WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ recognizes that issues of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking occur at any age; and
WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ has joined in public and private partnerships to address and improve the justice system’s response to these issues since 1987; and
WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ has worked to advance social change in courts and communities across the country to enhance the safety, well-being, and stability of domestic violence victims and their children through judicial education, technical assistance, and policy development; and
WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ has provided and stands ready to provide education, technical assistance, advocacy, information resources and expert testimony on the impacts of domestic violence on our society and the court system; and
WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ has supported the Violence Against Women Act, the Office on Violence Against Women, and efforts to improve the justice system’s response to domestic violence issues nationwide in resolutions adopted in 1999, 2001, and in 2017; and
WHEREAS, the NCJFCJ has endorsed the Conference of Chief Justices resolution supporting the Violence Against Women Act and the importance of the Act’s provisions and programs to provide funding to all entities involved in addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and
WHEREAS, the bipartisan Violence Against Women Act of 2019 includes critical improvements to existing law and invests in prevention, access to justice for Native survivors, protections for victims of dating violence and stalking, enforcement of court orders, and safe housing for survivors; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Congress, the President, and the Department of Justice to support bipartisan legislation reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and continuing appropriations to ensure uninterrupted program operation for judicial education on domestic violence issues, judicial response and good practice, and to sustain and ensure that state courts are able to access federal grant funds to implement the provisions and programs of the Violence Against Women Act.
Adopted by the NCJFCJ Board of Directors on Saturday, March 16, 2019, Henderson, Nevada.