What is CAVNET?

CAVNET started as a diverse network of professionals and advocates working in the areas of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and rape. Started by Marc Dubin (a former prosecutor and former Special Counsel to the Violence Against Women Office at the U.S. Department of Justice), CAVNET began as a listserv to allow this network of individuals to share resources, CAVNET rapidly grew into an information sharing network that included many new and different areas, including violence between gay and lesbian partners, violence against persons with disabilities, and school violence among others. With the assistance of national organizations, including the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the Humane Society of the United States, the National Organization for Women (NOW) Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Center for Victims of Crime, Temple University's Institute on Disabilities, the Seattle Police Department, the National ARC, the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA), and many other national organizations and individuals, CAVNET continues to develop and share resources.

In addition, CAVNET has worked with the San Diego City Attorney's Office in developing a national network of prosecutors, investigators, and police officers working to combat domestic violence. Our work has also led to the development of an international network of prosecutors and members of law enforcement addressing drug-facilitated sexual assault. Furthermore, in cooperation with RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network), CAVNET has developed a network of over 100 rape crisis centers from over 35 states. As of September 1, 1999, CAVNET has created a network of over 400 experts and advocates throughout the world, and this number is growing each week.

As CAVNET has developed, it has faced the increasingly difficult question of how to preserve and share the incredibly valuable knowledge that it is developing. At first, a rudimentary website (visited by over 2,000 people each month) was constructed, which provided resources and information, including material that was never before publicly available. Given the volume of material that was generated by the CAVNET networks, the need to enhance our ability to provide this information in an easily searchable and retrievable way became critical. In response to this problem, CAVNET has developed this website, using technology that has previously been used almost exclusively for robust e-commerce sites.

Who is CAVNET

CAVNET is a private non-profit organization that is guided by a Board of Directors and a Board of Advisors, all of whom are subscribers to one or more of the many listservs run by CAVNET and are recognized experts in their fields. Subscription to any of the CAVNET listservs is by application or invitation only. A sample of some of our subscribers (who have volunteered to have their identity revealed on this page) are described above. Finally, CAVNET maintains a Speaker's Bureau, and we would be glad to assist you in bringing some of the best experts in the country to your next conference.