Tennessee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence

Programs & Activities

Click on the heading of the project you are interested in for more information.

Training and Technical Assistance to Communities
The Coalition provides training and technical assistance on domestic and sexual violence to communities throughout Tennessee . We offer a wide variety of training opportunities including regional training, P.O.S.T. approved law enforcement training, and an annual conference. Technical assistance is offered on program and policy development.

Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
The Resource Center acts as a clearinghouse for domestic violence and sexual assault information, responds to our toll-free information line, coordinates our speakers' bureau, works on public policy issues and manages our web page.

Immigrant Legal Clinic
The Immigrant Legal Clinic provides legal advice and representation to immigrant and trafficked victims of domestic or sexual violence throughout Tennessee.

Domestic Violence State Coordinating Council
The Domestic Violence State Coordinating Council was established by the Tennessee General Assembly to develop model policies, training curriculums for law enforcement agencies and the court, and to certify and monitor batterer's intervention programs. Composed of representatives from law enforcement, courts, and victim services, the Council also provides training and technical assistance to communities.

Senator Tommy Burks Tennessee Victim Assistance Academy
Named in memory of the late Senator Tommy Burks, the Victim Assistance Academy provides a comprehensive, basic-level victim assistance training to victim services providers and allied professionals. The Academy is held annually at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga .

Law Enforcement Training Project
The Law Enforcement Training Project was designed to improve law enforcement response to domestic and sexual violence through training, technical assistance and policy development. The Coalition offers P.O.S.T. approved in service training and the Law Enforcement Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Interdiction 40 hour curriculum. 

Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification Program (SAVIN)
The Tennessee Statewide Automated Victim Information and Notification Program (SAVIN) allows crime victims in participating counties to obtain timely and reliable information about an offender's custody status 24 hours a day by telephone, through the internet, or by e-mail. Users can simply call a toll free number or go on-line to access the information. The service is available in English and Spanish.

Tennessee Rural Sexual Assault Expansion Project
The goal of the project is to enhance the safety of child, youth, and adult sexual assault victims living in sixteen rural counties in Tennessee by making services more available and accessible.

Boys Against Violence - Youth Violence Prevention Project
The Boys Against Violence Project, funded by the Baptist Healing Trust, is designed to reduce intimate partner violence by fostering attitudes that empower boys to intervene when they witness behavior that promotes or condones violence against women or girls. The project includes creating a diverse Youth Advisory Group (Teen Voices Against Violence),developing a violence prevention curriculum for middle school boys, and providing training and technical assistance to communities on youth violence prevention.

Mothers Organizing for Children's Justice
The goal of the Mothers Organizing for Children's Justice Project is to enhance the safety of battered women and their children by organizing a network of mothers across the state who can respond to public policy issues impacting children.

Cultural Competency Project
The Cultural Competency Project addresses access, language and cultural barriers faced by immigrant and refugee victims and works to enhance culturally competent domestic violence and sexual assault services through training, technical assistance and program development.

Public Awareness Campaign
The Public Awareness Campaign which includes television and radio PSAs, is the first statewide public awareness campaign targeting domestic violence and sexual assault in Tennessee . The campaign is based on the truth that domestic and sexual violence is not specific to one race, one socio-economic or education level, one religion, or one sexual orientation. As stated in the campaign, "It can happen to anyone. It's not your fault. You are not alone."

The PSAs promote the statewide crisis line, 800-356-6767.

Somebody Say Something Video Submission Contest
The Somebody Say Something Video Submission Contest encourages teens to create a short video challenging others to get involved in solving dating violence in their community. Regional winning videos will be premiered at the Coalition's 25 th Anniversary Event in October, 2008 and shown in schools throughout the state as well as on primetime television.

Teen Website
The Coalition's teen website, www.tnblue.org , offers information on dating violence and sexual assault.

Coalition Website
The Coalition's website, tcadsv.org , provides information about Tennessee domestic and sexual violence programs, trainings and events, legislative updates, and resources.

Public Policy Updates
The Coalition provides updates to keep programs and advocates current on public policy issues relative to domestic and sexual violence.

Senator Tommy Burks Legal Defense Fund
The Senator Tommy Burks Legal Defense Fund is set up as an endowment, will be used to defend the rights of domestic violence victims and assist cases that establish case law and precedent.

Economic Empowerment Project
The Coalition has been awarded a grant from the Allstate Foundation for an Economic Empowerment initiative. The Coalition will host a one-day train-the-trainer event on the Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum for domestic violence advocates and allied professionals. The Coalition will provide Tennessee programs with facilitator copies as well as copies of the curriculum that can be distributed to survivors as part of economic empowerment advocacy. The Coalition will also provide ongoing technical support. This initiative builds on previous work conducted in partnership with Women Are Safe that had the goal of assisting domestic violence victims to become economically independent and self-sufficient.

Forensic Rape Exam Public Awareness Campaign
This Public Awareness Campaign is designed to educate survivors, advocates and medical providers about the availability of free rape exams. The Coalition has created an informative webpage containing three different downloadable posters in English, Spanish and Lao, links to the compensation statute and Tennessee sexual assault programs, and FAQ's in English and Spanish.

Project to Encourage Arrests
The Project to Encourage Arrests includes a three day judicial leadership institute, three day law enforcement executive institute, two 40 hour law enforcement academies, increasing the number of paid court advocates in thirteen communities, and revisions to Tennessee' model law enforcement policy and Domestic Violence / Sexual Assault Interdiction Curriculum. Click here for more information on 2009 Law Enforcement Leadership Institute.

Community Awareness Activities and Events
These events are designed to raise awareness about issues facing victims of domestic and sexual violence including the annual Domestic Violence Awareness Event in October and Sexual Assault Awareness Activities and the Tennessee Crime Victims Right.