A Step Towards Safety

An Overview of Gateway II

alyssah17 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 02:04:45 +0000

In the Gateway II class at the University of Oregon, we were required to complete many projects, including an audio story, photo slideshow and a video. The audio story was the first time I had any experience working with editing programs or digital equipment. With this project I learned how create a comfortable environment for an interview and how to use programs such as Final Cut Pro. If I were to repeat this assignment I would have found a quieter place to do the interview and I would add some more of my own narration. The next assignment we did was a photo slideshow. I followed a Springfield Police Officer around for a day, taking pictures and recording audio. It was difficult, and sometimes uncomfortable, but I learned how to work though this to capture interesting pieces. If I were to do this again I would pick a topic that would be more comfortable to take pictures of so that it would be better quality and have more to choose from. Our final project was a video assignment where we recorded and interviewed someone doing something interesting with their hands. I chose to work with an architecture student building her model. I enjoyed this assignment the most and became proficient with the recording devices and editing programs. If I were to do this assignment again I would get more of a variety of shots and try to capture more ambient sound. It really helps to see examples or to see what other students are doing. I would have liked to have added more text in the video and perhaps some narration. I probably would have chosen a different topic if I had known beforehand what the assignments were. Domestic violence is a topic I enjoyed doing, but finding interviews was very difficult. Overall, I enjoyed doing these projects very much.

Ride Along with the Springfield Police Department

alyssah17 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:44:51 +0000

Ride Along Video
Ever wonder what is feels like to ride in the front seat of a police car? This video gives a first-hand shot at what it is like to be an Officer with the Springfield Police Department. Follow Officer Clough on an average day on the force, dealing with injuries, children and a full take down.

Searching for Safety: The Government’s Role in the Elimination of Domestic Violence

alyssah17 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:40:42 +0000

Domestic Violence is an issue our nation has been struggling with for centuries, but it is only recently that any true progress has been made. Over the past few decades, many organizations, shelters and advocacy centers have appeared across the country, offering services such as private counseling sessions, free meals and protection from abusers. In 1994, as a US senator, Joe Biden authored the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), jumpstarting a series of government programs and agencies. Even with all these advancements, today’s statistics reveal domestic violence rates are increasing every year. Should the government be doing more to spread awareness and support for the victims of domestic violence?
Between 1981 and 1982 the Minneapolis Police Department and the Police Foundation conducted The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment to test the response time and action the police department was taking when responding to domestic violence calls. The results of the experiment lead the Police Foundation to believe that in many cases, arrests were being made without warrants or even probable cause, and in some cases arrests seemed to make the situation worse. Domestic violence was not being treated seriously, and it wasn’t until the creation of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 that things began to change.
With this new act came the creation of The Office of Violence Against Women. The Federal Domestic Violence Laws and the Enforcement of These Laws were immediately in effect and would hopefully make some difference. The act provided more money for the investigation of violent crimes, prosecution for violent acts against women, and more pre-trial detention of the accused. With these new, stricter enforcements, domestic violence began to get more attention. The Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook is an example of the level of seriousness the government was beginning to take with the issue. This handbook was created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Safety, Health and Employee Welfare Division in the late 1990’s. The handbook gives explanations of what domestic violence is, how to deal with it, who is affected and what can be done to help. These kinds of informational pamphlets were popular in the workplace to spread awareness and insure the safety of their employees.
Domestic violence reached a broader level in 1996 in a meeting of the United Nations. The UN recognized domestic violence as “an international human rights concern” and issued the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the first international declaration of its kind. The document describes what the UN considers to be violence against women, women’s rights and what should be done if a woman is violated. The declaration states the United Nation is “concerned that violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of equality, development and peace” and that a complete elimination of this violence would be the only way to achieve this.
Senator Joe Biden gained much acclaim for his work on the Violence Against Women Act, which may have even helped him secure the Vice Presidency. Together, President Barak Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have advocated the elimination of violence against women. In a post on his campaign website in 2008, Obama spoke out about Ending Violence Against Women and Children. This document offers his plan to support the victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, including reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and instating the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act. Barak Obama has followed through with both of these acts since elected president last November.
On June 26th, 2009, Vice President Biden announced the appointment of Lynn Rosenthal as the new White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. Ms. Rosenthal is well known as the Executive Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) and as one of the nation’s experts on domestic violence policy.
According to The Public Policy Office of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one of the nation’s leading organizations for spreading awareness of domestic violence, one in four women will experience domestic violence in their life time, an estimated 1.3 million women. Domestic violence is one of the most underreported crimes and “only approximately one-quarter of all physical assaults, one-fifth of all rapes, and one-half of all stalkings perpetuated against females by intimate partners are reported to the police.” Violent crimes such as these rise about 6-7% every year, though it is almost impossible to tell if domestic violence is actually increasing or if more women are coming forward about it.
Domestic violence harms more than just the victim. McKenna Hynes, an employee of Womenspace, a domestic violence shelter and advocacy center in Eugene, OR, works with children who have been emotionally and physically affected by living in violent homes. In one particular case, Ms. Hynes mentions the story of a young boy who at only eight years old was dealing with a situation where his mother was being physically abused by his father. Finally the mother leaves, and the dad tells his soon he had killed his mother. This resulted in this young child charging at his father with a knife and then trying to hurt himself. Thankfully, everything turned out well, and with the help of Womenspace, the boy is happy, healthy and reunited with his mother. In an article posted on the National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women, scientists explore many studies to see how domestic violence affects children psychologically. One study “found increased violence exposure associated with lower cognitive functioning” while another found that “children’s exposure to adult domestic violence may generate attitudes justifying their own use of violence.” Domestic violence affects more than just the victims themselves. It harms every person close to them.
Even with statistics claiming that violence against women is increasing, many believe the opposite. An article posted on the Wise To Social Issues website in 2007 claims that programs geared toward domestic violence have proved successful. Richard L. Davis, author of Domestic Violence: Facts and Fallacies claims that the statistics that are available on domestic violence are so varied that it is impossible to tell what to believe, yet he believes that “anecdotal evidence points to improvements whenever the problem is systematically addressed.”
Though it may be hard to tell at this point, the government is doing a sufficient job in their goal of eliminating domestic violence and should not designate more funds to this cause. Between the Office of Violence Against Women and the strong support of the Violence Against Women Act, President Clinton and Obama have made huge improvements in the morale of this country and the fight to eliminate domestic violence.

