"Governing for Results' Series Focuses on Combating Domestic Violence in Maryland

Press Release

Governor Martin O'Malley today visited the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County to announce the state has awarded $2.3 million in grants to organizations across Maryland under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The grants from the STOP (Services*Training*Officers*Prosecutors) VAWA Formula Grant Program will fund 73 projects by 57 organizations in every region of the state.

"One of the O'Malley-Brown Administration's 16 strategic goals is driving down violence against women and children," said Governor O'Malley. "By working together with law enforcement personnel, our Congressional delegation, and state and local officials, we've driven down violence against women and children by 26 percent since 2006."

The YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County is one organization receiving VAWA funding to provide victim services programs for survivors of domestic violence. The Governor's visit is the latest in the "Governing For Results' series, a statewide initiative to promote the O'Malley-Brown Administration's 16 strategic goals, with today's event highlighting progress towards reducing violent crimes against women and children.

"While we've made progress in our efforts to reduce violent crimes against women and children, we will not stop working until every Marylander is free from fear," said Lt. Governor Brown. "Through this STOP VAWA funding, our new laws to protect victims, and the hospital-based domestic violence programs we've launched across Maryland, we continue to make critical progress in the fight against this senseless crime."

When the O'Malley-Brown Administration took office in 2006, it set a goal of driving down violent crime against women and children by 25 percent by 2012, compared to 2006 levels. Juvenile homicides were driven down 44 percent between 2006 -- 2012 and female homicides were driven down 9 percent, reaching a total 26 percent drop from 2006 levels. In 2013, the O'Malley-Brown Administration renewed its commitment by setting a new goal to drive down violent crime against women and children an additional 25 percent by 2018, compared to 2012 levels.

The primary purpose of STOP VAWA funding is to support a multifaceted approach to responding to violence against women through implementation of grant programs. By forging partnerships among police, prosecutors, judges, victim advocates, health care providers, faith leaders and others, VAWA-funded programs help provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives, while improving communities' capacity to hold offenders accountable for their crimes.

"No woman should live in fear that her husband or boyfriend will hurt or kill her or her kids," said U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski, Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee and the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee that funds VAWA programs, including STOP grants. "If you are beaten and abused, you should have somewhere to turn for help and a path to recovery. As Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight for strong investments in programs to combat domestic abuse, dating violence and sexual assault and to help rebuild lives."

"A strong federal-state partnership through VAWA is saving lives and protecting survivors of domestic violence throughout Maryland. Still too many in our community -- too many of our neighbors -- continue to suffer in silence, too afraid or ashamed to ask for help," said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin. "We will keep fighting so the victims of domestic violence can take back their lives and start down a healing path while getting the legal, medical, and financial support needed to rebuild their lives free from fear and violence."

"I was proud to be a cosponsor of legislation that reauthorized VAWA last year as well as a cosponsor of the original VAWA legislation," said Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5). "Support services to help victims of domestic violence and their families, including these STOP VAWA grants, have a critical impact on victims, their families, and our local communities in the Fifth District and throughout our state. Ensuring a wide range of victim service programs and community resources are readily available is an important step in combating and preventing domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as assisting victims as they heal and seek justice."

"The VAWA program is an important and effective resource in the fight against domestic violence across Maryland," said Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-03). "By providing resources to impactful organizations such as YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County -- the county's oldest social service center for women and families -- we can help reduce violence against women and children in our homes and in our communities."

In Maryland, law enforcement priorities for STOP VAWA funds include specialized training for officers in domestic violence, sexual assault and dating violence; specialized units or positions such as bilingual officers and domestic violence investigators, and the implementation of policy and personnel relating to protective orders and firearms. For prosecutors, the funding provides training on domestic violence, the appointment of prosecutors to focus full-time on domestic violence cases, and bilingual and culturally competent staff.

"I was proud to partner with the O'Malley-Brown Administration and the Anne Arundel County YWCA to identify funding this past session for the construction of a new and much-needed domestic violence shelter in Anne Arundel County," said Speaker Mike Busch, "and I am equally proud to stand with them today in announcing additional funding for domestic violence services. These grants, along with the groundwork we have laid over the past 8 years, will foster cooperation among government and non-profit service providers and help us continue to make progress in combatting domestic violence in our State."

"VAWA grants have been essential to Maryland's programs to help survivors of domestic violence and protect them from their abusers," said Tammy Brown, the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention (GOCCP), which administers VAWA grants in the state. "These programs have been a lifeline for families to be able to get the treatment and help they need to heal from the devastating trauma of domestic violence and sexual assault."

Thirty percent of STOP VAWA funds are committed to non-profit victim service providers who offer victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence core services that are sensitive to their needs and safety. These services include crisis intervention, legal services, medical accompaniment, bilingual hotlines and safety planning, as well as resources to courts that provide legal representation to victims of intimate partnership violence who are seeking court protection.

"The YWCA of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County is incredibly grateful to the O'Malley-Brown Administration for its support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault," said Molly Knipe, Executive Director of the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. "Funding from the Governor's Office of Crime Control & Prevention helps allow the YWCA to serve almost 10,000 clients annually through the domestic violence safe house shelter, hospital accompaniment, legal representation in peace and protective orders, domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines, and licensed therapy."

During the O'Malley-Brown Administration, GOCCP has administered over $68.5 million in grant funding to agencies addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. Since 2010, the Administration has more than doubled the number of hospital-based domestic violence programs. Currently there are 10 hospital-based programs statewide.

Maryland also offers the Victim Information & Notification Everyday (VINE) program, which allows individuals to check the status of an offender day or night, and Vine Protective Order (VPO), a separate, critical service to victims of domestic violence. VPO automatically notifies the petitioner, victim advocates, and law enforcement when a protective order has been served, which is one of the most dangerous times for victims, and keeps them informed throughout the process.

On October 2, 2014, three new laws that expand protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault went into effect in Maryland. These new laws, which were O'Malley-Brown Administration bills, include:

Changing the standard of proof to allow Maryland Courts to issue a final peace or protective order from "Clear and convincing evidence" to a "preponderance of the evidence" , ensuring that more victims of domestic violence have access to the protections they need;

Changing existing law to make it easier for survivors of domestic violence to obtain final permanent protective orders, and adding second-degree assault to the list of crimes that qualify a person to obtain a permanent final protective order;

Enhancing the penalties for a person who commits a crime of violence in the presence of a child in a home.

Under the leadership of the O'Malley-Brown Administration, violent crime in Maryland has been driven down to the lowest rate in nearly 40 years. In 2013, the number of female and juvenile homicide victims was down 26.2 percent since 2006.

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