AVON PROGRAM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Justice O'Connor believes that to solve complex problems stakeholders should be brought together to discuss views and reach consensus on concrete steps to advance solutions. In that spirit, the Avon Program Domestic Violence Advisory Committee, co-chaired by Kim Sterling and Lucia Howard, is convened quarterly representing a diverse group from across Arizona. Since April 2009, this committee has been meeting to maximize Justice O'Connor's commitment to elevate the priority of domestic violence within the justice system and community, leverage resources through partnerships and collaborations, and formulate projects that produce outcomes.

Key 2011 projects are:

Convene the community to create solutions to empower victims and improve the systems that assist them.

  1. Convene stakeholders to craft effective solutions so that orders of protection are easier for domestic violence victims to obtain and for law enforcement and the courts to serve and enforce. Our goal: to remove the victim from serving orders of protection. See the Protective Orders Task Force for more information.
  2. Outline the features of Victim Advocacy programs and recruit volunteer attorneys with ASU's Halle Center on Family Justice Legal Clinic and other community providers so that every victim of domestic violence has access to social, health and justice services.

Leverage leadership and resources to enhance knowledge and build capacity.

  1. Co-host Avon International Mentoring Program with ASU's Halle Center on Family Justice and Vital Voices Global Partnership for 10 leaders from around the world to develop an international network of activists working to end violence against women (click here for more information about this wonderful program)
  2. With U.S. Attorney and community partners, expand awareness, prevention and interdiction of sex trafficking. (Click here to join email list and receive updates and information).

Raise awareness about the myths and facts regarding domestic violence to prevent it from occurring.

  1. Implement the Speak 0ut Against Domestic Violence Campaign to reach 1 million Arizonans to raise awareness about domestic violence. (Click here for Speak Out Against Domestic Violence Poster Awareness Campaign Task Force) www.oconnordvposter.com
  2. Improve media reporting of domestic violence by identifying funding for the Sandra Day O'Connor Journalism Award for Excellence in Reporting on Violence against Women.

For more information about this committee, contact:
Lucia Howard, Co-chair of Domestic Violence Advisory Committee, at lucia@oconnorhouse.org, or
Kim Sterling-Heflin, Co-chair of Domestic Violence Advisory Committee, at kim@oconnorhouse.org