Violence against women and children affects millions of individuals, families, communities, and businesses each year. Violence takes many forms: physical, sexual, emotional, and financial. It knows no economic, racial, or cultural bounds.
Research in recent years has shown:
- 1.5 million women are abused in the US each year
- 52% of all women experience some form of violence in their lifetime
- Women are 5 to 8 times more likely than men to be victimized
The impact of this violence on individuals and communities is acute, pervasive, and long-standing, bringing to light the diverse needs for improved direct services, increased training for human service professionals working with victims and their families, and innovative research on best practices regarding violence against women and children.
However, social workers, human service professionals, and members of the criminal justice system often receive limited training in working with women and children affected by violence, and can apply practices that are not evidenced-based. Social workers have been criticized for the inability to respond to victims and are often unaware of how violence against women and children corresponds with other social problems. This can result in women becoming "re-victimized" by those charged with helping them.
In the spring of 2007, the Rutgers University School of Social Work formed the Center on Violence Against Women & Children in order to respond to these needs by facilitating a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to research, training, and education aimed at eradicating violence against women and children.
To read more about our areas of focus, click here or on one of the four areas:
What's New:-
THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION'S CLICK TO EMPOWER CAMPAIGN:
By visiting ClicktoEmpower.com and clicking the "Click to Empower" button, The Allstate Foundation will donate $1 to the Education and Job Training Assistance Fund (up to $300,000). This fund expands opportunities for survivors to achieve long-term financial security by providing direct grants to help them pursue their educational and professional goals. In 2007 alone, the Education and Job Training Assistance Fund provided $297,864 to support survivors. Please visit ClicktoEmpower.com DAILY and click on the "Click to Empower Now" button. Every click counts!
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UN FOUNDATION TO DONATE $1 FOR EVERY SIGNATURE T0 UNIFEM:
The United Nations Foundation announced today its support for the "Say NO to Violence against Women" campaign. The Foundation will donate $1 for each the first 100,000 signatures to the online campaign that is run by the UN Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM. The contributions will go to the UNIFEM-managed UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. People can sign on to the campaign at http://www.sayNOtoviolence.org.
- Are you a social worker or other professional interested in continuing education in Violence Against Women? Click here to find out about out upcoming course offerings through the VAWC Continuing Education Program.
- Are you a student in the Rutgers MSW program? Are you planning on becoming one? Find out more about the only MSW Certificate in Violence Against Women & Children in the country, offered here at Rutgers University School of Social Work.
VAWC is proud to recognize these organizations for their support of programming:
