Mission Statement:

To help prevent violence against women by advancing knowledge about prevention research and fostering collaboration among advocates, practitioners, policy makers, and researchers.

Background of the NVAWPRC:

Violence against women is a major problem in the United States and other countries. Such violence is a public health problem that affects the physical and mental health of victims. Preventing violence is an important societal goal that requires accurate information about the types of violence women experience throughout their lives. Equally important is information about effective prevention strategies and how to put them into practice.

Recognizing the need for better information, the U.S. Congress included a provision in the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which directed the National Research Council to develop research that would increase the understanding of violence against women. The National Research Council convened the Panel on Research on Violence Against Women. The Panel gathered information through hearings and research and released a report published by the National Academy of Sciences Press (Crowell, N.A., & Burgess, A.W., 1996, Understanding Violence Against Women, Washington, DC: National Academy Press).

The report evaluated the level of knowledge in several areas, including the nature and scope of VAW, prevention and intervention, and research infrastructure needs. After a thorough review, the Panel concluded that the current research infrastructure (e.g., funding, training, and cooperation between researchers and practitioners) was insufficient and made the following recommendations:

Establish three to four research centers within academic or other appropriate settings to support the development of studies and training programs focused on violence against women.
Provide opportunities for collaboration between researchers and practitioners.
Provide technical assistance for integrating research into service provision. (Page 153).