We have been selected to receive a $550,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to implement a Justice for Families (JFF) program in Maine. Twenty-five other programs across the country have also received funding to implement their own JFF projects. Maine’s three-year grant will help establish free supervised visitation and safe exchange services in…
On July 11, MCEDV’s Francine Garland Stark and Andrea Mancuso joined other state domestic violence coalitions at the White House, alongside survivors of gun violence and family members of those killed by firearms, to recognize passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act is the first substantial federal legislation in decades…
Today is a bad day for all of us. MCEDV is devastated by today’s news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, shattering the right of people with the ability to conceive and bear children to determine what happens to our bodies and our lives. While this news comes as no surprise, it…
On March 15, President Biden signed into law an omnibus appropriations bill which included the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization of 2022 (S. 3623), as well as funding increases for other key domestic violence programs. Passage of this bill signals ongoing bipartisan support for responding to domestic abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.…
October is nationally recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This year, domestic violence programs across Maine will host a variety of events and campaigns, exploring what safety really means for people experiencing domestic abuse and violence. Below is a partial list of those efforts. Please follow your local domestic violence program directly for the most…
Two pieces of legislation that strengthen Maine’s programming for people who commit domestic abuse are now law: LD 1491: An Act to Ensure Access to and Availability of Violence Intervention Services to Reduce Domestic Violence in Maine People who perpetrate domestic abuse and violence live and work in our communities, and so our responses must also be community-based. Last week, LD 1491:…
On Thursday, June 8th, Governor Mills signed into law LD 947: An Act to Address the Long-Term Impact of Economic Abuse by a Spouse. MCEDV worked with Representative Laura Supica of Bangor and Pine Tree Legal Assistance to put forward this legislation. It further responds to the call of survivors across Maine for more effective…
On April 28th, MCEDV joined with members of Maine’s Domestic Abuse Homicide Review Panel at a virtual press event to present the Panel’s 13th Biennial Report. In addition to reviewing cases from the last two years, the Report includes a 20-year lookback at domestic abuse homicide in Maine. It identified areas of progress and work…
On February 3, 2021, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety to present our report, “Initial Findings on the Effectiveness of Maine’s Certified Batterer Intervention Programs.” After an introduction from partners at the Department of Corrections, MCEDV’s Violence Prevention & Intervention Coordinator…
AUGUSTA – As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to an end, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly towards creating safety and justice for domestic abuse and violence survivors its Champions of Change Awards. The awards were given virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first honoree is…
