Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan ”.
National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan
A BILL
To establish a National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan to expand, intensify and coordinate domestic violence prevention programs in the United States of America, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Findings
Congress finds as follows:
Domestic violence is a serious public health problem and more than 12 million individuals experience domestic violence in the United States each year.
According to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, in the United States more than 2 in 5 women and nearly 1 in 4 men will experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and experience an intimate partner violence related impact in their lifetime, and approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
More than half of female homicides were connected to intimate partner violence and in a domestic violence situation the presence of a gun increases the risk of homicide by 500 percent.
While Domestic violence can affect anyone, research indicates that communities of color, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized communities can be disproportionately impacted.
Domestic violence leads to the loss of nearly 8 million days of work each year and costs the United States $3.6 trillion.
The United Nations has urged countries to adopt national action plans to combat gender-based violence and violence against women, including domestic violence, and approximately 50 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Spain, and Ireland, have adopted such plans.
The United States does not have a national plan of action on domestic violence or gender-based violence, making it a global outlier.
While the Violence Against Women Act and Family Violence Prevention and Services Act are the United States landmark pieces of domestic violence legislation and has many of the hallmarks of a national action plan on domestic violence prevention, the United States does not have a whole-of-government, goal-oriented, community-informed, forward looking national plan of action for domestic violence prevention.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) created the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in 1995 to administer financial and technical assistance to communities across the United States that are working to develop and maintain programs, policies, and practices devoted to ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
None of the programs administered by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) focus solely on prevention of domestic violence.
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act authorizes three major activities: domestic violence prevention activities through a program known as Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA), the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and domestic violence shelters, victims’ services, and program support.
Since 1996, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA) funding to State Domestic Violence Coalitions (SDVCs) to coordinate specific prevention activities. However, only ten states currently benefit from this funding.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DELTA focuses on implementing three strategies—engage influential adults and peers, create protective environments, and strengthen economic supports for families—with the goal of addressing and decreasing community and societal level risk, identifying factors in communities that may lead to intimate partner violence, and increasing protective factors that prevent it.
In 1993, the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence was established through the Department of Health and Human Services funding to (1) support community awareness and educational efforts of domestic violence programs through the Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP), (2) promote and support the leadership of women of color at the local, state, and national levels through the Women of Color Network, (3) promote holistic programming and policy response through Building Comprehensive Solutions to Domestic Violence, and connect individuals to research on emerging issues related to domestic violence, sexual violence, public policy, and primary prevention through VAWnet.
Many Federal agencies address domestic violence by providing formula-based and discretionary grants to local, State, and tribal governments, courts, nonprofits organizations, community-based organizations, secondary schools, institutions of higher education, special-issue resource centers and State and tribal coalitions for the purpose of supporting victims and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions associated with domestic violence with a lack of focus on prevention:
The Department of Defense administers the congressionally mandated Family Advocacy Program (FAP) which is devoted to providing clinical assessment, supportive services, and treatment in response to domestic violence, as well as, report domestic abuse in military families annually to Congress.
The Department of State supports numerous programs that address domestic violence globally through its human rights and humanitarian activities, including those housed in the Office of Global Women’s Issues that supports anti-gender-based violence (GBV) programs and promotes awareness.
Through their agency-wide efforts to address gender inequality and gender-based violence, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) supports programs that aim to prevent and respond to domestic violence globally through its work in development, global health, and humanitarian assistance.
The Indian Country Crimes Unit (ICCU) at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is responsible for developing and implementing strategies, programs, and policies to address identified crimes problems in Indian country, including but not limited to, initiatives related to domestic violence and sex offenses, program management, and support for the Safe Trails Task Force.
The Office of Justice Services at the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA-OJS) has shared Federal jurisdiction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in handling crimes, including domestic violence, on tribal lands.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) collects national domestic violence crime statistics, including through the National-Incident Based Reporting System.
The Department of Education administers the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title IV–A Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) grants to local education agencies (LEAs) that could be used to support initiatives to address domestic violence and teen dating violence in schools.
The Higher Education Act (HEA) requires institutions of higher education (IHE) to include in their annual security report (ASR) a statement of policy regarding the IHE’s programs to prevent domestic violence, dating violence, and other related crimes, and procedures that the IHE will follow once an incident of domestic or dating violence has been reported.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), funds housing programs for individuals and families who are fleeing or attempting to flee their home due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, as well as, oversees the Domestic Violence Housing Technical Assistance Consortium through the Safe Housing Partnership that provides technical assistance to community providers on housing and domestic violence.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accepts applications and assist survivors of domestic violence in becoming lawful permanent residents through Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions.
According to the National Institutes of Health, responses to domestic violence have focused, to date, primarily on intervention after the problem has already been identified and harm has occurred. However, there are prevention strategies and prevention approaches from the public health field that can serve as models for further development of domestic violence prevention, such as a public health campaign that identifies and addresses the underlying causes of the issues.
