Director Rosemarie Hidalgo of the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) met with representatives from 12 pilot sites across the country that receive funding and support through the Firearms Technical Assistance Project (FTAP). During this meeting, she announced a comprehensive strategy to address the lethal intersection of domestic violence and firearms. Director Hidalgo emphasized the urgent need to enhance efforts to prevent and address this dangerous issue, which increases the likelihood of death for victims of domestic violence.
FTAP, an OVW grant program funded by appropriations through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), provides communities with tools and support needed to develop effective strategies for preventing firearm use in domestic violence incidents. OVW has awarded $5.99 million to 12 FTAP sites across the nation, including one Tribal nation. These initiatives are part of the Justice Department’s broader strategy to reduce violent crime and enhance community safety.
The convening, coordinated by the Battered Women’s Justice Project, brought together grantees from Tucson, Arizona; Georgia Department of Community Supervision; Detroit; Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) of Knoxville and Tennessee Valley; Austin, Texas; Yakima, Washington; Birmingham, Alabama; Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Columbus, Ohio; Brooklyn, New York; State of Vermont; and Spokane, Washington.
In her opening remarks, Director Hidalgo highlighted a statistic: over half of women murdered in the United States are killed by a current or former intimate partner. The presence of firearms increases homicide risk by 500%. This necessitates a coordinated community response involving law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, victim service providers, and community-based organizations. Effective intervention can mean life or death for victims as well as law enforcement officers responding to domestic violence incidents.
Director Hidalgo referenced Attorney General Merrick B. Garland's statement following the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Rahimi: “The decision upholds Congress’s longstanding prohibition on firearm possession by people subject to domestic violence restraining orders.” He added that “the Justice Department will continue to enforce this important statute.”
To support community efforts further, Director Hidalgo unveiled OVW initiatives aimed at raising awareness about federal laws prohibiting firearm possession by domestic abusers and bolstering partnerships across various levels. She highlighted increased collaboration among key Justice Department components such as ATF, FBI/NICS, EOUSA, OVW, OJP among others.
DOJ recently released the Misdemeanor Crimes of Domestic Violence Resource Card explaining tools available under existing federal law to prevent firearm purchases by DV offenders who illegally possess them. This resource is designed for law enforcement and courts to increase effective implementation.
Justice Department representatives conducted training at the Conference on Crimes Against Women held in Dallas in May. They shared information on different department components' roles in firearms relinquishment and ways to strengthen local-level implementation.
Next month DOJ will launch new roll call videos for law enforcement ensuring accurate documentation of relationships in FBI/NICs records for proper implementation of dating violence prohibitions enacted through BSCA.
OVW and OJP have developed a Resource Guide detailing funding opportunities aimed at enforcing firearms laws at various levels. The National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms will conduct additional virtual trainings focusing on best practices for law enforcement and victim service providers.
Efforts also include expanding outreach about OVW grant funding supporting community initiatives removing firearms from adjudicated abusers. Recently letters were sent informing state grant administrators about opportunities using STOP formula grant funds addressing this issue along with additional training support provided.
Later in her visit Director Hidalgo conducted a listening session exploring best practices among FTAP pilot sites discussing trauma-informed approaches centering survivors enhancing partnerships between stakeholders identifying areas needing support increasing effectiveness programs further supported by federal partners like U.S Attorneys’ Offices ATF etcetera
Representatives highlighted progress forming multi-disciplinary teams developing protocols updating court forms addressing high rates unserved civil protection orders timely information provision improving training identifying storage facilities improving language access partnering culturally-specific organizations developing co-responder models increasing advocate access navigating complex systems obtaining trauma-informed services
Director Hidalgo emphasized these resources highlight crucial role coordinated community response cornerstone VAWA fostering effective partnerships removing firearms dangerous situations ensuring safety supporting survivors reducing violence preventing injury fear coercive control situations