Advance Policy
For more than 40 years, we have worked to enhance Virginia’s response to and prevention of sexual and domestic violence through advocacy, policy leadership, training, and technical assistance.
We are committed to ensuring that our policy work addresses the urgent needs of victims and promotes a comprehensive approach to responding to and preventing sexual and intimate partner violence.
Our policy work is guided by these core principles:
- We balance promotion of sexual and intimate partner violence prevention and intervention strategies, rely heavily on a practice of innovation, and frame our efforts in the belief that a world without violence is possible.
- We collaborate and engage our members as partners and leaders in our efforts, encourage community work that successfully engages broad collaboration, build bridges across disciplines, and build alliances with organizations seeking common outcomes.
- We address the root causes of sexual and intimate partner violence and promote social change in two vital ways:
- We center the voices and leadership of people impacted by violence and those most marginalized in our work.
- We ensure that our work is guided by a trauma-informed approach to intervention, an asset-building approach to prevention, and grounded in a commitment to racial justice.
Policy Positions
In August 2021, a diverse group of Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency (SDVA) Directors convened to begin discussing the significant and ongoing funding and sustainability challenges faced by Virginia’s 70+ crisis response agencies. Based on those discussions and rigorous data gathering, the group created a 10-Year Movement Sustainability Plan and recommendations to the field. This plan is not a mandate, rather it is a set of strategies, grounded in shared values and collective expertise gathered from advocates and directors across Virginia’s movement to end sexual and domestic violence. It is intended to act as a blueprint towards movement sustainability. Download it here:
The Building Thriving Communities Toolkit includes tools and resources for SDVAs to increase civic engagement among survivors, partners, and community members. Tools include:
- A Community Conversation Facilitator Guide on Civic Engagement
- Sample Community Art Actions
- Voter Education Guides and Resources for Continued Learning
- The Action Alliance’s Legislative Advocacy Guide
- Questions for Candidates
- Posters & Handout: Why Voting Matters
Position Statements
The position statements below inform policy leaders, the media, and the general public about issues facing advocates and survivors. Policies that align with these principles help shape and support safe, healthy, and thriving communities throughout the Commonwealth.