According to the National Institutes of Health, domestic violence prevention should be addressed along a continuum of possible harm: (1) primary prevention to reduce the incidence of the problem before it occurs; (2) secondary prevention to decrease the prevalence after early signs of the problem; and (3) tertiary prevention to intervene once the problem is already clearly evident and causing harm.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Primary prevention include school-based programs that teach students about domestic violence and alternative conflict-resolution skills, and public education campaigns to increase awareness of the harms of domestic violence and of services available to victims.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Secondary prevention programs could include home visiting for high-risk families and community-based programs on dating violence for adolescents referred through child protective services (CPS).
According to the National Institutes of Health, tertiary prevention includes the many targeted intervention programs already in place.
According to the National Institutes of Health, early evaluations of existing prevention programs show promise, but results are still preliminary, and programs remain small, locally based, and scattered throughout the United States.
According to the National Institutes of Health, the United States needs a broadly based, comprehensive prevention strategy that is supported by sound research and evaluation, receives adequate public backing, and is based on a policy of zero tolerance for domestic violence.
Sec. 3 National domestic violence prevention action plan steering committee
Steering Committee— With the goal of establishing a National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan to expand, intensify, and coordinate domestic violence prevention programs and activities in the United States of America, the Department of Health and Human Services shall establish a steering committee which shall create, facilitate the activities, and further the goals of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan. Such committee shall consist of:
The commissioner at the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), who shall serve as Chair.
The administrator of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program at the Department of Health and Human Services, who shall serve as Vice-Chair.
The Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The administrator of the Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice.
The administrator of the Division of Violence Prevention at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The administrator of the Division of Injury Prevention at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at the Department of Justice.
The administrator of the Office of Victim of Crimes at the Department of Justice.
The Under Secretary of Education at the Department of Education.
Such other subject matter experts the Chair of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Steering Committee deems necessary for the creation of the functions of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Role of Membership Chair— The Chair of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee shall convene and preside at the meetings of the Steering Committee, set its agenda, coordinate its work, and, may, as appropriate to deal with particular subject matters, establish subcommittees of the Steering Committee.
Coordination of Stakeholders— In establishing the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan, the Steering Committee shall collaborate with government and non-government stakeholders who may be affected by the plan, including but not limited to, Federal, State, local, and tribal officials, public health agencies, health care providers, early childhood and child care providers, domestic violence advocacy groups, faith-based organizations, educational agencies, military branches, and community-based and culturally specific child and family serving organizations.
State and Local Commitment— The Steering Committee shall seek support and commitment of Federal, State, local, and tribal officials in formulation and implementation of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Strategy Based on Evidence— The Steering Committee shall ensure the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan is based on the best available evidence regarding the policies and programs most effective in preventing, reducing the prevalence, and spreading awareness of any and all forms of domestic violence.
Administration— To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator may provide the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee with administrative services, facilities, staff, and other support services necessary for the creation of the functions of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Exisiting Authorities and Responsibilities— The establishment and operation of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan shall not be construed to diminish, supersede, or replace the responsibilities, authorities, or role of any officer, component, or department official.
Sec. 4 National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Development
Action Plan Promulgation— In establishing the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan, the Steering Committee shall promulgate the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan, which shall set forth a comprehensive plan to expand, intensify, and coordinate domestic violence prevention programs and activities in the United States of America.
Content of the Action Plan— The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan shall include but not limited to:
Mission statement detailing the major functions of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Objectives to the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan including but not limited to:
Expand coordination of domestic violence prevention efforts among Federal, State, local, and tribal government agencies and with other relevant stakeholders to ensure a whole-of-government, goal-oriented, community-informed, forward-looking approach in addressing domestic violence prevention in the United States.
Intensify domestic violence prevention efforts by addressing the continuum of possible harm—
primary prevention to reduce the incidence of the problem before it occurs;
secondary prevention to decrease the prevalence after early signs of the problem; and
tertiary prevention to intervene once the problem is already clearly evident and causing harm.
Boost implementation of existing domestic violence prevention efforts throughout Federal, State, local, and tribal government agencies, as well as, public health agencies, health care providers, early childhood and childcare providers, domestic violence advocacy groups, faith-based organizations, educational agencies, military branches, and community-based and culturally specific child and family serving organizations.
Improve evaluation of domestic violence prevention through targeted collection and analysis of data and research to enhance effectiveness and long-term benefits of domestic violence prevention programs and efforts.
Enhance public awareness of domestic violence prevention programs by establishing a national awareness campaign focused primarily on education and prevention.
Comprehensive, research-based, long-range, quantifiable goals for expanding, intensifying, and coordinating domestic violence prevention programs and activities.
Annual quantifiable and measurable objectives and specific targets to accomplish long-term quantifiable goals that the Steering Committee determines may be achieved during each year beginning on the date on which the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan is submitted.
