OnLine Training Institute is being updated!

Staff at EVAWI has been working on updating the content of several of the OnLine Training Institute (OLTI) modules. The OLTI was developed to bring state-of-the art training to anyone who is interested, on the topic of criminal justice response to sexual assault. One of the many benefits of offering training online is that we can continually update and improve the content.

In the OLTI module on Victim Impact, we incorporated diverse survivor perspectives throughout the module. We felt was more effective than developing a single, stand-alone module on "special victim populations," because we can better integrate the examples into our general understanding of the impact of sexual victimization. It is therefore more likely to be helpful in crafting an effective response.

In the OLTI module on Clearance Methods for Sexual Assault Cases, we updated the Uniform Crime Report’s (UCR) new definition of Forcible Rape, after FBI Director Robert Mueller officially approved a new, more comprehensive, definition of Forcible Rape in December 2011.

In the OLTI Module Effective Victim Advocacy in the Criminal Justice System, many of the resources in the original OLTI training module had become outdated and no longer available, updated and currently available in a different location, or moved to another website.  To ensure that these resources remain accurate, this OLTI training module has now been updated to reflect these changes.

If you haven't already registered for the OLTI, we encourage you to do so. And if you have, you will want to make sure you review the recently updated material.

What will happen to VAWA?

As many of you know, The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA IV) is up for re-authorization this year. VAWA was originally signed into law in 1994, and has since been re-authorized in 2000 and 2005. VAWA is a critical piece of legislation that provides funding for investigation and prosecution for violence against women, as well as funding for sexual assault and domestic violence programs across the country. VAWA, like EVAWI, encourages initiatives that strengthen the community response to violence against women.

New provisions were included this year to add protections for specific populations such as for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community, Native American community, and immigrant victims of sexual assault.

This year, unlike any previous re-authorization, VAWA has become a forum for political debate. While the Senate overwhelmingly passed the version including the provisions mentioned above, the House passed their own, dramatically different, version last week. The House version does not include the provisions listed above. Both sides are currently refusing to negotiate on each other’s bill. 

Where does this leave us? VAWA actually expired last fall, and many programs are currently relying on temporary funding to keep their doors open.  Many programs are concerned about what this means for continued funding for their much needed services to victims of sexual and domestic violence. 

Welcome to the New EVAWI Blog!

We at End Violence Against Women International(EVAWI) decided it was about time we started a blog! We hope to use this new blog to reach more people who can help us in our effort to share our vision: a world where gender-based violence is unacceptable; where perpetrators are held accountable, and victims receive the compassion, support, and justice they deserve.

In this weekly blog, you’ll find out what’s happening around EVAWI, as well as information on the various projects we are working hard on. You’ll hear tidbits from staff, some board members, and even a few guest bloggers.

EVAW International was founded in January 2003 by Joanne Archambault in order to educate the general public and public safety workers about the crimes of sexual assault and domestic violence. EVAWI seeks to inspire and educate those who respond to gender-based violence, equipping them with the knowledge and tools they need to support victims and hold perpetrators accountable.