Resource Library

The most dangerous time for a domestic violence victim is the time immediately after leaving the relationship. Women are 3.6 times more likely to be killed shortly after leaving their partner, and the presence of firearms increases the lethality of the violence and expands the number of victims. Research has shown that state laws prohibiting persons subject to protection orders from possessing firearms and requiring them to surrender firearms in their possession were associated with a 14% lower rate of intimate partner firearm homicide.  Taking the steps to ensure that those who are ineligible to possess surrender their firearms could very well save a life. In this webinar, participants will learn the steps necessary for developing a firearm surrender protocol in their community. The presenters will explore all aspects of a successful protocol, from getting buy-in from the necessary criminal justice partners to procedure and paper work, including examples of protocols/procedures currently utilized by communities that are already successfully surrendering firearms.

This online guide addresses the wide range of abuses that take place in rural communities. Statistics for homicide, sexual crimes, domestic violence, and others are provided and explained (2017).

This fact page provides information on teen dating violence, and what laws exist to prevent it in each state (2017).

Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have that same access to a gun, yet Federal law prohibits convicted domestic violence abusers, as well as those subject to certain protective orders, from possessing guns. Our guest today is United States Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. Sworn into office in November 2017, Ms. Nealy Cox is the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Northern District of Texas, which covers 100 counties, more than 96,000 square miles, and a population of approximately 8 million people. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she is responsible for bringing to justice anyone who violates federal law in her district and chairs the recently formed Domestic Violence Working Group. The working group, comprised of nine U.S. attorneys from across the country, including officials from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, and California, shares best practices for prosecuting domestic abusers, gun crimes, and provides guidance on how to work with local law enforcement agencies and nonprofits with the ultimate goal of reducing incidences of domestic violence. Content warnings for this episode include: physical violence and abuse (2020).

Andrea Zaferes is a medicolegal death investigator who specializes in the handling of aquatic cases from the crime scene to the courtroom. Recognized in multiple jurisdictions and by the U.S. Army as an expert witness in bodies-found-in-water and aquatic death investigations, Zaferes has trained dive teams, law enforcement, medical examiners, and many others for over 30 years. A member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, Andrea is also an author, public speaker, and a regular presenter at the Conference on Crimes Against Women. This episode focuses on Aquatic Abuse Homicide– cases that often appear at first as tragic accidents, aquatic homicide is a pattern of homicidal activity that occurs more often than one might realize. Today, aquatic homicide is a well-honed field of investigation that requires both specific training and crime scene methodology. Content warnings for this episode include: Physical violence, child abuse, sexual violence, drug/alcohol abuse, suicide/self-harm (2020).

Kelsey McKay is a nationally recognized expert on strangulation who developed a critical protocol for strangulation and domestic violence response and treatment. A former prosecutor from Travis County Texas, McKay founded McKay Training & Consulting to collaborate with leaders in fields of law enforcement in order to strengthen how communities collaborate, investigate, treat and prosecute strangulation and intimate partner cases. Her protocol - The Asphyxiation Assessment - is transforming the role of first responders in cases of crimes against women. This episode tackles the subject of strangulation – what it is, what it is not, and best practices in the fields of response, investigation, and prosecution. Content warnings for this episode include: abuse, physical and sexual violence (2020).

This research brief examines peers and the extent to which they can contribute to their risk for and protection against dating violence (2014).

This paper focuses rural community violence and the root causes that plague so many communities. The study asserts that the lack of attention to this violence is a misperception that the violence is non-existent or less serious in rural communities (2016).

This Ontario-based study examines 132 domestic homicide cases to determine the differences between rural and urban risk factors (2015).