Family violence covers a broad range of acts that can include emotional, financial, physical, and sexual abuse. Family violence not only harms the victim, but it also poses dangers for and impacts immediate family members.
Efforts to prevent domestic violence require a clear understanding of factors that contribute to family violence, coordinating resources, and fostering and initiating change in individuals, families, and society.
Children, when experiencing domestic violence as witnesses, can suffer from devastating effects. This exposure to violence can harm a child's emotional, psychological, and even physical development. Additionally, domestic violence and child maltreatment often co-occur in families.
During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October), see the Family Violence Special Feature for access to OJP and other federal resources.
Access the Family Violence Special Feature
Publications
The Need for Mandatory Domestic Violence Training for Court-Appointed Custody Evaluators
Police Response to Domestic Violence, 2006-2015
Related Resources
In Their Own Words: Domestic Abuse in Later Life
Model Programs Guide: Family Violence/Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence
Did You Know?
Is there a national database for people that have been served an order of protection?
While there is a national database that captures every issued order of protection, it is only... Read More
What are the effects on children who have witnessed domestic violence?
The following resources capture information on children's exposure to violence and the impact... Read More
Events
The Domestic Violence Pre-Sentencing Investigation: From Start to Finish
January 25, 2018 | 1 p.m. ET | Webinar
San Diego International Conference on Child and Family Maltreatment
January 28, 2018 - February 2, 2018 | San Diego, California