Did the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) expire with the government shutdown? What does that mean for the protections and programs in the law?

Yes, it did expire. VAWA was not reauthorized prior to the shutdown, and many VAWA-funded programs are included in the shutdown. However, reauthorization and appropriations (funding) are two separate things. When a spending bill is eventually passed, appropriations to VAWA will likely be included, with or without reauthorization. In addition, the existing protections enshrined in VAWA continue to exist despite its expiration.

When it comes to VAWA reauthorization, it is more important to do it right than to do it quickly. We urge Congress to pass a Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act that provides critical enhancements and improvements to the law.

The government shutdown, not the lack of VAWA reauthorization, is the most significant and urgent threat to domestic violence services.

Read our full statement here: Shutdown VAWA FAQ

Notice is hereby given of the availability of federal funds through the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW), housed in the U.S. Department of Justice, OJP.
The Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (LCLE) administers and allocates these funds through the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
The total amount available to the domestic violence programs is $282,270.
If interested in this competitive opportunity:
Complete Notice of Funding Opportunity, application materials and instructions for
submitting proposals may be obtained from the LCLE website (www.lcle.la.gov).
For questions and additional information contact:

Baton Rouge, LA – The Washington, D.C. based Violence Policy Center has issued its annual report on female murder victims, and it shows a troubling trend in Louisiana. The report, When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of Homicide Data, reviews female victims killed by male offenders in single victim/single offender incidents and ranks all states from highest rates to lowest. The 2018 report, which analyzed homicides committed in 2016, was released this week.
Louisiana ranks 2nd in the nation, up from 3rd the year before. The report also reveals that Louisiana’s rate of women murdered by men has increased steadily for the past five consecutive years, with the most recent rate being 2.42 homicides per 100,000 females.
Of the women killed by men in Louisiana in 2016, 69% were killed with firearms. Advocates are hopeful that recently enacted legislation requiring the transfer of firearms from convicted abusers and those with qualifying protection orders will have an impact on these numbers. Senate Bill 231 of the 2018 regular legislative session requires sheriffs to oversee a process of transferring firearms from those legally unable to possess them.

For the full press release click VPC 2018 Press Release

Baton Rouge, LA — The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) announced today its receipt of a competitive grant from The Allstate Foundation for financial empowerment programs benefiting survivors of domestic violence. The funding is a continuation and broad expansion of the Coalition’s existing financial empowerment work. The grant expands LCADV’s Financial Empowerment Program to six regions of Louisiana, representing statewide impact on an issue all too common in domestic violence: financial abuse.

According to a 2018 Allstate Foundation Purple Purse national survey, nearly half of Americans aren’t familiar with financial abuse as a form of domestic violence, even though it occurs in 99 percent of abusive relationships and it’s one of the top reasons why victims can’t “just leave.” Financial abuse tactics include preventing victims from working or keeping them from accessing bank accounts, credit cards or cash. In addition to a lack of public awareness of financial abuse, only 34 percent of Americans would know how to help if they suspected a family member or friend were a victim of financial abuse as part of a domestic violence situation. LCADV notes that financial abuse frequently prevents domestic violence victims from acquiring, using or maintaining financial resources. One way to address it is to provide survivors with tools and strategies to address financial independence and plan for safe, secure futures.

The Allstate Foundation’s funding will support Financial Empowerment Programs at six domestic violence organizations across Louisiana: Faith House, Project Celebration, Southeast Advocates for Family Empowerment, The Haven, Domestic Abuse Resistance Team, and the New Orleans Family Justice Center. With the support of LCADV, these programs will implement financial education, credit repair, and matched savings programs for survivors of domestic violence.

“This marks an important and historic expansion of our state’s economic justice work for survivors of domestic violence,” said Mariah Wineski, Executive Director of LCADV. “These programs are unique because they provide the tangible assistance that survivors need to recover from financial abuse. We look forward to seeing the impact of this innovative programming across Louisiana.”

The credit repair, financial education, and matched savings programs are part of a larger effort by LCADV and its member programs to address financial abuse and economic empowerment for survivors of domestic violence in Louisiana. “Financial abuse is a very real barrier to long term safety and stability,” Wineski said. “For survivors of domestic violence, safety and economic security are closely linked.”

