Domestic Violence

NCHE Resources

Domestic Violence, Homelessness, and Children’s Education
This brief discusses the effects of domestic violence on children and their education, the connection between domestic violence and homelessness, and federal legislative responses that help ensure that children affected by domestic violence and homelessness have stable and safe school experiences. It discusses helpful policies and practices for schools and service providers, and lists resources for more information.
Download Domestic Violence, Homelessness, and Children’s Education.

Other Resources

Address Confidentiality Programs
This webpage from the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) provides information on state Address Confidentiality Programs. Address Confidentiality Programs were created to protect victims of stalking, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes from offenders who use public records, such as voter or drivers’ license registries, to locate them. These programs give victims a legal substitute address (usually a post office box) to use in place of their physical address. Mail sent to the substitute address is forwarded to the victim’s actual address. It is important to remember that these programs can only work if the perpetrator does not know where the victim lives, and when used in conjunction with other safety strategies.
Visit the Address Confidentiality Programs webpage.
Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence
This manual from the Children’s Bureau provides background information on the complex topic of domestic violence and addresses the following practice issues: the overlap between child maltreatment and domestic violence; the basics of domestic violence; modifying child protection practice with families experiencing domestic violence; enhancing caseworker safety and support in child protection cases involving domestic violence; and building collaborative responses for families experiencing domestic violence. Appendices include a glossary of terms; child, victim, and alleged perpetrator domestic violence assessments; safety plans; and information about developing a memorandum of understanding.
Download Child Protection in Families Experiencing Domestic Violence.
Closing the Gap: Integrating Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence Experiencing Homelessness: A Toolkit for Transitional Housing Programs
This toolkit from the American Institutes for Research seeks to improve the lives of families experiencing domestic violence by equipping providers in the domestic violence and homeless service systems with practical knowledge of homelessness and its intersection with domestic violence. By laying the groundwork to understand the intersection between domestic violence and homelessness, this toolkit offers practical strategies that providers can follow to improve service integration.
Download Closing the Gap: Integrating Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence Experiencing Homelessness: A Toolkit for Transitional Housing Programs.
Domestic Violence and Schools
This webpage from MassLegalHelp provides a variety of materials for schools and parents to use to protect the education and school safety of children who have been exposed to domestic violence. The materials explain how the laws protecting children work while the checklists offer practical ways that schools and parents can help children who have lived with domestic violence get the most out of their education. 
Visit the Domestic Violence and Schools webpage.
Domestic Violence Counts: National Census of Domestic Violence Services
This report from the National Network to End Domestic Violence provides an annual noninvasive, unduplicated count of adults and children who seek services from U.S. domestic violence shelter programs during a single 24-hour survey period. Conducted annually by NNEDV since 2006, this Census takes into account the dangerous nature of domestic violence by using a survey designed to protect the confidentiality and safety of victims.
Download Domestic Violence Counts: National Census of Domestic Violence Services (Census).
Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence among Poor Children Experiencing Homelessness or Residential Instability
This research brief from the Institute for Children and Poverty (ICP) explores the issue of intimate partner violence among homeless mothers in shelters. Children’s exposure to intimate partner violence impacts their social-emotional functioning, relationships with parents and peers, and academic achievement. Analysis of a national study reveals that children’s fathers victimized greater percentages of poor mothers experiencing homelessness or residential instability than residentially stable mothers, and poor children experiencing homelessness or residential instability witnessed a physical fight between their parents at higher rates than residentially stable poor children.
Download Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence among Poor Children Experiencing Homelessness or Residential Instability.
Futures Without Violence
Futures Without Violence, formerly the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF), is one of the nation’s premiere organizations working to prevent domestic violence and prevent more women and children from having their lives devastated by abuse. Futures Without Violence was a driving force behind the Violence Against Women Act, and continues to fight for laws to support victims and prevent family violence.
Visit the Futures Without Violence website.
Housing and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet
This fact sheet from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center provides a variety of informational resources about the connection between housing and sexual violence. The webpage includes resources for victim service professionals and other service providers, and information about federal laws related to sexual violence and access to affordable housing.
Download the Housing and Sexual Violence Fact Sheet.
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence designs, provides, and customizes training and consultation; influences policy; promotes collaboration; and enhances diversity with the goal of ending domestic and sexual violence.
Visit the National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence website.
National Domestic Violence Helpline
The National Domestic Violence Helpline (NDVH) provides victims of domestic violence access to help and support via a toll-free helpline, available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. With a database of more than 4,000 shelters and service providers across the United States, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Hotline provides callers with information they might otherwise have found difficult or impossible to obtain. Assistance is available in English and other languages at 800-799-7233. Assistance for the deaf is available by calling the TTY line at 800-787-3224.
Visit the National Domestic Violence Helpline website.
Runaway and Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Toolkit: Guidance and Materials for Practitioners
This Toolkit from the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence was developed by and for advocates in the runaway and homeless youth (RHY) and domestic and sexual assault (DV/SA) fields to help programs address relationship violence with runaway and homeless youth better. The Toolkit organizes information, resources, tips, and tools drawn from the lessons learned by collaborative projects funded by the Family and Youth Services Bureau(FYSB) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. DV/SA providers will find information designed to increase their understanding of runaway and homeless youth and the network of programs and services working with them; conversely, RHY providers will find resources on intimate partner violence and the programs and networks that provide protections and support to victims of violence.
Access the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Relationship Violence Toolkit: Guidance and Materials for Practitioners.