Effectively Responding to Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases
May 5-6, 2026
Fairfax, VA
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for “Effectively Responding to Domestic and Sexual Violence Cases."
Please note: Participants are strongly encouraged to attend as teams of law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss active cases and receive technical assistance from our presenters.
Participant Cost and Registration: This training is free for victim-serving professionals. Advanced registration is required. Please click here to register.
Who Should Attend: Law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates.
Partial In-service Credit: Partial In-Service Credit (PIC) for law enforcement is pending.
Training Location:
Northern Virginia Community College, Pender 4
3922 Pender Drive
Suite 121
Fairfax, VA 22030
May 5, 2026 - May 6, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. both days
Session Description:
Domestic and sexual violence cases are some of the most challenging cases for the criminal justice system to handle. The trauma that offenders inflict on victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault is designed to help them evade accountability. This acute trauma, often compounded with historical trauma, impacts a survivor’s ability to fully participate in the criminal justice process. As a result, a collaborative, trauma-informed response is essential to ensuring survivor access to justice while improving community safety.
This training will discuss investigative and trial strategies that focus on the actions of the offender, identify and document critical evidence, and recognize and respond to survivor trauma. Topics covered will include: Going Forward without the Victim in Domestic Violence Cases, Investigating and Prosecuting Strangulation, Alcohol Facilitated Sexual Assault, and Trauma-informed Interviewing, amongst others. Additionally, attendees will have an opportunity each day to talk over active cases with the expert presenters.
Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Implement offender‑focused investigative and prosecutorial strategies to strengthen evidence collection and enhance case outcomes in domestic and sexual violence investigations.
- Assess the effects of acute and historical trauma on survivor behavior and incorporate trauma‑informed approaches into interviews, documentation, and decision‑making throughout the criminal justice process.
- Evaluate and apply best‑practice responses to complex case scenarios—such as non‑participating victim cases, strangulation investigations, and alcohol‑facilitated sexual assaults through guided consultation with subject‑matter experts.
Presenters:
Jonathan H. Kurland is a Senior Attorney Advisor at AEquitas, where he brings nearly two decades of prosecutorial and leadership experience to advance strategies that improve justice system responses to gender-based violence and exploitation. In his role, Jonathan provides technical assistance, legal consultation, and training to prosecutors and allied professionals nationwide, with a focus on victim-centered, offender-focused, and trauma-informed practices.
Prior to joining AEquitas, Jonathan served for nearly 20 years in the Berks County District Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania, rising to the role of Chief Deputy District Attorney. There, he led and prosecuted cases involving intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child abuse, and homicide, and oversaw grand jury investigations. His prosecutorial experience spans urban, suburban, and rural jurisdictions, giving him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities in multidisciplinary responses across diverse communities.
Jonathan was instrumental in strengthening collaboration among prosecutors, law enforcement, victim advocates, healthcare professionals, and other stakeholders. He led numerous multidisciplinary investigative teams and played a central role in community-based initiatives to combat sexual violence, intimate partner violence, child abuse, and human trafficking.
In addition to his courtroom leadership, Jonathan served in the appellate unit and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, facilitating federal prosecutions of complex criminal enterprises and violent offenders. He has also served as adjunct faculty in the Criminal Justice Department at Alvernia University.
John F. Wilkinson is an Attorney Advisor with AEquitas. John presents on trial strategy, legal analysis and policy, and ethical issues related to violence against women at the local, state, national and international level. He conducts research; develops training materials, resources, and publications; and provides case consultation and technical assistance for prosecutors and allied professionals. John has presented extensively on the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking both in the United States and abroad. John’s international work includes developing and implementing trainings for police, prosecutors, judges and allied professionals at national and international conferences. Additionally, John led AEquitas’ Innovative Prosecution Solutions Project, working with prosecutor’s offices around the country on innovative and evaluated approaches to combating violent crime.
Prior to working with AEquitas, John was the Program Manager for the Gun Violence Prosecution Program, Homeland Security Program and Southwest Border Crime Program of the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) where he traveled extensively throughout the United States presenting on gun and gang violence and homeland security issues. He also regularly collaborated with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to bring data-driven best practices to criminal justice professionals. Under his direction, the Homeland Security Program created a unique counter-terrorism training program for prosecutors and probation/parole officers. Additionally, his Southwest Border Crime Program created a curriculum for prosecutors and allied professionals covering all aspects of the Drug Cartel Business Model and focusing on human trafficking, human smuggling, drug and gun trafficking, home invasions and kidnappings, and undocumented alien victim/witness issues.
From 1998 through 2005, John served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Fredericksburg, VA, prosecuting cases involving intimate partner violence and sexual assault, including cases of campus sexual assaults and domestic violence homicide. He also served on the Fredericksburg Area Sexual Assault Response Team and prosecuted child sexual and physical abuse and neglect cases and infant homicides. He assisted in the development of the Mary Washington Hospital Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program. Additionally, John completed Virginia’s Top Gun Investigation and Prosecution of Drug Cases course and prosecuted numerous drug and firearms related offenses. He was a regular lecturer at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy and spoke at the Virginia Association of Commonwealth’s Attorneys. From 1994 to 1998, John served as an Assistant Public Defender in Fredericksburg, representing indigent clients in matters ranging from first-degree murder to summary offenses. In 1997, he was presented the Phillip M. Sadler Award for excellence in public defense. From 1991 to 1994, John worked at the Offices of William E. Gardner in Fairfax, VA, primarily engaged in criminal defense and civil litigation.
DCJS Contact Information:
Tricia Everetts
Tricia.Everetts@dcjs.virginia.gov