FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? VAWO

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2001??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 202/307-0703

NEW WEB-BASED RESOURCE LAUNCHED TO FIGHT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

DEVELOPED BY DEPARTMENTS OF JUSTICE & HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

WASHINGTON, DC ? The Department of Justice (DOJ), in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced today the launch of a new Web-based resource, Toolkit to End Violence Against Women, aimed to strengthen prevention efforts and improve services to victims of domestic violence.

?Violence against women crosses all economic, educational, cultural, racial and religious lines,? said Attorney General John Ashcroft.? ?This invaluable tool was developed to aid in the effort to eradicate such violence from our society.?

?It is far better to prevent violence against women than to deal with its devastating consequences for individual women, their children and their families,? Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said.? ?This Toolkit will help communities around the country design and implement effective programs to prevent violence.?

The Toolkit, developed by experts in the areas of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, was designed to assist individuals, policy leaders and community efforts to end violence against women.? Comprised of 16 chapters, the Toolkit offers best practices and other recommendations to assist localities in an easily accessible, user-friendly format to help readers pinpoint topics of interest.? The Toolkit is intended to be a valuable resource for communities, organizations and individuals who deal with these issues on a daily basis.? For example, chapters cover areas such as the criminal justice system, health, sports, faith, the media, the military and entertainment.?

?The Toolkit is a? living document that will continually evolve as new practices and resources arise in the effort to eliminate violence against women,? said Attorney General Ashcroft.

The Toolkit was developed by the National Advisory Council on Violence Against Women, which is co-chaired by DOJ and HHS.? To access the Web-based Toolkit, go to toolkit.ncjrs.org. Information about this and other initiatives involving violence against women is available on the Violence Against Women Office?s Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo or the Office of Justice Program?s Website at www.ojp.usdoj.gov, or by calling the National Criminal Justice Reference Service toll-free at 1-800/851-3420.

###

VAWO1218

After hours contacts:

DOJ Contact:?? Angela Harless on 202/616-3266 or pager #1-888/763-8943

HHS Contact:?? Bill Pierce on 202/690-6885