About The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence:

The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) is a statewide network of programs, organizations, and individuals who share the goal of ending domestic violence in Louisiana. LCADV empowers its members and communities through advocacy, education, resource development, and technical assistance. LCADV is dedicated to bringing about change in our institutions, laws, politics, attitudes, and beliefs which will allow individuals to live free of violence. For more information, visit www.lcadv.org.

About The Allstate Foundation:

Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people’s well-being and prosperity. With a focus on building financial independence for domestic violence survivors, empowering youth and celebrating the charitable community involvement of Allstate agency owners and employees, The Allstate Foundation works to bring out the good in people’s lives. For more information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org.

At LCADV, we believe all families should have the freedom to seek safety without punishment. We acknowledge decades of research showing that safe and nurturing relationships for children and families prevent abuse and help children reach their full potential. Policies that separate children from their parents and reverse asylum eligibility for domestic violence survivors further marginalize and endanger immigrant communities and embolden perpetrators of violence. Policies that attempt to draw a line between “deserving” and “undeserving” victims of violence make our communities less safe. We reject this artificial distinction, and we strongly oppose these policies. Read our full statement here: LCADV Statement – Asylum and Family Separation 6-18-18

In 2017, a year of transition for the Coalition, we welcomed new staff in key leadership positions. We also saw remarkable accomplishments at the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV). LCADV trained over 1,000 professionals in the fields of advocacy, law enforcement, prosecution, social work, and child welfare. Our legislative efforts led to the passage of landmark bills expanding domestic violence protections to dating partners and same sex couples. We enhanced the work of several coordinated community response teams across the state, providing targeted training and technical assistance to our member programs and their local partners.

Download: Annual Report 2017 Final

For Immediate Release: May 22, 2018
Contact: Mariah Wineski, (225) 752-1296

The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) applauded last week’s final passage of several bills expanding domestic violence protections in Louisiana. SB 231 by Senator J.P. Morrell and HB 207 by Representative Larry Bagley are among the bills that cleared their final legislative hurdles in the last week of the 2018 regular legislative session, sending each to the Governor’s desk.

Download:Legislative Session 2018

For Immediate Release: May 7, 2018
Contact: Mariah Wineski, (225) 752-1296

Baton Rouge, LA – May 7, 2018 – Advocates from across Louisiana will gather at the State Capitol at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 9^th, to encourage legislators to support laws designed to strengthen protections for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.

This is the seventh annual Day at the Capitol, hosted by the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) and the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA). LCADV and LaFASA will have a display table in the Rotunda of the Louisiana State Capitol building from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Advocates and supporters will be speaking with legislators throughout the day to discuss domestic and sexual violence in Louisiana and how legislation can affect programs, advocates, and survivors.

The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) has been heavily involved in efforts to pass several bills expanding protections for victims of violence across Louisiana. That package of bills includes SB 231 by Senator J.P. Morrell (D-New Orleans), which creates a statewide process for transferring firearms from domestic violence offenders, and HB 207 by Representative Larry Bagley (R-Stonewall), which requires proof of service of protective orders to be transmitted to the Louisiana Protective Order Registry.

Advocates say this package of bills will lead to a reduction of domestic violence homicides in Louisiana. “We have made great strides in protecting domestic violence survivors in recent years,” said Mariah Wineski, LCADV Executive Director. “But the fact remains that Louisiana women are killed at a rate twice the national average. If we are serious about saving the lives of domestic violence survivors, we must prioritize the enforcement of firearm prohibitions and protection orders.”

On the evening of May 8^th, the coalitions will host a joint legislative reception to honor champions and allies in the movement to end domestic violence and sexual assault. Several legislators, advocates, and organizations will be honored for their efforts. “We are proud of the efforts of Louisiana’s legislators in recent years to take a stand against domestic and sexual violence,” said Wineski. “We look forward to an evening of celebration to honor those champions and the many advocates across the state who work tirelessly to support survivors each day.”

For more information on these events, visit https://lcadv.org.

 # # #

The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) is a statewide network of programs, organizations, and individuals who share the goal of ending domestic violence in Louisiana. LCADV is dedicated to bringing about change in our institutions, laws, politics, attitudes, and beliefs which will allow individuals to live free of violence. For more information, visit www.lcadv.org.

For Immediate Release: April 3, 2018
Media Contact: Mariah Wineski, (225) 752-1296
Baton Rouge, LA – On Tuesday, the Senate passed legislation creating a process for the transfer or relinquishment of firearms from domestic abusers. The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV), applauded the Senate’s passage of SB 231 by Senator J.P. Morrell, citing its potential to reduce domestic violence homicides in Louisiana.

