Upcoming VAWA Bill Should Highlight Vital Role of DV Diversion Programs: Report

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Rebecca Stewart

Telephone: 513-479-3335

Upcoming VAWA Bill Should Highlight Vital Role of DV Diversion Programs: Report

WASHINGTON / November 1, 2021 – A new report highlights the role of diversion programs as an essential component of the criminal justice response to domestic violence (DV). Published by the Coalition to End Domestic Violence, “Diversion Programs for Domestic Violence: From Retribution to Rehabilitation” provides recommendations how to implement such programs as part of the overall criminal justice approach, and summarizes the methods of 18 DV diversion programs around the country.

The programs are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington State, and Wisconsin. The programs are considered to be beneficial in terms of relieving burdensome court dockets, lowering incarceration rates, lowering criminal justice costs, and reducing recidivism. For example, the diversion program in Connecticut reports that 69% of program graduates were not arrested on a domestic violence-related charge during the subsequent 16-year period.

Over 100 organizations are demanding sweeping changes to the Violence Against Women Act. These changes include ending the over-criminalization of domestic violence, curbing false allegations, and providing services to male victims (1). For example, 46 state domestic violence coalitions have called for an end to excessive reliance on “increased policing, prosecution, and imprisonment as the primary solution to gender-based violence.” (2)

Existing domestic violence programs are known to be especially harmful to Black men. Among African-Americans, a majority of partner abuse victims are male, and a majority of abusers are female. Despite that fact, Black men are four times more likely than Black women to be arrested for partner abuse (3).

In support of these reforms, Sen. Patrick Leahy has proposed that the new VAWA bill emphasize the role of restorative justice (4).

The CEDV report provides numerous recommendations and resources to lawmakers who are drafting a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The new report is available online (5).

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