Safety alert: Your computer use may be monitored and is almost impossible to completely clean. If you are afraid of someone detecting your internet or computer usage please use a safer computer.
LCADV Publishes 2015 Legislative Guide
Available for download: 2015 LCADV Legislative Guide
This guide provides statistics and information on the Coalition’s 2015 legislative priorities.
Coalition Launches Partnership with Miss Louisiana USA
Domestic Violence Coalition Launches Partnership with Miss Louisiana USA
Miss LA USA Press Release 03-16-15
Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Miss Louisiana USA, Candice Bennatt, has chosen domestic violence as her signature cause during her reign. With a compelling personal history of having overcome a violent relationship, Bennatt looks forward to sharing her experience and message of hope with others. She has chosen to partner with Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence to serve as a celebrity ambassador for the cause.
“We are thrilled to partner with Ms. Bennatt to increase awareness of domestic violence across the state and advocate for meaningful change,” said Beth Meeks, executive director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Ms. Bennatt’s dedication to ending domestic violence is impressive, and this partnership will help bring domestic violence issues to the forefront of the statewide conversation.”
Domestic violence remains a serious problem, with Louisiana consistently leading the nation in domestic homicides. The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence tracks these homicides and says from 2010 through 2012 there were 178 deaths due to domestic violence. 74% of these were committed with firearms and 37% of the offenders had a prior history of domestic violence or other violent crimes. The murder rate of women in Louisiana has been as much as twice the national average in recent years.
It is statistics like these that the coalition hopes to change. On April 28th, Bennatt will join domestic violence and sexual assault advocates from across the state at the 4th Annual Day at the Capitol, hosted by Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault. This event will include display tables in the Rotunda of the Louisiana State Capitol building from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and a presentation on the Capitol Steps will begin at 9:00 a.m. Advocates and supporters will speak with legislators throughout the day to discuss domestic and sexual violence in Louisiana and how legislation can affect programs, advocates, and survivors.
On the evening of April 27th, the coalitions will host the 4th Annual Purple and Teal Reception to honor allies in the movement to end domestic violence and sexual assault. Miss Louisiana USA will also be present at the reception to share her personal story of hope and resilience in the aftermath of abuse. Several legislators and service providers will also be honored for their efforts in recent years. Tickets can be purchased online at www.lcadv.org.
“Our Day at the Capitol events provide a great opportunity for ordinary citizens to make a difference by participating in meaningful advocacy with their elected officials,” said Meeks. “We are pleased to have Miss Louisiana USA Candice Bennatt join us for Day at the Capitol and the Purple and Teal Reception, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in the future.”
More information on Day at the Capitol events can be found at www.lcadv.org.
“Being a victim of domestic violence has a stigma. But what if you had other options that could help you transform from a victim to a survivor? Those options may seem unattainable, but it is never too late. By saying YES to your life, and YES to your dreams you can break the cycle of abuse for yourself and for future generations as I have in my very own life. One of my favorite quotes says, “If life knocks you down, try to land on your back because if you can look up, you can get up.” Your immediate circumstances are not the end of the road. Find the reasons in your life that will keep you going, keep you strong, and help you overcome temporary obstacles. I was a severely abused by my high school boyfriend, but today I am proud to say I am a survivor!”
-Candice Bennatt- Miss Louisiana USA 2015
Use your tax refund for good
Tax season has begun. Two out of every three tax filers will likely receive a refund. Why not put that money to good use by making a tax refund donation to LCADV?
As you file your Louisiana state taxes this year, you can donate all or some of your tax refund to the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence by selecting LCADV right on your tax return.
Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence works to end domestic violence through education, public policy, and social change. Our success depends on the generosity of our supporters.
So this year, put your tax refund to work in the movement to end domestic violence.
Thank you for your support!
Training to be Offered in North Louisiana: Offender Interview Techniques
LCADV is pleased to announce that we will bring our highly successful training program to North Louisiana in February.
Join us for a half-day training that will take you inside the mind of a domestic violence offender and provide useful and effective interviewing techniques.
