For the first time since 2012, the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) has a
Senate-confirmed Director. The Senate confirmed Rosie Hidalgo on July 11, 2023,
in a bipartisan vote. As Director, she will lead the Department’s principal efforts in
confronting gender-based crimes. Prior to this appointment, Hidalgo served as a
special assistant to President Biden and senior advisor on gender-based violence
at the White House Gender Policy Council. She previously held a position at OVW
as Deputy Director of Policy from 2014-2017 and is also a former director of public
policy for Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and
Communities, a national resource center focused on providing training, research,
and policy advocacy to prevent and end domestic violence and sexual assault.

OVW provides federal leadership to reduce violence against women and
administer justice for and strengthen services to survivors of domestic violence,
dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. It oversees more than $700 million
annually for grant programs authorized under the Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA).