Domestic Violence Resource Program

In 2012, 114 women were killed by their intimate partner. Additionally, in the 2011 Crime in Texas report, the Texas Department of Public Safety reported that there were 198,366 incidents of domestic violence, which involved 198,504 victims and 194,317 offenders. While these numbers may seem staggering, it is important to note that many studies indicate that less than 50 percent of all family violence incidents are actually reported to the police. (Intimate Partner Violence, Bureau of Justice Statistics, May 2000).

According to a 2011 study conducted by the Institute of Domestic and Sexual Assault - University of Texas at Austin, nearly 32% of all Texans (37.7 % of females and 26.8 % of males have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.   Domestic violence affects all segments of our community and the courts have a key role in increasing victim safety and offender accountability.   Therefore, it is important that all participants in the justice system be aware of and trained in the complexities of family violence dynamics, legal procedures, and the services available for referral in the community.

The goal of the Office of Court Administration’s domestic violence resource program is to provide a judicial benchbook, technical assistance and training for justice personnel in order to serve domestic violence victims and their families.