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Mission/Vision
Facilitate changes in policy and institutional practice that contribute to the prevention of all
forms of violence against women.
Program Description and Key Functions
In 2003, VPU was awarded a one-year planning grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to
establish and coordinate the Violence Against Women Statewide Prevention Project (VAWSPP). VPU staff
convened a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders to participate as partners in this project to
identify changes in policy and institutional practice that would prevent all forms of violence against
women. A report was published in April 2004 outlining priority policy recommendations for the
prevention of violence against women entitled
California Statewide Policy Recommendation for the Prevention of Violence Against Women.
Since that time, EPIC has continued the VAWSPP, working in partnership with key agencies and the
major statewide coalitions and organizations necessary to the successful implementation of a comprehensive violence against women prevention effort. The VAWSPP has been integrated into the VPU and recommendations from the statewide policy document guide the work of the VPU. Focused within a primary prevention framework, staff move forward on initiatives through statewide partnerships and collaborations established in the planning process, and by continuing to facilitate the coordinating committee and implementation work groups focused on individual policy recommendations.
Not only has EPIC taken the leadership in the development of the VAWSPP Statewide Policy Recommendations
for the Prevention of Violence Against Women, but has continued to champion prevention efforts by
facilitating implementation workgroups to establish action fields for priority policy recommendations
contained in this document. As a result of this successful process and leadership, EPIC is positioned
to facilitate ongoing collaboration, policy development, and coordination of varied violence against
women prevention programs.
Target Populations
The focus of the VAWSPP is on organizational change and policy development. Therefore, the main audience is comprised
of key decision makers and representatives of statewide organizations involved in violence against women
efforts. However, in building capacity for prevention initiatives, some activities support and involve
entire constituencies within the domestic violence, sexual violence, or other violence against women
issues.
Key Partners
The work of the VAWSPP is accomplished through key partnerships with organizations throughout the
state including but not limited to: California Attorney General’s Office, California Commission on the
Status of Women, California Department of Education, California Department of Social Services,
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, and the
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
Recent Successes/Milestones
The VAWSPP has contributed significantly to implementation of several new policy initiatives
including: proposed policies supporting the adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in California; passage of two anti-trafficking bills that
contain prevention strategies; a new Violence Against Women with Disabilities initiative within EPIC;
and the creation of a new California Violence Against Women Primary Prevention Partnership that is
dedicated to establishing new funding sources and program initiatives for primary prevention.
In addition, an annual statewide gathering, Ending Violence Against Women:
A Forum for Primary Prevention Advocates has been designed to build capacity and collaboration around emerging VAW
prevention issues.
Additional Information
Please contact Nancy Bagnato, MPH, VAWSPP Coordinator, at
nancy.bagnato@cdph.ca.gov.
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