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Domestic Violence

A Guide to Finding Government Information

Web version of this guide includes links to web resources.

Search Tips:

Mix and match these terms in searching the library catalog, WestCat , or use them to search journal articles and law reviews via the library's Databases page. You can also use them to search government information sites listed on our Starting Points page - click the tab and pay particular attention to the Top Six.

  • domestic violence
  • sexual abuse victims
  • family violence
  • marital violence
  • intimate partner violence
  • children and violence
  • honor killings
  • victims of family violence
  • battered women
  • prevention
  • wife abuse
  • abusive men

An important source for many research topics is Congress. Congressional committees and subcommittees hold hearings on a wide variety of controversial and timely subjects. Simply add the word "hearing?" to a search string in WestCat .

Search Engines

Google and StartPage
Use these search engines to search for government information by typing "site:gov" in the search box preceding your search terms:

  • site:gov "domestic violence"
  • site:mil domestic violence
Federal Government Information
Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System

This short report describes the interrelationship between domestic violence and child abuse and what programs some locales are implementing to help children caught up in the violence.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS124461

Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research: For Law Enforcement, Prosecutors and Judges

This report has statistics on all aspects of domestic violence and its victims and perpetrators, responses by the justice system and programs for intervention.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS122359

Too Much, Too Long?: Domestic Violence in the Workplace

This hearing discusses ways to help victims of domestic violence retain their employment, often the only thing preventing them from having to depend completely on their abusers for food and shelter.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS109525

Understanding Children’s Exposure to Violence

This short document introduces the Safe Start Initiative, founded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, an attempt to address the problems children face when they are exposed to violence.
http://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo724

State Court Processing of Domestic Violence Cases

This short statistical report compares domestic violence to non-domestic violence sexual assault and aggravated assault cases in 15 counties located in 8 different states by prosecution and conviction rates.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS108625

Are You a Victim of Violence?: Assistance for Victims of Violence

This flyer describes the Illinois Crime Victim's Compensation Program, a program victims of violent crime can apply to for help with medical expenses, lost wages, counseling and more.
http://ediillinois.org/ppa/docs/00/00/00/02/20/09/20091028204602_cc96.pdf

Final Report: Preventing Firearm Violence Among Victims of Intimate Partner Violence: An Evaluation of a New North Carolina Law

This report discusses the effect of removing gun rights from domestic batterers.
http://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo11230

Women and Domestic Violence: Programs and Tools that Improve Care for Victims

Training health care providers who treat domestic violence victims to provide better care.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS92011

Domestic Violence and New Americans: Directory of Programs and Resources for Battered Refugee Women

An alphabetical directory of non-governmental organizations that can help victims of domestic violence from foreign countries where language and cultural barriers might exist.
HE 20.410:P 94

Understanding Intimate Partner Violence

This factsheet defines Intimate Partner Violence and gives a few statistics on its personal and economic impact.
http://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo16817

Illinois Government Information
Illinois Crime Victim’s Compensation Program: Illinois Crime Victim’s Compensation Act -- Elder Abuse -- Sexual Assault -- Domestic Violence

This online document explains what is covered by this program and how to apply.
http://ediillinois.org/ppa/meta/html/00/00/00/02/21/83.html

VESSA: Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (820 ILCS 180/1 et seq.): know your rights

This Act allows for victims of domestic violence and their family members to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to address the violence.
http://iledi.org/ppa/meta/html/00/00/00/00/37/78.html

Legal Information
Voice for the Voiceless: The Case for Adopting the "Domestic Abuse Syndrome" for Self Defense Purposes for All Victims of Domestic Violence Who Kill Their Abusers

This article argues for a hybrid syndrome to replace the "battered spouse" and "battered child" syndromes used as the basis for a self-defense plea when a domestic abuse victim is charged with murdering their abuser. 2009
Criminal Law Brief v.4, p.76 via Nexis Uni

Professional Discretion and the Use of Restorative Justice Programs in Appropriate Domestic Violence Cases: An Effective Innovation

The author argues for restorative justice to reduce domestic violence and empower victims instead of a one-size-fits-all treatment by the criminal justice system. 2009
Criminal Law Brief v.4, p.3

http://www.wiu.edu/libraries/govpubs/guides/domesticViolence.php

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