Five-year projections and budget priorities for the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Clear descriptions of the Steering Committee member’s roles in facilitating the development and fulfilling the goals of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
A review of international, Federal, State, local, and private sector domestic violence prevention programs and activities to ensure that the United States pursues coordinated and effective domestic violence prevention programs and activities at all levels of government.
A description of how each goal established under subparagraph (c) was determined, including—
a description of each required consultation as pursuant to Section 3(3) and a description of how such consultation was incorporated; and
data, research, or other information used to inform the determination to establish the goal.
A description of how each goal established under subparagraph (c) will be achieved, including for each goal—
a list of each relevant national domestic violence agencies and each such agencies’ related programs, activities, and the role of each such program and activity in achieving such goal;
a list of Federal, State, local, tribal related programs, activities, and the role of each such program and activity in achieving such goal;
a list of relevant stakeholders and each such stakeholder’s role in achieving such goal;
an estimate of Federal funding and other resources needed to achieve such goal;
a list of each existing or new coordinating mechanism needed to achieve such goal; and
a description of the Steering Committee’s role in facilitating the achievement of such goal.
A list identifying existing data sources, or a description of data collection needed to evaluate performance, including a description of how the Steering Committee will obtain such data.
A list of any anticipated challenges to achieving the goals of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan and planned actions to address such challenges.
A description of the current prevalence and severity of any and all forms of domestic violence in the United States.
A description of the current prevalence of domestic violence prevention programs in the United States.
Such other statistical data and information as the Steering Committee considers appropriate to demonstrate and assess trends relating to any and all forms of domestic violence and domestic violence prevention, and the implementation of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Methods of implementation for the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Recommendations on research, programs, activities, and resources necessary to achieve the goals of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.
Program of Activities— The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan shall include a coherent, comprehensive, and sustained program of activities that include actions to expand, intensify, and coordinate meaningful and effective prevention programs in all states, tribal and U.S. territories. Such programs will:
Embrace a human rights-based approach that acknowledges that domestic violence is a violation of human rights and accounts for the disparate impact of domestic violence on marginalized communities.
Address prevention of any and all forms of domestic violence, including all violence that happens across the life course; violence in public and private spheres; violence in the workplace, including within U.S. Armed Forces; and violence in national contexts.
Address the root causes, prevalence, and impact of any and all forms of domestic violence, including social and cultural norms and other associated factors.
Tailor strategies to address factors, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, national or social origin, marital status, housing status, sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status, migrant or refugee status, age, disability, or any other relevant characteristics and any of these in combination that contribute to higher rates of any and all forms of domestic violence.
Identify gaps in any and all existing domestic violence prevention programs with the goal of addressing the gaps in future work.
Support government and non-government organizations and community networks to drive activity at the State and local level and ensure coordinated action across all states and localities.
Support independent research on emerging issues that impact any and all forms of domestic violence.
Collect, communicate, and analyze comprehensive qualitative and quantitative data, disaggregated by sex, race, age, ethnicity, and other relevant characteristics, on the nature, prevalence, and impact of any and all forms of domestic violence.
Build quantity and quality of professionals involved in the prevention of any and all forms of domestic violence.
Support broader efforts to ensure gender equality and engage people of all genders and sexualities in combating any and all forms of domestic violence.
Media Campaign— The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan shall include a media campaign led by the Department of Health and Human Services to facilitate direct, ongoing, and meaningful engagement with the public as it relates to domestic violence prevention.
Purpose of media campaign—
educate the public on prevention of any and all forms of domestic violence;
engage with the public on bystander empowerment and education;
teach safe and healthy relationship skills through social-emotional learning;
create protective environments through improved school climate, workplace climate, community climate, as well as, Federal, State, local, tribal, and organizational policies;
disrupt the developmental pathways towards domestic violence through parenting and family relationship programs, treatment for at-risk children, faith-based programs, and other culturally specific programming; and
combat the stigmas associated with any and all forms of domestic violence.
Content of media campaign— The Department of Health and Human Services shall create a media campaign or enter into a contract with an outside agency using strategies demonstrated to be the most effective at achieving the goals and requirements of paragraph (a), which shall include, but not limited to:
The development of national, local, regional, or population specific messaging, including messaging specific to professional groups, such as public health leaders, health care providers, early childhood and child care providers, domestic violence providers, faith-based leaders, educators, military leaders, and community-based and culturally specific child and family serving organizations.
The development of social media campaigns to reach targeted populations.
The development of a website to publicize and disseminate information.
The development of informational and educational pamphlets and brochures.
The development of webinars to educate and provide support.
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out this section, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
Sec. 5 Strengthen Information to State Domestic Violence Coalitions With Respect to the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan
Dissemination of Information— The National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee, acting through the Department of Health and Human Services, shall develop and disseminate to State domestic violence coalitions information on the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan and its respected Media Campaign.
Sec. 6 Accountability of the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan
Reporting Requirements— Not later than the first Monday in October following the year of enactment, and biannually thereafter, the National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan Steering Committee shall submit to Congress in the form of written correspondence a National Domestic Violence Prevention Action Plan.