American Politics Speaker Series: Funding Women’s Human Security

You’re invited to join Wendy Schiller, Alison S. Ressler Professor of Political Science at Brown University, for an American Politics Speaker Series discussion sponsored by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the Center for American Political Studies.

Registration is encouraged but not required. This event series will not be recorded.

This event is open to Harvard ID holders only. Lunch will be served.

Abstract

Domestic violence (DV) in the United States is an acute problem facing women that cuts across age, race, ethnicity, education, and income, and is a component of the inequality in human security that women face every day. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), originally enacted in 1994, was lauded for categorizing domestic violence as a federal crime and an important issue of public policy. To expand the federal infrastructure devoted to this issue, the VAWA established the Office on Women Against Violence (OVW) in the U.S. Department of Justice. The OVW provides grant money to address multiple categories of violence against women including training of law enforcement and enhancing prosecution of domestic violence, transitional housing, social support services, and legal assistance. Some programs are geared toward specific demographics, such as violence toward those with disabilities, Native Americans, elderly abuse victims, and violence that occurs in rural areas. In this paper, we explore the patterns of OVW grant funding over time (2006-2021) to assess the relationship between federal financial support and state policy alignment with federal laws. This work is part of a larger project that seeks to draw a comprehensive picture of the infrastructure of domestic violence policy at all levels of government in the United States.

About the Series

The United States is at a crossroads. How can Americans connect to each other in deep and meaningful ways, despite holding drastically different political world views? What are the causes and consequences of our nation’s historic levels of partisan polarization? Just how far can democratic backsliding go? The American Politics Speaker Series (APSS) aims to bring together scholars who are doing research on these and other important questions. Hosted jointly with the Center for American Political Studies and chaired by Professors Benjamin Schneer and Justin de Benedictis-Kessner, each session will highlight a scholar whose research is at the forefront of the study of American politics.

Event Details

The Ash Center encourages individuals with disabilities to participate in its events. Should you wish to enquire about an accommodation, please contact our events team at info@ash.harvard.edu prior to the event.