Domestic violence experts with decades of experience interacting with violent offenders will address:
– Advanced domestic violence dynamics
– Batterer tactics and characteristics
– Predominant aggressor determination
– Investigative interview techniques
– Crawford v. Washington implications
– Technology use by batterers
Date:
Friday, February 13, 2015
9:00am – 1:00pm
Location:
Public Safety Building
1810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Suite B
Monroe, LA 71202
Registration Fee: $40
Who Should Attend: Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Probation & Parole, Corrections, Batterer Intervention Program facilitators, Legal Advocates
More information: https://lcadv.org/offender-interviewing
Statewide Assemblage of Batterer Intervention Program Providers
LCADV is pleased to announce the first ever statewide Assemblage of Batterer Intervention Program Providers.
This meeting gives providers a chance to network with other providers around the state, hear about new legislation establishing minimum requirements for batterer programs and learn about opportunities for beneficial partnerships with the coalition.
Among other things we will discuss a newly proposed registry of program providers, upcoming legislative initiatives, national trends in batterer programming and future training opportunities.
This meeting is free of charge and open to all professionals providing batterer intervention programming in Louisiana.
Meeting logistics are as follows:
Monday, February 9, 2015
1:00pm-4:00pm
Jones Creek Regional Branch Library
6222 Jones Creek Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Meeting Room #2
LCADV to Offer Training in Mandeville December 17th
Children Exposed to Violence: When Domestic Violence Meets Child Abuse
Training Information:
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
9:00am-12:00pm
2271 8th St.
Mandeville, LA 70471
Learning objectives:
– Explore the dynamics of domestic violence
– Recognize the needs of children exposed to domestic violence
– Acquire screening techniques and risk and protective factors that are unique to domestic violence
– Apply evidence based developmental and age-appropriate interventions
– Formulate a model case plan applicable to children exposed to domestic violence
Who Should Attend:
Child welfare professionals, behavioral health professionals, social workers who come into contact with children
Registration:
$25 per person.
Continuing Education:
3.0 general hours of continuing education credit for social workers has been applied for.
COALITION RELEASES PROTOCOL ADDRESSING CHILDREN WHO WITNESS DOMESTIC HOMICIDE
COALITION RELEASES PROTOCOL ADDRESSING CHILDREN WHO WITNESS DOMESTIC HOMICIDE
Project First of Its Kind in the Nation
Baton Rouge, LA – November 20, 2014 – The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence has released a recommended protocol for responding to children exposed to domestic homicides. The protocol, the first of its kind in the nation, became available for download today through the LCADV website.
The protocol was the result of a three year project, funded by the Federal Department of Justice, dedicated to building capacity to assist children exposed to violence. A group of stakeholders and partners, including The New Orleans Children’s Bureau, the Attorney General’s Office, the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Department of Children and Family Services, participated in authoring the protocol.
LCADV records approximately 60 domestic homicides per year in Louisiana and estimates that at least 100 children per year lose one or both parents in domestic homicides. Annualized over a lifetime this means that there are likely between 8,000 – 10,000 people living in Louisiana who have grown or are currently growing up without a parent due to these tragic crimes.
Louisiana was uniquely situated to author such a protocol due to the high rate of domestic homicides in our state. Louisiana has ranked in the top 5 states leading the nation in domestic homicides for more than a decade. “We know that most of the victims are parents and often their children are on scene when the crimes occur,” said Beth Meeks, Executive Director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “Unfortunately, we have an uncommon set of experiences and skills in this state because we have had to handle so many of these incidents. We found that there was not much consistency in response and no tools professionals could rely on to lead them.”
The protocol is intended for use by first responders and allied professionals who work in the field of domestic violence. It gives a step by step guide to responding to children who have been affected by domestic violence deaths, whether or not they were on scene at the incident. The protocol walks through a process in chronological order from the time of the incident to the time of a child reintegrating at school.
“We are hoping that communities throughout Louisiana, and the nation, use the protocol to begin conversations about the level of coordination they have in addressing these crimes and what specific resources are available for children who are exposed to this sort of violence.” said Meeks. The protocol is free and comes with an accompanying toolkit that provides educational materials and resources that can be used with families.
