UNO, University of Washington Launch Domestic Violence Intervention Study

Domestic violence survivors need hope and support. Offenders need accountability and services. A groundbreaking Seattle program is working on both, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is measuring the impact.

➡️ What’s new: Tara Richards, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and David Scott Diamond Professor in UNO’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to conduct a comprehensive outcome evaluation of Seattle’s innovative Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP).

💡 Why it matters:

• Approximately 41% of women and 26% of men experience contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner, according to a CDC report.

• Domestic violence intervention programs are the court system’s primary tool for helping offenders change. But many of these programs use a “one-size-fits-all” approach with modest results.

• DVIP is different. It uses a tailored, evidence-based strategy supported by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals to drive offender change and prioritize victim safety.

🔎 Zoom in: The project, in partnership with the University of Washington and Seattle Municipal Court, builds on a previous UNO-led formative evaluation of DVIP from 2021 to 2023. Over the next three years, the research team will assess the program’s impact on:

• Decreasing offender recidivism

• Increasing survivor hopefulness and empowerment

• Boosting utilization of supportive services

• Identifying what causes participants to drop out of treatment

🎤 What they’re saying:

• Tara Richards, Ph.D., UNO School of Criminology and Criminal Justice: “We know that domestic violence is a persistent and complex public health issue. This research will help us understand not only what works, but why it works. By partnering with local practitioners in Seattle, we’re generating insights that can inform solutions nationwide and around the world. That’s critical for building safer communities everywhere.”

• Avanti Adhia, Sc.D., University of Washington School of Nursing and School of Public Health, Co-Investigator: “Tackling domestic violence requires more than just one perspective—it takes collaboration across research, advocacy, courts, and community services. This project brings those voices together to evaluate a model that could shape how domestic violence is addressed across the country.”

• Jason Grant, Probation Manager, Seattle Municipal Court Probation: “This research project has brought system partners together in a way that hasn’t really happened before. Community-based providers have long supported survivors and held offenders accountable. Now, with university researchers, we’re taking a more intentional, structured look at how it all fits together. Their expertise brings credibility and clarity to the work, and we’re excited to take this next step to understand what’s working and how we can keep improving.”

🌎 The big picture: This project aligns with UNO’s strategic focus on pragmatic, impactful research and community-engaged partnerships. It exemplifies how UNO researchers innovate for the public good and tackle urgent challenges head-on.

⚡ What’s next: The research team will conduct data collection throughout 2025 and 2026. Results will be shared through academic publications, webinars, and reports, with the goal of influencing domestic violence treatment nationwide.

👉 Grant information:

• Funding source: U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women

• Award number: 15JOVW-24-GG-01527-MUMU