to do so. It is the newest component of the Coaching Boys Into Men campaign, launched in 2002. [more...]
Teen Dating Violence Week
Mar 28, 2006 Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA) kicked off National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Week at a news conference last month at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington, D.C. [more...]
Supreme Court Cases
Mar 28, 2006 The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in two cases that could affect domestic violence prosecutions. At issue in Davis v. Washington and Hammon v. Indiana is whether statements made by victims to 9-1-1 operators and transcripts of police interviews can be considered at trial, if the caller or complainant is unavailable or unwilling to testify. [more...]
Supreme Court to Hear Domestic Violence Case
Feb 15, 2006 To the surprise of most legal observers, the U.S. Supreme Court announced in January that it will hear the case of a Dallas woman who contends that pressure from her violent boyfriend caused her to purchase guns illegally. [more...]
Bush Signs Violence Against Women Act Into Law
Jan 6, 2006 At a private ceremony in the Oval Office on Thursday, January 5 that included congressional champions, President Bush signed the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 into law. "Our homes and communities will be safer and healthier as a result," Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler said. [more...]
Congress Completes Work on Violence Against Women Act
Dec 19, 2005 The House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 on Saturday, December 17, just one day after the Senate passed the identical bill. "We have repeatedly asked Congress to make our homes safer before heading to their homes for the holidays," said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler, "and we are very pleased that they did. Now, we ask President Bush to quickly sign this bill into law." [more...]
Domestic Violence Widespread, Harms Health of Millions of Women Worldwide
Nov 30, 2005 Intimate partner violence is the most common form of violence experienced by women around the world; it is even more prevalent than rape or assault committed by strangers or acquaintances. Even though one in six women has been a victim of domestic violence, the problem remains largely hidden. Yet, physical and sexual violence take a terrible toll on women’s health and well-being. [more...]
FVPF Partners in North Country National Premiere
Oct 27, 2005 The Family Violence Prevention Fund is proud to join in one of the first-ever action campaigns developed by Participant Productions in conjunction with the premiere of North Country starring Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, and Woody Harrelson. [more...]
FVPF Joins DreamWorks and Others in Movie Premiere
Oct 12, 2005 FVPF sponsored the Northern California opening of DreamWorks' and Revolution Picture's new movie, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio, starring Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, and Laura Dern. [more...]
Senate Passes Violence Against Women Act
Oct 4, 2005 By unanimous consent, the United States Senate passed the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 on October 4. "Today's action means our nation is on its way to improving its response to domestic, sexual and dating violence, and stalking," said Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler. "Coupled with House passage of the Violence Against Women Act last week, this is very good news." [more...]
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Activities
Sept 28, 2005 The following list includes some of the many national Domestic Violence Awareness Month activities planned for this October. Domestic violence experts and service providers are encouraged to contact the sponsoring organizations to find out more about each event and explore how local communities can get involved. [more...]
Donate to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund
Sept 9, 2005 Donate to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and help victims of family violence and sexual assault affected by the disaster in the Gulf Coast. [more...]
House Judiciary Committee Passes Violence Against Women Act
Jul 28, 2005 The House Judiciary Committee passed the Violence Against Women Act on July 27. The action came a week after experts on violence testified in favor of the bill before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Former NBA champion M.L. Carr, President and CEO of Warm2Kids and a Family Violence Prevention Fund board member, joined actress Salma Hayek in urging Congress to reauthorize the law. [more...]
Sports Leaders Help Unveil New Playbook at “Founding Fathers” Event
Jun 29, 2005 Aggression may win you points on the field or on the court, but outside of sports that behavior is not tolerated. Now, coaches from every level and every major sport are coming off the sidelines to play a pro-active role in preventing violence and sexual assault in dating relationships. [more...]
Gonzales Ruling a “Serious Blow” to Victims of Violence Who Need Police Protection
Jun 27, 2005 The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 27th that Jessica Gonzales cannot sue the town of Castle Rock for failing to enforce a restraining order against her violent ex-husband. Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler called it, "a sad day for a nation that had been making progress in stopping domestic violence and helping victims." [more...]
Violence Against Women Act of 2005 Introduced in House & Senate
Jun 14, 2005 The Violence Against Women Act of 2005 was introduced in the United States Senate on Wednesday, June 8, and in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 14. The bill, which was first enacted in 1994 and re-authorized in 2000, will expire in September unless Congress acts. [more...]
New Family Violence Study
Jun 13, 2005 A study released by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics on June 12th finds that declines in family violence continue, along with overall declines in violent crime. Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler called the new study a “ray of hope that we are finally on the right track in addressing the violence that devastates so many families, but our work in not nearly done.” [more...]