Sources for “Searching for Safety”

alyssah17 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:56:23 +0000

This is The Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook created by The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Safety, Health and Employee Welfare Division for its employees explaining what domestic violence is, who is affected and what can be done to help. It also gives directions on how to deal with violence and what it can lead to. This is an institutional source because it was created by the government and has a specific mission and a targeted audience. The federal government funded the creation of this document for the purpose of educating their employees and the general public on the dangers and seriousness of domestic violence. The handbook intends to spread awareness of domestic violence and help stop the cycle, mostly to avoid lawsuit within the workplace. It was most likely mandatory to distribute this document to employees. It is intended for the individual worker, giving tips that just one person could do to help stop violence. This handbook is an example of a very hands-off way of giving information and is not easily found on the internet. It is a good source of information, but would not be very helpful to someone in immediate danger. It was published in the late 1990’s on the U.S.D.A’s website and was accessed on the 1st of December, 2009. The handbook was prepared by the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women in President Clinton’s term as a resource for employees of the Department of Agriculture.

This is an interview with McKenna Hynes, a senior at the University of Oregon majoring in Women’s Studies, a volunteer for the University’s Women’s Center and an employee of Womenspace, a domestic violence center and shelter in Eugene, OR. In this interview, McKenna discussed her job as an activities coordinator and group discussion leader for the children who are helped by Womenspace. This is a journalistic citizen source because it shows the lives of children affected by domestic violence from the view of one individual and is used to provoke a feeling or idea. The interview was conducted on November 1st, 2009. This interview was done to see how people are indirectly affected by domestic violence. It takes a look at two topics. It looks at how children are harmed physically and emotionally by domestic violence that occurs in their household and also shows how violence against women affects the workers and volunteers who help these women and children. McKenna’s stories and experiences in this interview can be used to draw emotion from the listener and could be used to spread awareness and show how destructive domestic violence is to more than just the victim.