According to research by the Washington, D.C. based Violence Policy Center, Louisiana ranks third in the nation for the rate of female victims killed by male offenders in single victim/single offender incidents. Advocates say this legislation could lead to reduced homicides by creating a mechanism for removing firearms from those already prohibited by law from possessing them. Mariah Wineski, executive director of LCADV, says the lack of an enforcement procedure thus far has resulted in easy firearm access for abusers. “State and federal law prohibit many abusers from possessing firearms. Currently, our state lacks any consistent process for actually implementing these prohibitions. This means many people convicted of domestic abuse battery – and therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm – nonetheless retain access to their guns.” This bill seeks to close that gap by requiring sheriffs to facilitate the sale, donation, or lawful transfer of firearms from convicted abusers and those subject to a protective order. In 2017, 73% of domestic violence homicides in Louisiana were committed with firearms.

Advocates have consistently expressed frustration with Louisiana’s high domestic homicide rate, and they are hopeful that this legislation will lead to a reduction in homicides by addressing the deadly combination of domestic violence and guns. Louisiana is not alone in pursuing firearm transfer procedures for domestic abusers. In 2017, the Law Enforcement Subcommittee of the Louisiana Domestic Violence Prevention Commission issued a report summarizing similar procedures in several other jurisdictions nationwide. That commission’s report recommended a legislative process to bridge the gap between laws that prohibit possession of firearms and laws that impose criminal penalties for prohibited possession of firearms, noting that “a properly implemented and executed program of firearm relinquishment will serve to dramatically reduce the number of murders of women in Louisiana.”

“This legislation bridges the gap between existing domestic violence laws and their meaningful implementation,” said Wineski. “At the end of the day, this is bill is about enforcing existing laws designed to protect the lives of domestic violence victims. We look forward to working with the legislature to secure the full passage of this lifesaving measure.” The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.

# # #

The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) is a statewide network of programs, organizations, and individuals who share the goal of ending domestic violence in Louisiana. LCADV empowers its members and communities through advocacy, education, resource development, and technical assistance. LCADV is dedicated to bringing about change in our institutions, laws, politics, attitudes, and beliefs which will allow individuals to live free of violence. For more information, visit www.lcadv.org.

Download: Press Release

Baton Rouge, LA – On Tuesday, March 27th, the Louisiana Senate voted down three bills promoting pay equity, wage transparency, and a minimum wage increase. The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) is disappointed in the legislature’s rejection of these commonsense measures that would have improved the economic security of all Louisianans, and especially survivors of domestic violence.

LCADV is the statewide coalition of programs, organizations, and individuals working to end domestic violence in Louisiana. Our member programs provided services to over 17,000 domestic violence victims and their children in 2017. Our network of domestic violence programs provide survivors of domestic violence with comprehensive services to meet their needs, including but not limited to emergency shelter, advocacy, support services, children’s programming, and transitional housing. In addition to direct service provision, our coalition recognizes that domestic violence does not exist in a vacuum and cannot be eliminated in a vacuum. Efforts to end domestic violence must address both the short- and long-term needs of survivors. Survivors’ economic stability is central to our efforts to end domestic violence and promote lives free from abuse.

Public policy that makes it difficult to earn a fair wage, encourages pay secrecy, and dismisses the fundamental importance of pay equity is detrimental to survivors’ ability to maintain safety and stability. Limiting survivors’ access to financial resources restricts their ability to seek safety and provides barriers to their long-term stability and independence.

Pay equity, pay transparency, and a living wage benefit all families, but are especially crucial for families in crisis who rely on the wages of a single earner. There is no way around it: survivor safety is directly linked to survivor economic security. While we are disappointed in the failure of these commonsense measures, it is our sincere hope that the Louisiana legislature will renew its commitment to the wellbeing of domestic violence survivors for the remainder of this legislative session.

About LCADV

Our Mission: The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) is a statewide network of programs, organizations, and individuals who share the goal of ending domestic violence in Louisiana. LCADV empowers its members and communities through advocacy, education, resource development, and technical assistance.

Our Vision: LCADV is dedicated to bringing about change in our institutions, laws, politics, attitudes, and beliefs which will allow individuals to live free of violence.