Coaching Boys Into Men Is Transforming Attitudes
May 31, 2005 New public opinion research finds that the Family Violence Prevention Fund/Advertising Council/Waitt Family Foundation public education campaign, Coaching Boys into Men, is building awareness, transforming attitudes, and prompting men to teach the next generation that violence is wrong. [more...]
Sexual Assault Reports Rise Sharply in Armed Forces
May 12, 2005 In 2004, military criminal investigators received 1,700 allegations of sexual assault involving members of the armed forces worldwide. These allegations included 1,275 incidents in which a service member was the victim, and 1,305 incidents in which a service member was allegedly the perpetrator. [more...]
Exposure to Violence Harms Children's Health
May 12, 2005 Being abused, exposed to domestic violence and having a mother who abuses substances are associated with a high number of health problems for low-income pre-school children. [more...]
The World Health Report 2005
Apr 12, 2005 The World Health Organization’s 2005 Report, Make Every Mother and Child Count, examines why eleven million children under age five will die this year, and why 529,000 mothers will die during pregnancy, childbirth, or soon thereafter. One strategy that can make pregnancy safer is to reduce gender-based violence, it says. [more...]
Supreme Court Hears Arguments In Gonzales Case
Apr 1, 2005 The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Town of Castle Rock, Colorado v. Jessica Gonzales in March. At issue is whether victims of domestic violence have the right to sue if their local governments fail to protect them and their children from batterers. [more...]
Homicide Is One Of The Leading Causes Of Pregnancy-Associated Injury Deaths, Study Concludes
Mar 18, 2005 Homicide is the second leading cause of traumatic death for pregnant and postpartum women. From 1991 to 1999, for every 100,000 live births in the U.S., at least two women died as a result of homicide during pregnancy or within one year of pregnancy. [more...]
A Champion Passes
Mar 16, 2005 The violence prevention movement lost a true friend and powerful ally on March 7 when Dr. Linda E. Saltzman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) died in her sleep. [more...]
CBS Airs Domestic Violence PSAs
Feb 8, 2005 Many viewers have been alarmed that CBS’ Emmy Award winning reality show, The Amazing Race, featured a contestant who persistently abused his wife, on the air, this year. Jonathan Baker and Victoria Fuller were eliminated a few weeks ago, but only after viewers witnessed weeks of verbal abuse that turned physical when Baker shoved and nearly knocked Fuller to the ground in January. [more...]
Domestic Violence & The Super Bowl: The Myth
Feb 1, 2005 On February 6, millions of people will tune in to watch Super Bowl XXXIX. In the past, Super Bowl Sunday has been a time of public debate over the prevalence of domestic violence in our communities. At times, domestic violence experts and those working to help victims have been criticized, in part because of decade-old claims that abuse increases on game day. [more...]
Children in Peril
Jan 25, 2005 Our hearts go out to all the victims of the recent tsunami, Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler said, and reports that the youngest victims are being kidnapped and sold into slavery are a profoundly disturbing reminder that child trafficking and sexual slavery are pervasive and unsolved problems in our world. [more...]
Ashcroft Delays Decision in Key Asylum Case
Jan 25, 2005 After taking the asylum request of Rody Adali Alvarado Peña, a domestic violence survivor, under advisement and delaying a decision for years, Attorney General John Ashcroft will leave office without deciding the case, he announced Friday. [more...]
Pelosi Provides $1.5 Million To Stop Abuse
Dec 22, 2004 Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the House Democratic leader, included $1.5 million for the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) in the Fiscal Year 2005 federal budget to support the FVPF’s International Center to End Violence. [more...]
Violence Contributing To Vast Growth in HIV/AIDS Among Women Worldwide, Report Finds
Nov 30, 2004 A major new report released jointly by the United Nations and the World Health Organization finds that the number of women living with HIV has risen in most regions of the world over the past two years. [more...]
Peterson Guilty
Nov 15, 2004 Jurors found Scott Peterson guilty of two homicides in the death of his wife, Laci, and their son, who was to be named Conner. [more...]
Ruling May Help New York’s Battered Mothers Keep Their Children
Oct 28, 2004 The New York State Court of Appeals ruled unanimously on Tuesday that the child welfare system cannot remove children from non-abusive parents simply because there is domestic violence in the home. [more...]
Criminal Case Against Bryant Dropped
Sept 1, 2004 In a move that was widely anticipated by experts and those close to the case, the judge in the sexual assault trial against Kobe Bryant yesterday dropped criminal charges against the basketball star. The move came after prosecutors filed for dismissal, saying that Bryant’s accuser was unwilling to continue because she feared her rights would be further violated during trial. The civil lawsuit she has brought against Bryant will proceed. [more...]