This is a link to all the federal domestic violence laws and the enforcement of these laws provided by the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse. This is an academic source that was created for the purpose of educating people on the legal side of violence, without opinions or an agenda. This center provides research, education, and access to violence related resources for anyone who maybe be looking for legal documents, including the Violence Against Women Act, laws on stalking, laws on interstate travel and laws on firearms. The Federal Domestic Violence Laws and the Enforcement of These Laws was written by Margaret S. Groban and the publication date is unknown. The document’s author or sponsoring organization granted Violence Against Women Online Resources permission for placement on their site. The points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. This web site is a cooperative project of The Office on Violence Against Women and Minnesota Center Against Violence & Abuse at the University of Minnesota and is supported by a grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. This document was last accessed on the 2nd of December, 2009.

The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment was an experiment conducted from 1981 to 1982 by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Police Foundation to test police responses going to domestic violence cases. This source was published in the American Sociological Review in April of 1984 By Lawrence W. Sherman and Richard A. Berk. This is an academeic source that was used to see how police were responding to domestic violence in their area and whether enough action was done. The experiment concluded that in many cases arrests were being made without warrants or even probable cause. Richard Davis writes a response to this experiment titled the “The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment” and claims that the results are flawed and only minor cases were used in the experiment, meaning the police were not following the law even more than the experiment shows. This experiment was funded by the National Institute of Justice and was intended to change the methods of legal action towards domestic violence. The document is available in the American Sociological Review and the Police Foundation. This document was last accessed on the 2nd of December, 2009.

This article titled “Domestic Violence is Decreasing” claims that there is such a huge range of statistics and information available on domestic violence that it is almost impossible to tell what is true, and therefore impossible to tell if domestic violence is actually increasing. This is a journalistic source that tries to persuade the reader of one idea. It was posted on the Wise To Social Issues website for the purpose of showing the reader how skewed the data is that is available for domestic violence. The article was written for the site in 2007 and the author is not listed. The article uses sources such as Richard L. Davis, the author of Domestic Violence: Facts and Fallacies, and the National Institute of Justice Research Brief. It also draws from an article by Richard Davis titled “The Problem of Violence Against Women is Exaggerated” and Christopher Maxwell Joel Garner and Jeffrey A. Fagen’s “Mandatory Arrest Laws Reduce Domestic Violence.” This article was written for the public for the purpose of educating them on the amount of false information available and to not believe everything you read. This document was last accessed on the 2nd of December, 2009.

President Obama posted “Barak Obama: Ending Violence Against Women and Children” in 2008 on his campaign website to show America how he planned to support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. This is an institutional source because it was paid for by the government and has a motive and a budget. There is no author listed, but was most likely written by someone on the Obama campaign. The document draws from a speech Obama gave at the Apna Ghar Domestic Violence Shelter in April of 2006 and discusses the Office of Violence Against Women and the Violence Against Women Act. These sources give the document accreditation to show how Obama has already helped this issue and will therefore do more in the future. This document was released as part of Obama’s campaign in order to persuade voters of the good he will do if elected president. All voters and American citizens are meant to see this. The document mentions how much money and attention is being given to the subject of domestic violence, but it fails to mention where exactly the money is going and if it is working. This document was last accessed on the 1st of December, 2009.

In 1993, The United Nations recognized domestic violence as an international human rights concern and issued the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the first international declaration of its kind. This is an institutional source because it was created by the United Nations who is advocating their point and mission to eliminate domestic violence. The document was written by the General Assembly in the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. This document was funded by the United Nations for the public to try and enforce a worldwide elimination of domestic violence. They see domestic violence as an obstacle that is hindering women from gaining equality, development and peace. The document describes what the UN considers to be violence against women, women’s rights and what should be done if a woman is violated. It also asks countries to provide information and resources for their citizens who are affected by these types of violence. The document is not very specific on any of these terms or demands, but it is the first time the world, as a whole, has addressed the issue of domestic violence. This document was last accessed on the 1st of December, 2009.

