The Vera Institute of Justice has launched a new Center on Victimization and Safety (CVS) which will work in partnership with government and nonprofit organizations to help people who experience domestic or sexual violence. CVS aims to prevent and address domestic violence, sexual assault, and related crimes by promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration and by advancing policies and practices that hold abusers accountable and help survivors to heal.

Nancy Smith has been named the inaugural director of the Center. Smith has run Vera’s Accessing Safety Initiative (ASI) since December 2005.

“Although other crimes in the United States have been declining, it seems clear that domestic violence, sexual assault, and other similar offenses are on the rise,” said Smith. “The Center on Victimization and Safety builds on a strong current and historical foundation of Vera work in this area, in New York and across the nation, to help jurisdictions make the most of limited resources and continue providing innovative services to end violence in their communities.”

CVS’s initial work is anchored by ASI and two new major projects:

• Since 2005 the Accessing Safety Initiative has helped disability and victim-service organizations throughout the United States work and learn across disciplines to better meet the needs of survivors with disabilities and Deaf survivors;
• The new Supervised Visitation Initiative helps professionals working at the intersection of domestic violence and custody to improve the quality and safety of supervised visitation between adults and children through partnerships with other agencies when appropriate and by providing training and guidance to staff;
• The Promising Practices Initiative, also new, works closely with government officials and experts throughout the U.S. to identify and share practices that jurisdictions can use to respond effectively to domestic violence, sexual violence, and stalking. 

All three projects are funded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women.

 “We are thrilled that CVS is taking its place alongside our existing centers on Immigration and Justice, Sentencing and Corrections, and Youth Justice,” said Vera’s director, Michael Jacobson.

As part of the new center, Sandra Harrell, ASI’s associate director since November 2007, has been appointed the director of ASI. Ona Foster, who has spent the past seven years implementing and directing a supervised visitation program in Dallas, Texas, has been appointed director of the Supervised Visitation Initiative. The Promising Practices Initiative will be directed by Catherine Carroll who, prior to her appointment, provided training and technical assistance on legal issues impacting survivors of sexual violence in Washington State.

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