Attend the Law Enforcement Round Table Discussion.

The Georgia Commission on Family Violence is pleased to present the Gender Justice Award to Lee Giordano. The Gender Justice Award is presented to leaders in social justice who work for the betterment of women in Georgia. Recipients of this award are chosen based on their history of increasing safety for victims and survivors of domestic violence, enhancing accountability of batterers, and making systemic changes to laws in Georgia – all in order to eliminate gender inequality. “The Commission is thrilled to recognize Lee Giordano as the 2020 Gender Justice Award recipient. Mr. Giordano has exhibited incredible leadership and service to our state through his advocacy efforts. It is so vital to have the voices of men contributing to the work and supporting the efforts to bring...

This workshop will focus on the how-tos for implementing the focus deterrence style of policing, as applied to the Offender Focused Domestic Violence Initiative (OFDVI) that was piloted by the High Point (NC) Police Department.  This model has been replicated in different communities and tailored to each community's specific needs. Workshop participants will gain 1) an understanding of "Focus Deterrence" policing as applied to crime problems in any community; 2) an ability to understand and evaluate DV offenders in your jurisdiction; 3) guidance for establishing partnerships in your work communities to implement the Offender Focused Domestic Violence Initiative (OFDVI); and 4) strategies for implementing the OFDVI strategy in your community.Presenters:  Captain (Ret.) Tim...

The workshop will examine the long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACE’S) and the risk and protective factors that mothers who have experienced child sexual abuse had to overcome in order and protect their children from the abuse they experienced. The workshop will examine the social and emotional challenges faced by this particular group of mothers. However, the workshop will also focus on the protective factors in the lives of these mothers that help them to “defy the odds” and give their children something positive and significantly different from what they experienced as children. Therapeutic interventions and strategies will be addressed.This workshop will provide valuable information for Survivor Moms, and those that wish to support, students, professors, and...

Unlike courtroom procedures which are depicted frequently in television and film (albeit with varying degrees of accuracy), mediation remains unfamiliar to those who have never been participants in the process. This workshop is designed to give participants an overview of court-connected mediation in Georgia and the new Supreme Court Rules for Mediation in Cases Involving Issues of Domestic Violence. These rules were developed by a working group consisting of members from the dispute resolution and domestic violence communities and highlight the success of working together to better the process. The rules were endorsed by the Georgia Commission on Family Violence and will become effective January 1, 2021. Participants who attend this workshop will become familiarized with mediation in...

A Family Justice Center (FJC) is a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary co-located service center that provides support to victims of interpersonal violence. FJCs house a multi-disciplinary team of professionals under one roof and provide one place where victims can receive a holistic array of services. Due to their centralized intake system and victim-centered approach, FJCs reduce the number of times victims must tell their story, reduce the number of places victims must go for help, and increase access to services and support for victims and their children. FJCs go well beyond co-location of services and serve as a vital coordinating entity in the community, facilitating collaboration among all agencies that address domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. This workshop will...

An in-depth examination of a successful domestic violence case prosecution through jail recordings. This workshop will examine and enhance attendees understanding of the reality that abuse throughto tactics of manipulation and control continues behind bars. Attendees will learn how to find what an inmate doesn't want you to find. The workshop examines these complex dynamics play out frequently in domestic violence cases through a case study of a successful prosecution that was made so in large part through the use of jail call recordings. Attendees will hear what manipulation and control sounds and looks like from jail and then learn how to find offending calls and contacts when your survivor is not cooperative, what power and control looks like behind bars, and how to effectively explain...

The Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory (IPRCE) was redesigned in 2015 to respond to the impact of violence inflicted on people in Georgia. In a novel approach, IPRCE created 5 task forces one of which is the Violence Prevention Task Force (VPTF). The task force goals are data-driven with the intent to develop an action plan, translate information and participate in advocacy efforts. With more than 30 members, the task force model has brought together practitioners, researchers, university and community partners to address violence across the lifespan from children to older adults. Attendees will be able to take the information using the task force model to learn about violence across the lifespan and develop the skills and tools needed to address the intersectionality of...

Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Rules Committee   The Georgia Commission on Family Violence is pleased to present the Moving the Work Forward Award to the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Rules Committee. The Moving the Work Forward Award is presented to organizations that are innovative in their approaches and actions to ensure all victims of domestic violence are provided the necessary resources to live free of violence in their homes. The Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution Rules Committee (GCDR) was created by the Supreme Court in 1993. From the very beginning, the GCDR has always been cognizant of and sensitive to matters of domestic violence and mediation cases. When the guidelines were created, there was a divergence of opinions on mediating...

Guns make family violence situations lethal. A woman is five times more likely to be murdered when her abuser has access to a gun. Just as gun violence is a uniquely American problem, domestic violence perpetrated with a gun is also a uniquely American problem: 92% of all women killed by guns in high-income countries were Americans.Evidence shows that policies that prevent abusers from accessing guns reduce domestic violence homicides. Two policies, domestic violence protective orders (DVPOs) and extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), are effective tools for gun violence prevention. DVPOs can, but don’t always, involve firearm removal. ERPOs are civil orders and follow the well-established path of domestic violence protective orders, except they only address the issue of gun possession...

The Family Protection Center (FPC) in Athens-Clarke County has operated for 15 years as the only Family Justice Center in Georgia with multiple agencies working together to provide services. The FPC provides a single location for the collaboration of different agencies that work with survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. This interagency network under one roof creates a “one-stop shop” where survivors can receive necessary services. Come learn from experienced user group members as they discuss the successes and challenges in opening and maintaining the FPC.After a brief history on how the FPC began, this workshop will focus on creating effective interagency relationships by using the experiences of professionals working in the FPC. Through a Q&A...

Participants will learn the practical tips and skills to develop a language access plan for survivors with limited English proficiency or who are Deaf or hard of hearing. They’ll discuss the allocation of resources, policies, strategies for implementation, and ongoing staff training necessary for successful language access plans. Participants will conduct a mock assessment of a specific community to gain knowledge on how to conduct a language access assessment in their own communities. This workshop is Module 3 of the Office for Victims of Crime approved Translating Justice curriculum. Task force members can in turn utilize this or related presentations to ensure that other task force member agencies can comply with language access requirements. Resources will be shared to that...

Attendees will learn how Raksha, Inc and Jewish Family Career Services (JFCS) Shalom Bayit Program along with other organizations built a foundation that led to collaboration and cooperation for over 25 years to ensure holistic and culturally responsive services to their respective communities and other underserved communities. Participants will have opportunities to apply this to their own experiences and work. The goal is to equip participants with tools and frameworks to embrace collaboration with non-traditional partners and think outside the box as they tackle barriers and issues that survivors may face.Presenters:  Aparna Bhattacharyya  Executive Director, RakshaAparna Bhattacharyya has served as Executive Director of Raksha since 1998. Aparna graduated from...

This workshop will focus on the how-tos for implementing the focus deterrence style of policing, as applied to the Offender Focused Domestic Violence Initiative (OFDVI) that was piloted by the High Point (NC) Police Department.  This model has been replicated in different communities and tailored to each community's specific needs. Workshop participants will gain 1) an understanding of "Focus Deterrence" policing as applied to crime problems in any community; 2) an ability to understand and evaluate DV offenders in your jurisdiction; 3) guidance for establishing partnerships in your work communities to implement the Offender Focused Domestic Violence Initiative (OFDVI); and 4) strategies for implementing the OFDVI strategy in your...