For Release: Oct. 15, 2007
Contact: J. Tucker Martin or David Clementson
Email: tucker.martin@oag.state.va.us or dclementson@oag.state.va.us
Phone: 804-786-2071
McDonnell Hosts Domestic Violence Summit in Richmond
Verizon Wireless Awards $145,000 in Grants to 19 Virginia Domestic Violence Prevention Organizations
-October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month-
Richmond – Attorney General Bob McDonnell brought together Virginia leaders in domestic violence prevention to recognize the achievements of the past decade while setting a course for future reduction.
Among those participating in today’s summit were Senator Janet Howell (D-Reston); Richmond Police Sergeant Carol Adams; Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Services Marilyn Tavenner; Tami Erwin, regional president of Verizon Wireless; and domestic violence experts from across the Commonwealth.
At the morning press conference preceding the all-day summit Ms. Erwin announced $145,000 in new grants from Verizon Wireless to 19 domestic violence prevention organizations across Virginia. (Full list at bottom of press release)
“Domestic violence threatens the most vulnerable among us, destroys homes and ends lives,” McDonnell said. “If there’s no peace in the home, there won’t be peace in the community or in the Commonwealth.”
McDonnell added, “Virginia has long been a leader in the effort to combat domestic violence. Today we look back at what we have accomplished, while also looking forward at what must still be done. I want to specifically recognize my predecessor, Jerry Kilgore, for the key role he played in enacting new legislation, and raising public awareness, about the issue. We are committed to continuing his efforts on the issue. It is imperative that law enforcement, government officials and the private sector continue to come together to combat domestic violence and bring hope and help to victims.”
The summit featured major panel discussions on the key issues of intervention and prevention, coordinated response, and the justice system.
Richmond Police Sargeant Carol Adams attended the summit and donated approximately 1,000 used cell phones to Verizon’s HopeLine program, which aids victim shelters and other domestic violence service providers. Since the program began in 2001, HopeLine has generated about $4 million in grants and $10 million in in-kind contributions for domestic violence prevention groups nationwide.
“The reason the HopeLine program has been so successful is because of all the many kind-hearted people across the state of Virginia who’ve taken the time to donate a no-longer-used phone,” Verizon Wireless regional president Tami Erwin said. “Domestic violence is an epidemic that affects one in three American women during their lifetimes.”
Over the past decade, Virginia has dramatically strengthened its domestic violence laws and policies. Senator Janet Howell (D-Reston) has been one of the leaders in this effort. Penalties have been increased for stalking, assault and battery, and violations of protective orders. In addition, local law enforcement agencies have developed policies related to family violence. This past session of the General Assembly the Attorney General included in his legislative agenda a successful bill that enhances the penalties for multiple violations of a protective order that involve an act or threat of violence with a mandatory minimum sentence of 60 days for the second offense and 6 months for a third or subsequent violation. This legislation was carried by Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) and Delegate Matt Lohr (R-Harrisonburg).
Click here for a full listing of Virginia’s domestic violence laws.
Verizon Grant Recipients:
- $20,000 to Norfolk’s Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters to fund training for the hospital’s child abuse program. Throughout the year, program staff hosts workshops for those in the community who work with children so that they better understand child abuse -- from the physical and emotional symptoms children exhibit to the long-term effect it has on the entire family.
- $20,000 to Arlington’s Doorways for Women and Families to expand the Red Flag campaign on two local high schools and two universities. The campaign is designed to increase awareness among young adults of the warning signs of dating violence, how to intervene as a bystander, and local resources for help.
- $15,400 to Richmond’s Training and Development Corp. to develop an interactive and engaging web site for Virginia youth – age 14 to 24 – to understand domestic violence, its causes and how to prevent it from happening.
- $15,000 to Newport News’s Patient Advocate Foundation, Inc. to support the use of online technology to improve access to healthcare on the Virginia Peninsula.
- $10,300 to the statewide Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance to fund the expansion of the Red Flag campaign, the first statewide awareness and education campaign and online resource center designed to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors associated with dating violence on college campuses.
- $10,000 to Charlottesville’s Shelter for Help in Emergency to help support the construction of a new residential emergency facility.
- $9,000 to Alberta’s Southside Virginia Community College to fund the SVCC Middle College program to rehabilitate young people who do not have a high school diploma and who have been convicted of a first time domestic violence offense by forcing them to adhere to a strict code of behavioral, moral, and academic conduct while enrolled within the program.
- $6,000 to Virginia Beach’s Communities Promoting a Safer Society (COMPASS) to provide community outreach programs and workshops to prevent or treat family violence in all of its forms and to increase family awareness of family violence issues.
- $5,000 to Falls Church’s NOVAM to support programs providing human services to more than 500 low-income clients annually.
- $5,000 to YWCA of Richmond as a second donation to fund a playground for children living at the Y’s domestic violence shelter. Playground constructed in honor of Orine Adams, mother of Richmond Police Sergeant Carol Adams.
- $5,000 to the University of Virginia’s Women’s Center to fund the Men’s Leadership Program, a mentoring program that trains male undergraduates to work with boys in middle school in an effort to offset the negative social pressures and violent cultural messages with which youngsters are bombarded.
- $5,000 to the Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia to sponsor the Oct. 15 Domestic Violence Prevention Summit.
- $4,000 to Arlington’s Just Neighbors Ministry, Inc. to provide domestic violence legal assistance for immigrants.
- $4,000 to Lynchburg’s Miriam’s House, Inc. to fund the Family Violence Prevention Program, which targets formerly homeless women and children.
- $3,000 to Falls Church’s Homestretch, Inc. for the Taking Charge program, which promotes safety planning, self-defense training, financial literacy, budgeting, mentoring, wellness and domestic violence education and support.
- $3,000 to Suffolk’s Genieve Shelter for victim assistance.
- $2,500 to Newport News’s Just-Us-Kidz to fund a domestic violence program that will offer a range of linguistically competent, culturally sensitive services to battered women with disabilities and their children.
- $2,000 to Falls Church’s SERAs, Inc. to fund the Diverse Medical Webpage Navigation Training Project to provide up-to-date and accurate health information to low-income members of the community.
- $1,500 to Hanover Safe Place for victim assistance.
