Official Site of The State of New Jersey
The Division on Women develops, promotes, and expands women’s rights in the areas of poverty and welfare, employment and wages, work and family, the economic and social aspects of healthcare, violence against women, and women’s civic and political participation in their communities.
Mission
The mission of the Division on Women (DOW) is to create, promote and expand the rights and opportunities for all women in the State of New Jersey.
DOW provides leadership in the formulation of public policy and in the development, coordination and evaluation of programs and services for women.
Vision
DOW is committed to the advancement of women as full partners in society.
- Funds, monitors, and evaluates programs for the advancement of women
- Develops new programs to serve women
- Refers women to direct service providers
- Provides information on women's issue to the public
- Provides technical assistance to agencies representing women
- Represents women on boards, commissions, councils, committees, and task forces and provides input and recommendations on issues pertaining to the Division's Mission
Programs administered by DOW
- Address Confidentiality Program
- Batterer Intervention Program
- Culturally Specific Initiative
- Displaced Homemaker Program
- Domestic Violence Direct Services
- Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board
- Domestic Violence Liaison Program
- Hispanic Women’s Resource Centers
- Peace: A Learned Solution (P.A.L.S.)
- Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence
- Rape Prevention Education (R.P.E.)
- Safety and Accountability Assessments
- Sexual Assault Direct Services
- Violence Against Women Certificate Program
In 1974, the New Jersey Division on Women (DOW) was established as a pioneering state agency for women's advocacy throughout the state.
DOW's mission is to create, promote and expand the rights and opportunities for all women in the State of New Jersey. The Division supports the development, coordination and evaluation of programs and services for women and other constituents.
DOW administers state and federal funding and oversees programming in the areas of domestic violence, sexual violence; cultural inclusion and accessibility; prevention; economic self-sufficiency and financial empowerment; and policy and assessment. It also collaborates with public and private entities on laws, policy, and program development.
New Jersey Domestic Violence Hotline
1 (800) 572-SAFE (7233)
24 hours a day/7 days a week
The New Jersey Domestic Violence Hotline provides confidential access to domestic violence information and services, including crisis intervention, referral, and advocacy. Bilingual and accessible to the deaf and hearing impaired.
New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA) Hotline
1 (800) 601-7200
24 hours a day/7 days a week
The New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA) connects individuals affected by sexual violence with professionals that provide assistance and referrals. Calls are routed to the closest rape crisis care center.
NJCASA is the collective voice for victims of sexual violence, their loved ones and rape crisis centers across New Jersey.
Women's Referral Central Hotline
1 (800) 322-8092
24 hours a day/7 days a week
The Women's Referral Central Hotline provides comprehensive information, referrals, active listening, and crisis response for issues confronting New Jersey residents, including but not limited to:
- Child Care
- Discrimination
- Displaced Homemaker
- Divorce
- Employment
- Housing
- Job Training
- Legal Assistance
- Single Parenting
- Social Services
New Jersey Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) Hotline
1 (877) 218-9133
Toll Free-Non-Emergency
The New Jersey Address Confidentiality Program Hotline provides access to domestic violence information and services, including application procedures referral and advocacy.
Click HERE for additional hotlines and helplines for families.
Family Violence Prevention Services Act
The Family Violence Prevention and Services Program administers the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), the primary federal funding stream dedicated to the support of emergency shelter and related assistance for victims of domestic violence and their children.
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/programs/family-violence-prevention-services
Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Grant Funds Technical Assistance Document
Sexual Assault Services Program
The Sexual Assault Services Program is the first federal funding stream solely dedicated to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. The SASP Formula Grant Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and other nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations or tribal programs that provide services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault. Funds provided through SASP are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial level.
https://www.justice.gov/ovw/grant-programs
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC provides funding for the prevention of sexual violence to state and territorial health departments in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The CDC supports this work by providing tools, training, and technical assistance to RPE programs to promote the implementation and evaluation of programs, practices, and policies based on the best available evidence to prevent sexual violence.
https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/sexualviolence/rpe/index.html
Open Solicitations
On Friday, March 8, 2024 – coinciding with the recognition of International Women’s Day – the New Jersey Advisory Commission on the Status of Women (NJACSW), in partnership with the DCF Division on Women, the Council on Gender Parity in Labor and Education through the State Employment and Training Commission, and the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations Center for Women and Work, issued a report, Equity for Women in New Jersey: Identifying Needs and Priorities.