This document is the official announcement from the White House’s website of the new White House Advisor on Violence Against Women. Vice President Joe Biden, author of the Violence Against Women Act, appointed Lynn Rosenthal, who has worked on all levels to ensure that awareness is being spread and that perpetrators are being apprehended. This is a institutional source because it was created by the US government to show their missions and goals working with the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women. The document, “Vice President Biden Announces Appointment of White House Advisor on Violence Against Women” is from the Office of the President and was released on June 26, 2009. It mentions that Rosenthal has served as Executive Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence with comments from the president, Sue Else. This article was funded by the government and is intended to be read by anyone interested in the government’s progress with the Violence Against Women Act. The document lacks any comments from Ms. Rosenthal herself and what she intends to do with the position and was last accessed on the 1st of December, 2009.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence offers a fact sheet through their website that gives statistics and information about domestic violence, laws and their impact on the society. It offers a concise and easy to understand view of how domestic violence directly affects our nation. This is an institutional source titled Domestic Violence Facts and was produced for the purpose of educating the public in hopes of spreading awareness and getting more support for their cause. The document was produced by The Public Policy Office of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in the 2000’s and draws from sources such as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics and the National Centers for Injury Prevention and Control for statistics. The organization is funded by donations and corporate sponsors. This document is intended for any member of the public who is looking for more information on domestic violence. It gives not only statistics, but also information on who is affected, the economic impacts and the effect it has on children. This document was last accessed on the 1st of December, 2009.

This source describes how children are physically and emotionally affected by domestic violence. “Problems Associated with Children’s Witnessing of Domestic Violence” is an institutional source that was created for the purpose of advocating the beliefs of the government in hopes of spreading awareness. The document was written by Jeffrey L. Edleson for the National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women which is a government organization. It was created in April of 1999 and accessed in December of 2009. This document uses many resources such as Jeffrey L. Edleson’s article “Problems Associated with Children’s Witnessing of Domestic Violence.” This source was created for psychologists and is available to the general public. The government is funding this document through the Office of Violence Against Women. The purpose of the document is to create more understanding of the current information on the social and physical effects witnessing adult domestic violence has on children. It comes to these conclusions by looking at studies. This document is unique because it is funded by the government yet it is backed with scientific research and is not intended to persuade the public one side or the other. It is designed for scientists and the educated public. The document was last accessed on the 1st of December, 2009.

Should the government or private organizations be doing more to spread awareness and support the victims of domestic violence?

alyssah17 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:18:30 +0000

Over the past ten to fifteen years education and awareness of domestic violence has spread significantly across the nation. Since the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act in 1991 and the Violence Against Women Act in 1994 there is more support and resources available for victims and their families affected by domestic violence. Even with all of the new legal support, domestic violence rates have been increasing. It is almost impossible to tell if these rates are actually rising or if the spread of information is allowing more women to come forward. There are many possible reasons for the increase in publicity of violence including more resources, the economy and possible and increase in violence.

Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook
This is a Domestic Violence Awareness Handbook created by The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Safety, Health and Employee Welfare Division. This handbook explains what domestic violence is and who is affected in basic terms. It also gives directions on how to deal with violence and what it can lead to. This is an example of how the government tries to deal with sensitive issues of domestic violence. The pamphlet may be helpful for people looking to help friends or family, or to learn the basics about the issue. This source is relevant because it shows what the government is doing to promote awareness.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is one of the largest organizations against domestic violence. Their mission is to provide services to people in need and make every home a safe one. The NCADV hopes to eliminate domestic violence, empower battered women and children, promote and unify service programs across the nation, educate the public and promote partnerships. This organization is supported by many corporate sponsors and is a front runner in finding support for women. This source is important for my topic because it shows how much support is available for women if they are willing to look for it.

Womens Law
This is a source that has a clear explanation of the legal resources for people affected by domestic violence. The site is a resource for women who are looking to protect themselves and their families from potential violence. It includes information on how to stay safe, where to find help, and how to use the laws to their advantage. Sources include state and federal laws, legal resources such as lawyers and safe places for women to go. This source is important because it shows what kind of information and explanations are available to women about domestic violence.

