Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has given the green light to an initiative that will bring increased attention and resources to communities across the nation to combat intimate partner firearm violence. The U.S. Justice Department announced that 78 communities within 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia will be designated under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2022. Among these, the City and County of Honolulu in the District of Hawaii have been earmarked for a targeted approach to handle domestic violence offenders, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii.
In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii, Clare E. Connors, the United States Attorney, emphasized the critical nature of the initiative, "Domestic violence remains one of the most devastating crimes plaguing our community, and when perpetrators possess firearms, the consequences are too often deadly." Working in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the partnership aims to crack down on offenders who are prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. Wrongly possessing guns, intimate partner firearm violence is perceived an issue that needs a proactive approach, not just a reactive one.
Jonathan Blais, the ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge, spoke to the determination to tackle intimate partner violence, saying on the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii, "We are continuing our efforts to ensure that intimate partner firearm violence is addressed in a proactive manner and we continue to work to deter domestic violence offenders from possessing firearms, investigating those who choose to do so illegally." The ATF has placed coordinators specifically tasked with VAWA directives in each of its field offices, driving home the point that keeping families and communities safe remains a core mission of the agency.
Designations under VAWA were done considering input from community stakeholders and leverage data that informs about the regions most in need. Both urban and rural areas, along with suburban and Tribal communities, are represented. The Justice Department has taken a strategic approach, wanting to make sure that resources at the federal level are synchronized effectively with local enforcement efforts to directly address the heart of intimate partner violence involving firearms. Anticipating the rollout, additional communities are expected to join the ranks of those designated, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Hawaii.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy, undertaken by all United States Attorney’s offices (USAOs), to incorporate the fight against intimate partner firearm violence into their Project Safe Neighborhoods campaigns. This aligns with the Department's Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime, ensuring that combatting domestic violence remains a high priority without respect to specific community designations under Section 1103 of VAWA.
