Domestic Violence

We help courts and communities respond creatively and effectively to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence.

Watch our video to learn how courts in Rockford, Ill., respond to domestic violence.

Combining lessons learned at the local level with the latest research, our experts provide community-led, data-driven support to jurisdictions across the country looking to enhance their responses to domestic violence. With support from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, our experts offer training and hands-on assistance that rejects any one-size-fits-all frameworks. Our work focuses on victim safety and covers civil and criminal justice system responses to domestic violence from initial needs assessments to implementation, evaluation, and ongoing training.

We provide free individualized training and support to courts and communities on a range of topics:

informed-decision making
holistic victim services
offender accountability and engagement
reducing bias and increasing access
engaging the court
learning-based training and practical application

To hear more from us, join our email list. We’ll let you know when we have an upcoming training, webinar, or new resource.

Judge H. Lee Chitwood and Court Coordinator Jaime Clemmer discuss the innovative strategies they use for domestic violence cases in their rural Virginia county.

Initiatives

Access to Justice in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Cases

Improving access to the courts for victims of domestic violence and those accused of harm enhances safety and accountability and ensures a more just and effective system.
Abusive Partner Accountability and Engagement

We use research and the experience of practitioners to help communities create new pathways for abusive partners to develop responsibility, healing, and ho
Domestic Violence Court

A pioneer in the creation of specialized domestic violence courts, the Center works to rethink and improve court responses to intimate partner violence.
Domestic Violence Mentor Courts

These specialized courts serve as resources for courts across the country by facilitating peer-to-peer learning and providing examples of effective practices.
Domestic Violence Training for Your Community

We train thousands of professionals each year on improving their approach to domestic violence, sexual abuse, dating violence, and stalking.
Enhancing Family Court Responses to Domestic Violence

We help courts grapple with the issues surrounding child custody and visitation for families experiencing domestic violence.
Judicial Engagement Network

Engaging judges and fostering judicial leadership is key to enhancing system-wide responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.
Justice for Families

Justice for Families supports communities in developing and implementing projects to address domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence.

Publications & Digital Media

Audio
The Science of Hope

In this episode, our host Juan Carlos Areán is joined by Dr. Charvonne Holliday, assistant professor in the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, attorney Casey Gwinn, President of the Alliance for Hope International, and Dr. Chan Hellman, professor at the Ann and Harry Zara School of Social Work and Director of the Hope Research Center of the University of Oklahoma. The group discusses the science of hope and how it can be applied to intimate partner violence.

Domestic Violence
Publication
What Courts Should Know About Probation Supervision of Domestic Violence Offenders

by Jenna Smith and James Henderson

Domestic violence cases involve serious safety concerns that make monitoring compliance especially difficult. Abusive partners may continue to harass and coerce their intimate partners without the knowledge of the justice system. For courts seeking to ensure compliance and support behavior change among people who abuse their partners, strong communication and collaboration with probation departments is key.

Domestic Violence
Publication
Remote Abusive Partner Intervention Programs for Underserved Communities

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, abusive partner intervention program (APIP) providers across the country have adapted their services to help promote healing and foster accountability during these unprecedented times.

Domestic Violence

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Initiatives

Publications & Digital Media

We work with reformers around the world.

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