The Federal Domestic Violence Laws
This is a link to all the federal domestic violence laws and the enforcement of these laws provided by the Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse. This center provides research, education, and access to violence related resources for anyone who maybe be looking for legal documents. This source falls under government documents and directly references all specific laws that have anything to do with domestic violence. This includes the Violence Against Women Act, laws on stalking, laws on interstate travel and laws on firearms. This information is useful for anyone who needs to see the actual laws that protect citizens from violence. This source is important for my research because it shows the actual legal documents.

The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment
This is a link to the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment. This experiment was conducted in 1982 by the Minneapolis Police Department and the Police Foundation to test police responses to domestic violence and was published in the American Sociological Review. The purpose of the experiment was to see how police were responding to domestic violence in their area and whether enough action was done. Information like this is important to makes sure our legal system is working as it should and how it has changed over the years. This source is important for my assignment because it show how the authorities are dealing with domestic violence and if they are doing enough.

“Economy fuels rise in crime, police say”
This is an article titled “Economy fuels rise in crime, police say” that appeared in the Boston Globe early in 2009. The article is about how the recession could possibly be the reason for increases in larceny, domestic violence and break-ins. Because of the suffering economy and high unemployment rates, tensions are high in the household and may be resulting in more violence at home. This article was written to address the issue of domestic violence within the US. The source is relevant to my issue because it gives a unique explanation to the possible rise in domestic violence.

Real Help Now
This is a pamphlet published and distributed by the Government Equalities Office of the United Kingdom for women to help them during the recession. The pamphlet gives information on how to stay ahead in work, maintain family life and stay safe. This government article suggested that an economic downtown could be potentially dangerous for women because of the added financial tension. This document was created to help all women affected by the recession and is relevant as a public service piece. This source is pertinent to my subject because it gives a possible explanation for the potential rise of domestic violence.

American Bar Association’s Domestic Violence Statistics
This source is the American Bar Association’s domestic violence statistics. It is a full list of stats from the 2000’s about violence in the US. The American Bar Association collected this information from surveys and the government to provide the public with information on domestic violence. This information is important for my topic because it gives specific numbers and facts that back up other information and shows the truth about violence.

The Purple Ribbon Project
The Purple Ribbon Project is a project that started in 1994 to bring an end to all interpersonal violence. This is an international project that asks individuals to be “role model” and wear a purple ribbon and distribute pamphlets to support the elimination of domestic abuse. This project targets individuals all around the world to spread awareness. This source is relevant to my issue because it shows different ways that organizations are attempting to spread information and education on the subject.

“Domestic Violence is Decreasing”
This is an article titled “Domestic Violence is Decreasing”. It claims that there is such a huge range of statistics and information available on domestic violence that it is almost impossible to tell what is true. The article uses sources such as Richard L. Davis, the author of Domestic Violence: Facts and Fallacies, and the National Institute of Justice Research Brief. This article was written for the public for the purpose of educating them on the amount of false information available and to not believe everything you read. This article is relevant to my topic because it promotes an idea that goes against popular opinion and shows a new side to the issue.

Violence in the Media

alyssah17 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:37:07 +0000

This image is one of nine in a national ad campaign put on by Women’s Aid to promote awareness of domestic violence. Women’s Aid is an organization in England that promotes education and prevention of violence against women. The message of this campaign is to ACT until women and children are safe– that is – Admit domestic abuse is a problem, Call it by its name and Talk to someone about it. The campaign uses the portraits of famous women who wear make-up to show the effects of domestic violence. This image is a portrait of Anna Friel, an actress in the UK, who’s first acting role was a victim of domestic violence. Since then she has wanted to “raise awareness of this problem that continues to affect 1 in 4 women at some point in their lifetime, regardless of career, wealth or background.” This photo was taken by Rankin and is available on the Women’s Aid website.

This is the video story of a woman named Chelsie Wilson from Rosenberg, TX who was severely affected by domestic violence. Chelsie was shot on the left side of her face by her boyfriend and father of her child, but because of the Violence Against Women Act, written and pushed by then Senator Joe Biden, she is now safe from her abusive partner. This video was created by Women for Obama as support for his campaign and to create awareness about domestic violence. Commentary was provided by Bonnie Campbell, the former director of the Office on Violence Against Women and the video was posted on President Obama’s YouTube channel in October of 2008.