Coalition staff are available to provide training and technical assistance to communities wishing to implement the protocol.
To download the full protocol and toolkit, visit https://lcadv.org/cev-homicide-protocol.
Advanced Skills in Domestic Violence Response: A Symposium on Effective Interventions
Join us for two day advanced symposium on effective domestic violence interventions.
This multidisciplinary symposium is geared toward seasoned professionals working on domestic violence cases.
This hands-on symposium will address:
– Risk assessment in domestic violence cases
– Specific training on the ODARA risk assessment tool
– Gwen’s Law – how new legislation affects domestic violence response
– Louisiana’s statewide domestic violence homicide protocol
– Advanced interventions for surviving children of domestic violence homicides
– Housing protections for domestic violence survivors
Day One:
Homicide Protocol, Advanced Interventions for Surviving Children of Domestic Homicide, Housing Protections for Domestic Violence Survivors
Day Two:
Gwen’s Law, Risk Assessment, ODARA Risk Assessment Tool
Dates:
November 5 & 6, 2014
8:30am – 5:00pm
Location:
Belle of Baton Rouge Casino Hotel
103 France St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 242-2600
Registration Fee: $80 for two days. $50 for a single day.
Group discounts are available for groups of 5 or more. Please contact us to inquire.
Who Should Attend: Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Corrections, Domestic Violence Advocates, Social Workers, any professional who interacts with children exposed to domestic violence.
For more information, visit https://lcadv.org/advanced-skills-symposium.
[su_button url=”https://lcadv.org/advanced-skills-symposium-registration/” background=”#4b7c65″ size=”5″]Register Now[/su_button]
Inside the Mind of an Offender – Interview Techniques Training
Join us for a half-day training that will take you inside the mind of a domestic violence offender and provide useful and effective interviewing techniques.
Domestic violence experts with decades of experience interacting with violent offenders will address:
– Advanced domestic violence dynamics
– Batterer tactics and characteristics
– Predominant aggressor determination
– Investigative interview techniques
– Crawford v. Washington implications
– Technology use by batterers
Date:
Friday, October 3, 2014
8:30am – 1:00pm
Location:
Holiday Inn Metairie
2261 N. Causeway Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70001
Registration Fee: $40
Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. Please contact us to inquire.
Who Should Attend: Law Enforcement, Prosecution, Probation & Parole, Corrections, Batterer Intervention Program facilitators, Legal Advocates, Social Workers to interact with offenders
Continuing Education: Four (4) hours of general Social Work CEUs have been applied for.
More information and registration, please see https://lcadv.org/offender-interviewing
ADVOCATES GATHER TO COMMEMORATE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT
ADVOCATES GATHER TO COMMEMORATE THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT
For Immediate Release: September 9, 2014
Contact: Beth Meeks, (225) 752-1296
Washington, DC – September 9, 2014 – Leaders from around the nation gather this week in Washington, DC, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Signed into law in 1994, VAWA drastically changed the landscape of services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Since then, there have been profound improvements in the response to these crimes across the United States.
Today, several advocates from Louisiana join Vice President Joe Biden at “1 is 2 Many: Twenty Years Fighting Violence Against Women and Girls.” The event commemorates the VAWA anniversary as well as the work of organizations who serve survivors of violence against women.
Four domestic violence programs from Louisiana have been highlighted by the White House as exemplary programs addressing violence against women. These include The Wellspring Alliance for Families in Monroe, The New Orleans Family Justice Center, The Haven in Houma, and Faith House of Acadiana in Lafayette. These program profiles can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/1is2many.
“We are honored to take part in this event. It is great to see many of our member programs profiled by the White House. It speaks to the hard work and innovation of the domestic violence movement in Louisiana,” said Beth Meeks, executive director of the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “The Violence Against Women Act is absolutely crucial legislation that provides much-needed support to survivors of domestic violence. We are grateful to be here with leaders from across the nation as we commemorate its passage and look to the future of the movement to end violence against women.”
# # #
The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence (LCADV) is a state wide network of battered women’s programs, other organizations and individuals who share the goal of ending violence against women and children in Louisiana. LCADV empowers its members through advocacy, education, resource development and technical assistance.