Patchwork

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives protects the public in party by enforcing gun laws. The agency plays a leading role the Department of Justice’s efforts to keep communities safe by regulating gun traffic and removing weapons from dangerous people, including perpetrators of domestic violence.

In this episode of Patchwork, Regina Lombardo, the first woman to lead the ATF, explains how her agency works in partnership to prevent domestic violence. She shares how the ATF ensures that the victims of domestic violence get the help they need for their safety and survival, as well as the critical role that protective orders play in the coordinated effort to prevent violence. 

Firearms in the hands of abusers dramatically increase the risk of homicide for victims of domestic violence. Law enforcement officers face significant danger when responding to domestic violence emergencies where a gun is present. United States Attorneys are taking a leading role in working to reduce the danger. 

In this episode, Erin Nealy Cox, the US Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, describes how she enforces gun laws to keep people safe. She describes how federal prosecution serves victims of domestic violence by eliminating the need for their testimony in court.

The presence of a firearm dramatically increases the likelihood of homicide in a domestic violence situation. This heightened danger extends to everyone in the household as well as law enforcement officers who respond to domestic violence calls. 

In this episode, David Keck, the Project Director for the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, shares concerns he has heard from the communities he works with in their efforts to ensure that domestic violence abusers do not have firearms. David also frames the definition of mass shootings and how domestic violence situations are often a catalyst for large-scale shootings.  

Pastor Tony Lowden serves as the Executive Director of the Federal Interagency Council on Crime Prevention and Improving Reentry. In his role, he travels to different communities to learn how to best address issues to prevent crime, including domestic violence. 

Growing up in a home where he was exposed to domestic violence, Tony draws from his past to connect with those who need help today. In this episode, Tony shares some of his experiences and offers suggestions for communities to tackle this issue. In the past, Tony has served as a pastor at President Jimmy Carter’s church, in Georgia, where he led discussion about family values and setting good role models. 

If you or anyone you know is suffering from domestic violence, there is help available at the National Hotline. They can be reached at www.thehotline.org, or called at (800) 799-7233.

On October 15th, 2020, the Department of Justice will be transitioning to a new grants management system called JustGrants as well as a grants payment system known as the Automated Standard Application for Payments, or ASAP.

In this episode, Lauren Nassikas, the Associate Director for the Legal Assistance for Victims and the Justice for Families programs at OVW, describes the transition experience for grantees as they prepare to adopt the new system. She is joined by Maria Swineford, the Business Manager for JustGrants at the Office of Justice Programs. Maria sheds light on the technical aspects of the transition, such as how to register for the systems and the available trainings. Together, they share their hopes for a unified and easy-to-use system for OVW, OJP, and COPS grantees. 

Dr. David Hunt is a recipient of the Attorney General’s Citizen Volunteer Service Award. He was recently recognized for his volunteer work with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) where he works with their artists to illustrate what children who have gone missing might look like years later. When he is not helping solve cases, Dr. Hunt works as a physical and forensic anthropologist and archaeologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

In this episode of Patchwork, Dr. Hunt describes cases that he’s helped with and sheds light onto the many facets of his work. He also provides a general framework on how to be successful for those who are interested in a career in forensic science.

Carrie Mitchell has worked at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) as a Grant Program Specialist for 12 years. She currently works on the Justice for Families Program.  

In this episode of Patchwork, Carrie shares tips about how articulating a strong business case for a good cause helps secure grant funding. She talks about the elements of strong grant applications and offers suggestions about how to make a strong pitch to secure federal funding. 

Deb DeBare serves as Senior Deputy Director at the National Network to End Domestic Violence. The NNEDV works to provide technical support to frontline staff across the nation combating domestic violence.  

In this episode of Patchwork, Deb shares stories of how domestic violence coalitions are continuing their work to provide services and hope to victims of domestic violence during the public health crisis created by COVID-19. 

Beth Hassett is CEO of WEAVE, an organization with a mission to promote safe and healthy relationships and support survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and sex trafficking.  
 
In this episode of Patchwork, Beth talks about the difference between trafficking and domestic violence, the many facets of getting trafficking victims into housing, and the biggest challenges WEAVE faces when serving survivors.  

Patchwork, a podcast from the U.S. Department of Justice, offers a glimpse into the implementation of VAWA, a federal movement to protect women. The podcast shows how VAWA grants are made, how federal funding supports communities across the country and features voices of people on the front lines. Patchwork threads together stories from over 25 years of federally funded efforts to serve victims and hold offenders accountable.