The Central Virginia Task Force on Domestic Violence in Later Life
The Central Virginia Task Force on Domestic Violence in Later Life is a multi-disciplinary local partnership of organizations working since 1998 to raise awareness and improve the community response to women aged 50 and older who experience domestic, sexual, or family violence. We accomplish our work through quarterly, multi-disciplinary meetings which always include a professional development component; an annual cross-disciplinary training; workshops and trainings; and by providing technical assistance to agencies in developing best practices to address abuse in later life. Sign up to join the the task force here.
The Task Force's Domestic Violence in Later Life project was among six Violence Against Women Act funded programs from Virginia recognized in the White House report, 1 is 2 Many: Twenty Years Fighting Violence Against Women and Girls.
Purposes of the Task Force
- Increasing awareness of the prevalence of domestic, sexual and family violence in the lives of women aged 50 and older
- Providing a forum for resource sharing and interaction among service providers and agencies
- Promoting cross training and collaboration among service providers and agencies
- Supporting and recommending policy and program initiatives, and seeking funding for training, outreach and services to address the needs of this underserved population
Professional Disciplines Involved
- Law Enforcement
- Criminal Justice
- Social Services
- Health Care
- Victim Advocacy
- Aging Services
- Mental Health
- Housing
- Financial Institutions
- Faith Community
Don't see your profession listed? No worries! Contact us to get involved and get added to our list!
We help professionals...
- Understand the types and dynamics of abuse in later life
- Discover resources available from professionals in other disciplines and
- Better understand the different roles of those disciplines
- Create avenues to find new and innovative solutions to improve systems for the victims’ benefit
- Join forces with partners to assist all agencies in improving coordinated care, placing the person first
Professional partners are invited at no cost to engage in the work of the Task Force:
Quarterly multi-disciplinary meetings
These meetings provide a forum for professionals across disciplines to ask questions, identify gaps in services, and engage in problem solving, as well as share information, resources, experiences and ideas on best practices, relevant public policy changes, and more.
Annual cross-disciplinary training
Using a nationally developed curriculum, this one-day, eight-hour training brings together a multi-disciplinary team to present in-depth instruction and discussion on abuse in later life.
Workshops & trainings
These customized programs can run 30 minutes to 2 hours and can cover a variety of topics related to abuse in later life, depending on the needs of the participants.
Technical assistance
Our program manager is available to assist agencies in developing best practices to address abuse in later life.
The Virginia Center on Aging administers two projects on behalf of the Task Force:
Focus: intimate partner violence and sexual assault in later life
Jurisdictions served: City of Richmond; Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico
In September 2014, the Domestic Violence in Later Life Project was among six Violence Against Women Act funded programs from Virginia recognized in the White House report, 1 is 2 Many: Twenty Years Fighting Violence Against Women and Girls.
This project is supported in whole or part by Grant NO. 16-N4145VA15 awarded by the Department of Criminal Justice Services from funds authorized by the federal Violence Against Women Act and awarded to Virginia by the U.S. Department of Justice. Opinions or points of view expressed do not necessarily represent those of DCJS or the Justice Department.
Funds support the program manager who serves as a liaison among local agencies, conducts training, develops resource materials, and facilitates workgroups.
Focus: Family violence and sexual assault in later life
Jurisdictions served: City of Richmond; Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico; technical assistance provided statewide
This project was supported by the Department of Criminal Justice Services award no. 17-l4895DV17 from funds made available through the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fund. The opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of DCJS.
Funds support the program manager who serves as a liaison among collaborating agencies, conducts training, develops resource materials, and provides subject matter expertise statewide.
Contact us! Get Involved!
For more information on getting involved with the Task Force, scheduling a training, or arranging for technical assistance, contact Courtney O’Hara at (804) 828-1650 or cdohara@vcu.edu.
Click here to download the Central VA Task Force on Domestic Violence in Later Life Brochure.