Mission
The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCDSV) designs, provides, and customizes training and consultation, influences policy, promotes collaboration, and enhances diversity with the goal of ending domestic and sexual violence.
Background
The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas. Deborah D. Tucker, MPA, and Sarah M. Buel, JD, co-founded the National Center in May 1998. Their vision was to create an organization that encouraged and created unprecedented levels of collaboration among professionals and volunteers working to end violence against women.
The reason behind this vision was simple: after decades of work in the field, Debby, Sarah and the founding Board members understood that the most successful efforts - the kind of efforts that save lives and transform society - are always the result of individuals and organizations working together.
The National Center helps a myriad of professionals who work with victims/survivors and persons using violence: law enforcement; legal system professionals such as prosecutors, judges and probation officers; health care professionals including emergency response teams, nurses, doctors, therapists, and substance-abuse counselors; domestic violence and sexual assault advocates and service providers; social workers; corporate security, human resources and employee assistance professionals; and human services staff including TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) and child welfare workers. NCDSV also works with local, state, and federal agencies; state and national organizations; educators, researchers, faith community leaders, media, community leaders, elected officials, policymakers, and all branches of the military.
This breadth of experience brings a high level of expertise to our work, whether that work involves training, consultation, or public policy advocacy. Having partnered with so many diverse groups - throughout the United States, as well as Mexico, Peru, and over two dozen other countries - we are able to share the big picture around issues of domestic and sexual violence.
The reason behind this vision was simple: after decades of work in the field, Debby, Sarah and the founding Board members understood that the most successful efforts - the kind of efforts that save lives and transform society - are always the result of individuals and organizations working together.
The National Center helps a myriad of professionals who work with victims/survivors and persons using violence: law enforcement; legal system professionals such as prosecutors, judges and probation officers; health care professionals including emergency response teams, nurses, doctors, therapists, and substance-abuse counselors; domestic violence and sexual assault advocates and service providers; social workers; corporate security, human resources and employee assistance professionals; and human services staff including TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) and child welfare workers. NCDSV also works with local, state, and federal agencies; state and national organizations; educators, researchers, faith community leaders, media, community leaders, elected officials, policymakers, and all branches of the military.
This breadth of experience brings a high level of expertise to our work, whether that work involves training, consultation, or public policy advocacy. Having partnered with so many diverse groups - throughout the United States, as well as Mexico, Peru, and over two dozen other countries - we are able to share the big picture around issues of domestic and sexual violence.
Training
Our trainers are among the most knowledgeable in the field, so you receive the most current information and learn the best practices. All National Center trainers are excellent communicators who know how to make complex issues understandable. And it is obvious that NCDSV trainers and consultants genuinely enjoy working with people. NCDSV has extensive experience sponsoring and co-sponsoring national and regional conferences to inform professionals about current research and best practices on violence against women. Participants in our trainings feel safe. They feel connected. They feel valued. They feel they are being informed. Above all, they feel empowered.
- Customized Training
NCDSV trainers:- Deliver powerful keynote speeches that energize organizations and inspire communities to action.
- Design and deliver customized trainings, day-long seminars and multi-day conferences on a wide array of domestic and sexual violence topics to meet learning objectives.
- Teach groups how to work together to better serve victims of domestic and sexual violence and persons using violence. In doing so, we help these groups understand how their strengths can be complemented and their weaknesses mitigated by one another.
- Present on diverse topics (this is just a sample listing):
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Consulting
The National Center provides customer-focused consultation and technical assistance. Our staff and consultants:
- Work with individuals and groups seeking to change laws or influence policy.
- Facilitate strategic planning and organizational development. For example, Debby Tucker facilitated a 10-month strategic planning process for the Family Violence Council, Friendship Home, and Rape/Spouse Abuse Crisis Center in Lincoln, NE.
- Respond to technical assistance requests from all over the U.S. as well as other countries.
- Build bridges by linking organizations and people who benefit from knowing one another, but who might not connect otherwise.
- Share information about how organizations and communities in U.S. states and territories solve problems, thus saving partners from constantly having to "reinvent the wheel."
- Facilitate community collaboration efforts
- Collaborate with numerous state and national organizations that are also providing training, consultation, and technical assistance on violence against women.
Advocacy
NCDSV staff have extensive experience advocating for changing laws and influencing policies on domestic and sexual violence at the local, state, territorial, and federal levels. Our staff members have been intimately involved for more than 50 years changing laws that enhance prevention and intervention with domestic and sexual violence. In addition, we were directly involved in the drafting and passage of the original Violence Against Women Act in 1994 and each subsequent reauthorization. We continue to work closely with other national groups and to assist state and territorial groups to advocate for improved responses.
Another major advocacy effort concerns the military's response to domestic and sexual violence.
NCDSV's President, Debby Tucker, co-chaired the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence (DTFDV). The Task Force examined the responses to victims/survivors and persons using violence, made recommendations for improvement of systems and collaboration with civilian groups, and reported annually to Congress. While this was a three-year project, the U.S. Department of Defense and Congress are continually conferring with NCDSV as they implement the recommendations of the Task Force. In addition, National Center is collaborating with numerous organizations across the country to implement the Task Force's training recommendations for military law enforcement, chaplains, Family Advocacy Staff, JAG officers, and command staff.
The DTFDV's three reports, more information about this project, and links to military resources are available on the National Center's web site at www.ncdsv.org.
Another major advocacy effort concerns the military's response to domestic and sexual violence.
NCDSV's President, Debby Tucker, co-chaired the U.S. Department of Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence (DTFDV). The Task Force examined the responses to victims/survivors and persons using violence, made recommendations for improvement of systems and collaboration with civilian groups, and reported annually to Congress. While this was a three-year project, the U.S. Department of Defense and Congress are continually conferring with NCDSV as they implement the recommendations of the Task Force. In addition, National Center is collaborating with numerous organizations across the country to implement the Task Force's training recommendations for military law enforcement, chaplains, Family Advocacy Staff, JAG officers, and command staff.
The DTFDV's three reports, more information about this project, and links to military resources are available on the National Center's web site at www.ncdsv.org.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Sarah M. Buel, JD, Director Emeritus, Retired, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
- Rus Ervin Funk, MSW, Secretary, Louisville, KY
- Rhonda Gerson, Retired Director, AVDA. Treasurer, Houston, TX
- Candace Mosley, JD, National District Attorneys Association / Arlington, VA
- The Honorable Marshall Murray, JD, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Wauwatosa, WI
- Toby Myers, EdD, Retired LCSW, LPC, Vice-Chair, Houston, TX
- S. Gail Parr, JD, Retired Attorney at Law, Vice-Chair, Austin, TX
- Michael Shaw, MSW, Iowa City, IA
- Deborah D. Tucker, MPA, Austin, TX
- Antonia A. Vann, CDVC, Asha Family Services, Inc., Milwaukee, WI
Bios on National Center Board members are available at www.ncdsv.org, About NCDSV, Board of Directors.