The office on violence against women (OVW) training and technical assistance (TA) initiative provides OVW grantees and subgrantees with the expertise and support they need to develop and implement…

The office on violence against women (OVW) training and technical assistance (TA) initiative provides OVW grantees and subgrantees with the expertise and support they need to develop and implement successful state, local, tribal, and campus projects; increase victim safety; and bolster offender accountability. Through cooperative agreements, OVW supports educational initiatives, conferences, peer-to-peer consultations, and targeted assistance that allow current and potential grantees and subgrantees to learn from experts and one another about how to overcome obstacles and incorporate promising practices in their efforts to address violence against women. In addition, OVW is focused on building the capacity of the criminal and civil justice systems and victim service providers to respond effectively to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to foster partnerships between organizations that have not traditionally worked together to address violence against women. With FY 2024 TA initiative funding, aequitas will continue its prosecution comprehensive project. This project will support prosecutors, ancillary staff, and allied professionals during the investigation and prosecution of cases involving violence against women (VAW) via expert training and technical assistance, resources, and mentorship (TTA); and enhance victim safety and offender accountability via teaching and promoting victim-centered, trauma-informed, and offender-focused practices and legal strategies that will improve prosecution outcomes. This project will, in part, incorporate the principles set forth in the department of justice framework for prosecutors to strengthen our national response to sexual assault and domestic violence involving adult victims. Over the course of the project period, aequitas will provide 1) TTA to prosecutors and allied professionals through expert on-demand and targeted, customized consultation; 2) expert, multidisciplinary training based upon current research and best practices that develop the knowledge and skills of prosecutors and allied professionals handling VAW cases through web-based, in-person training, including national institutes, and 3) readily available, up-to-date resources and enhance aequitasresource.ORG website. This project supports FY 2024 TA initiative purpose area 47: prosecution comprehensive. The timing for performance of this award is 24 months. This award is a continuation of 15JOVW-22-GK-03987-mumu. This award is for years 3 and 4 of a five-year comprehensive TA project awarded competitively under the FY 2022 TA initiative solicitation.