Back Row (left to right): Joyce Thomas, Robert Hampton, Linner Ward Griffin, Karma Cottman, Johnny Rice II
Front Row (left to right): Antonia Vann, Shelia Hankins, Oliver Williams, Esther Jenkins, and Beth Richie (photo not shown)

The Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community (IDVAAC) is an organization focused on the unique circumstances of African Americans as they face issues related to domestic violence - including intimate partner violence, child abuse, elder maltreatment, and community violence. IDVAAC's mission is to enhance society's understanding of and ability to end violence in the African-American community. Within this context, IDVAAC works with African-American communities, including families, individuals, and organizations serving the target population; legal and criminal justice systems; family and community violence practitioners; researchers; and policymakers around efforts to build the knowledge base regarding African Americans and domestic violence and to develop strategies to meet the service needs of this population.

IDVAAC was first formed in 1993, when a group of scholars and practitioners informally met to discuss the plight of the African-American community in the area of domestic violence. The group ultimately agreed that the "one-size-fits-all" approach to domestic violence services being provided in mainstream communities would not suffice for African Americans, who disproportionately experience stressors that can create conditions that lead to violence in the home. It became clear to this group that the crisis of violence in the African American community would change only if individuals or groups focused attention on the problem and took action. The organization has since become a national expert on domestic violence among African Americans, a resource to communities, and a strong presence in the field of domestic violence.