This report details the top concerns for many women across the state of New Jersey, including access to affordable child care and high-quality health care, equal pay, career development and advancement opportunities, and the prevention of gender-based violence.
The information needed to produce this report was collected over two years via several diverse sources. In 2022, a one-question survey was distributed in multiple languages and shared through social media as well as in the community, and more than 3,000 responses were collected. To further explore the survey’s findings and to help develop a multi-year action plan, 11 in-person meetings and three virtual community conversations were held throughout the state. A total of 170 women participated in these sessions, representing 104 partner and advocacy groups working in New Jersey.
- Equity for Women in New Jersey: Identifying Needs and Priorities -- Full Report (PDF)
- Equity for Women in New Jersey Report -- Executive Summary (PDF)
The NJACSW and its partners are seeking continued public input on the findings and recommendations contained within the Equity for Women in New Jersey report. Please send your feedback, via email, to dow@dcf.nj.gov by Friday, March 22, 2024, with the subject line: “Feedback on Equity for Women in NJ Report.” Your input is crucial to ensure the true voice of women in New Jersey is reflected in the priorities of the NJACSW and its affiliated partners.
Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Overview
The New Jersey Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Board (the “Board”) was established by law in 2003. The purpose of the Board is to review the facts and circumstances surrounding domestic violence-related fatalities and near fatalities in New Jersey in order to identify their causes and to develop methods of prevention. The Board Membership is multi-disciplinary and membership consists of ex-officio members and 8 public members with expertise in domestic violence that are appointed by the Governor.
The responsibilities of the Board include the following:
- Review and investigate fatalities and near fatalities for trends and patterns;
- Evaluate the responses of government and nongovernment service delivery systems to fatalities and near fatalities and offer recommendations for improvement of these responses;
- Identify and characterize high-risk groups in order to develop public policy;
- Collect statistical data, in a consistent and uniform manner, on the occurrence of fatalities and near fatalities; and
- Improve collaboration between State and local agencies and organizations to develop initiatives to prevent domestic violence.
Legislation: 52:27D-43.17b
NJ Domestic Violence Fatality and Near Fatality Review Board Reports
Safety and Accountability Assessments Overview
In January 2014, legislation directed the Division on Women (DOW) to conduct an institutional analysis on the state’s systematic response to domestic violence. Often institutions craft separate and independent responses to domestic violence, which may or may not coordinate with other agencies policies or procedures. Specifically, the assessment focus on how systems investigate, prosecute, and provide services.
Safety and accountability assessments utilize multi-disciplinary teams to analyze administrative rules, policies, protocols, trainings, resources and more to map out domestic violence responses and pinpoint gaps among systems. Teams carry out planning activities and data collection through interviews, observations, and text reviews. Once they have analyzed the data, they offer recommendations for more coordinated and uniform responses.
Legislation: C.52:27D-43.36
The Prevention and Public Education Committee (PPEC) is a subcommittee of the Governor's Advisory Council Against Sexual Violence (GACASV). It was created to advance the GACASV's mission "to recommend solutions in the prevention of sexual violence."
Since its inception in March 2004, the PPEC has strived to keep sexual violence from occurring, while , shifting focus of prevention efforts from potential victims to potential perpetrators.
For more information on the GACASV's PPEC, click here to view the PPEC At Glance PDF file. Please contact the Division on Women at 609-888-7164 and DOW@dcf.state.nj.us
