IVAT'S Mission Our mission is to improve the quality of life for those affected by violence, abuse, and trauma on a local, national, and an international level by improving collaborations, conducting research and trainings, disseminating information, and providing resources and direct services. IVAT's Vision Our vision is a world free from violence, abuse, and trauma.

International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma Each year, the IVAT hosts the International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (formerly the International Conference on Family Violence) in San Diego, California. The conference holds an open proposal and submission process for interested presenters. The conference's goal is to coordinate efforts, to bridge gaps and to comprehensively examine strategies that prevent violence, abuse and trauma by bringing together international and national leaders, consumer-survivors, as well as those working on the front-lines with children, families, adult victims and offenders.  The International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma draws professionals, advocates, researchers, policy makers and others from organizations, foundations, educational institutes, government, universities, clinics, agencies, and shelters.  This conference is unique in its cost-effectiveness, in the large array of networking opportunities it offers and in the large number of collaborating organizations (over 100 each year). Visit www.IVATcenters.org for updated information on the annual conference, educational resources, training (CE & Licensure), and other upcoming events

The Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT) is a national resource and training center that focuses directly and specifically on violence -- preventing it, responding to it, and addressing its impact -- across a wide social spectrum. We are concerned with issues ranging from preventing family violence and child abuse to helping police, forensic technicians and firemen who suffer the effects of post-traumatic stress from dealing with crime, crime scenese and disaster response.

IVAT's Renowned Conferences

IVAT (and its forerunner, the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute) sponsors several nationally and internationally renowed conferences. The International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (formerly the International Conference on Family Violence) covers domestic violence, child maltreatment, elder abuse, youth violence, sexual assault, workplace violence, trauma and war, and offers tracks for advocacy, assessment, intervention, research, prevention and policy development. We also host an annual youth violence conference. For information and registration on our conferences, we invite you to visit our conference website.

IVAT offers a wide range of services, including:

• training and programs,
• publications and dissemination,
• professional services,
• an annual international conference,
• regional mini-conferences, and
• community relations and outreach for each of our broad topic areas. 

Promoting collaboration across disciplines, IVAT works closely with the Center for Forensic Studies and the other academic units of Alliant International University to further the training, education, research, and outreach missions of the University.

Based upon years of professional and organizational research and practical experience, the IVAT is positioned to become an international leader in training, programming, direct services, research, and resources dealing with all aspects of eliminating violence, abuse and trauma.

IVAT's Structure

To accomodate a wide range of programmatic offerings, IVAT is organized into the following departments:

• Programs & Training - the Programs & Training Department offers training and workshops, continuing education, and certifications to professionals and front-line practitioners in the fields of violence, abuse and trauma.
  
• Conferences - This department hosts and provides state-of-the-science training and information through the annual International Conference on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (formerly, the International Conference on Family Violence), and conducts a conference on youth and school violence intervention and prevention, as well as smaller regional conferences focusing on child custody and family violence, and child, adolescent, and adult trauma.
  
• Public Policy, Advocacy & Legislation - This department maintains awareness of the historical and present policy and legal issues in the fields of violence, abuse and trauma. It also establishes think tanks on key policy issues, developing  recommendations for national and international policy change.
  
• Publications & Dissemination - This department is the educational publishing arm of IVAT and continues the fine titles and bulletins established by the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute. We offer materials for professionals, for front-line practitioners, researchers, advocates, and policy makers through the quarterly Family Violence and Sexual Assault Bulletin; we edit professional journals in conjunction with the Haworth Press and we maintain a comprehensive educational resource and mobile book center. We are currently developing online resources to further compliment these offerings.
  
• IVAT Educational Resources and Book Club contains over 450 titles, including IVAT’s bibliographies, treatment manuals, and other books videos, and games related to family violence, trauma, child maltreatment, aggression, and sexual assault. The IVAT Educational Resources are available for local, national, and international conferences to assist in supplying key resources at a discount to clinicians, advocates, social service, healthcare, legal, and criminal justice personnel.
  
• Community Relations & Outreach - IVAT's Community Relations and Outreach Department cultivates  relationships with local, national, and international organizations that are working to end violence, abuse, and trauma. This department is comprised of four areas: collaboration, fundraising, volunteerism, and grants development and maintenance.
  
• Professional Services - This department provides direct clinical and forensic services to community members on a sliding fee scale. It also conducts consulting and program evaluations of existing and innovative programs for non-profit agencies and institutions.

Our History

IVAT was founded in July 2005, when the nationally acclaimed Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute (FVSAI) joined Alliant International University. IVAT continues FVSAI's programs and has has expanded them to include new, allied areas of concern, including:

• Youth and School Violence,
• Workplace Violence, and
• Traumatic Stress Centers. 

About the Family Violence & Sexual Assault Institute

The Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute, which is now one of the centers within IVAT, was founded in 1984 in Texas by Dr. Robert Geffner. FVSAI was established to address the need for a national resource and training center that focused directly and specifically on family violence issues.

In 1991, FVSAI became a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and began to deal with sexual assault issues. FVSAI gradually expanded its scope to also include on child, teen and elder maltreatment.

In 1999, FVSAI relocated to San Diego, CA, and affiliated with the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), which merged with United States International University, becoming Alliant International University. CSPP is now a school within Alliant International University.

We thank those who have supported FVSAI through the years. We are excited to begin this new adventure and believe that, with your help and support, we can improve on our efforts to eliminate violence, abuse and trauma. We invite you to join us in this endeavor.

 IVAT's Continuing Mission

Among the current projects the IVAT is engaged in are the following:

• developing a state-of-the-art website and resource database;
• developing an online bookstore for consumer purchase of important resources;
• dissemination of professional and jargon-free literature;
• direct intervention and evaluation services for trauma and abuse victims, offenders, and children;
• certifications in related professional fields;
• consulting programs;
• research programs and projects in conjunction with other researchers, organizations, and agencies; and
• pursuing grants, securing sponsors, and incorporating new collaborators.