“Goo Goo” lacks depth and clarity

alyssah17 — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:54:25 +0000

From the very beginning, this story lacks depth, proper grammar, and realism. Starting in the first line, Iris introduces herself with a “Hi, my name’s Iris” and then continues to describe herself in simple terms broken up by many commas. The story has no hook and looks more like a profile than a narrative. Iris continues by stating a few of her interests and says that she is in a band, which then immediately transitions to her story.

At one of her band’s shows a “handsome stranger” approaches her and introduces himself as the lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls. This introduction is highly unrealistic, and it is also unclear as to why Iris could not recognize the lead singer of one of her favorite bands, who she mention “is hot” earlier in the story. After their meeting, the main singer Johnny asks Iris if he could write a song about her and then take her out on a date. Despite the fact that he is married, this seemed just fine to Iris, who also continues to spell his name four different ways throughout the story. She describes the date in two sentences, using short sentence fragments, and no details.

Between the excessive use of exclamation point and abbreviations, the story is poorly written and lacks any sort of credibility or consistency. It is visually unappealing and contains unrealistic dialogue that makes the story almost frustrating to read because it is so unrelatable. Lastly, who is Mary Sue, the name after which the story was titled? This unrelated title is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mistakes, inconsistencies and poor writing.

Timeline of Violence Against Women

alyssah17 — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:15:53 +0000

1871 Alabama is the first state to withdraw the legal rights of men to beat their wives in Fulgham v. State and Massachusetts also declares wife beating illegal.

1964 The Haven House, the first modern women’s shelter in the world, opened in California.

1975 With a unanimous vote at its national conference, the National Organization for Women (NOW) declares marital violence a major issue and established a National Task Force on Battered Women and Household Violence.

1978 The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is founded in Washington D.C. with goals such as gaining financial aid for shelters and grassroots services, sharing information and supporting research for the movement.

1981 The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment (MDVE) was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of various police responses to domestic violence calls in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

1990 Stalking is established as a crime in California and is the first state to do so.

1993 The United Nations recognizes domestic violence as an international human rights concern and issues a Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the first international declaration of its kind.

1994 Congress passes the Violence Against Women Act, part of the federal Crime Victims Act, authored by Joe Biden. The act funds services for victims of rape and domestic violence, allowing women to seek help for gender-related crimes, and provides more police training. It creates for the first time a federal right to sue the attacker for gender-based violence.

1997 – October is declared the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

2009 – President makes a proclamation for the 15 year anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/29/ap/politics/main5351750.shtml

This is a recent article about the 15 year anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act authored by Joe Biden in 1994. The act has helped women find protection and speak out against violence, but could still use improvements.

http://www.now.org/issues/violence/

This is the official site for the National Organization for Women who have played a huge role in helping women become educated on sexual assault and violence.

http://www.mincava.umn.edu/documents/herstory/herstory.html

This is an extensive timeline of every important event and piece of legislation on domestic violence since the 1700’s.

http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/

This is the site for the official Office on Violence Against Women. It gives extensive information about help for victims, legislature, facts and clarifications.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-15th-Anniversary-of-the-Violence-Against-Women-Act/

This is the official proclamation given by President Obama declaring his support for the act and his determination to continued working on eliminating domestic violence and violence against women.

These links are important to my research because I want to concentrate on the changes and improvements that have occurred since the creation of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. President Obama is a huge advocate for this cause, as is Vice President Biden who authored the bill fifteen years ago. I have used some of the above sites to learn more on the history and logistics of domestic violence in the United States. There is more publicity on this issue since the creation of the act and I am going to use the information from these sites to determine if violence has decreased with the exposure. Women are speaking out against gender-related violence now more than ever, and with the President as a supporter hopefully more change can be made.

Whitehouse.gov Issue – Women

alyssah17 — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:15:57 +0000

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/women/

Domestic Violence and the Violence Against Women Act

I chose this topic because it was recently the 15th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, written by Joe Biden in 1994, and I want to investigate how violence against women has changed or gotten better in these past 15 years. My sorority works closely with WomenSpace, which is an organization in Eugene that helps and protects women from domestic violence, so I am very interested in learning more about how the Act has helped and what more there is to do to protect women against violence. President Obama is currently working to eliminate violence against women both in the US and abroad.