The Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) is a component of the U.S. Department of Justice that provides national leadership in responding to crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. As part of this mission, the OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities around the country to facilitate the creation of programs, policies, and practices aimed at addressing these crimes. For example, since 1997, the OVW has worked collaboratively with the IACP to provide critical training and technical assistance for law enforcement officers to respond to violence against women.

Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking are complex crimes whose investigation requires the dedication and commitment of law enforcement officers around the country. The resources and the energy that officers have dedicated to this cause continue to make a difference in the lives of thousands of women each day. October is designated as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and it affords us a unique opportunity to assess how far the United States has come in combating violence against women while creating safer communities.

In recognition of the severity of these crimes, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. VAWA authorized several grant programs designed to help states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations combat violent crimes against women.