the essential guide - Texas Council on Family Violence

The chapters that follow will provide a solid grounding upon which you can build your own way ofcontributing to <strong>the</strong> progress of this movement. The movement will continue to advance and improveonly if it stays open to new ideas and learning so please ask questions and make suggestions!Advocating for women and o<strong>the</strong>r victims of domestic violence can be very challenging and isn’t foreveryone. As someone who has been fortunate to be involved in most aspects of <strong>the</strong> movement. Iunderstand that each of us has to find our niche. You’ll find what you do in this movement not onlysupportive and life-changing for those you assist, but also personally life-altering.I welcome you to this movement and wish you <strong>the</strong> fulfillment that comes with knowing you are making adifference!Deborah D. Tuckerdtucker@ncdsv.orgDebby is <strong>the</strong> Executive Director of <strong>the</strong> National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCDSV), a position she'sheld since <strong>the</strong> organization formed in 1998.In August 1996, Debby joined Sarah M. Buel, JD, in opening Tucker, Buel and Associates, a consulting firm offeringcustomized consultation and training to end violence against women. In May 1998, Sarah and Debby co-founded <strong>the</strong>National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence to sponsor conferences and provide customized training andconsultation nationwide. The National Center received funding from <strong>the</strong> Office on Violence Against Women of <strong>the</strong>U.S. Department of Justice to collaborate on trainings with <strong>the</strong> Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, <strong>the</strong>National Sheriffs' Association and <strong>the</strong> National Center for Rural Law Enforcement. These trainings educate lawenforcement officers on <strong>the</strong>ir responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.Tucker has extensive experience on <strong>the</strong> national level. She served as Co-Chair of <strong>the</strong> U.S. Department of Defense TaskForce on Domestic Violence from 2000-2003. She served as founding Chair of <strong>the</strong> National Network to End DomesticViolence during its leadership in <strong>the</strong> passage of <strong>the</strong> Violence Against Women Act in 1994. She is a member of <strong>the</strong>Advisory Committee for <strong>the</strong> State Farm Insurance initiated Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, <strong>the</strong> Board ofAdvisors for WomensLaw.org and <strong>the</strong> National Leadership Committee of Jewish Women International.THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE8 | P a g e