Terms & Conditions

The DVCN has been set up to provide a support structure for DVCs and to give a voice to collective concerns that will arise from its members.

The DVCN is not a body that wants to act as either a trade union or exclusive club but to be truly open and inclusive of all who choose to join it. To join is a relatively straightforward process and costs have been kept to a minimum. Membership will be at the individual level and will not tie any organisation or agency that you work for. Hence DVCN intends to be a truly independent voice for the growing number of individuals engaged in leading and developing work within domestic violence and abuse.

Members should adhere to the DVCN Principles as follows:

Members Should:

1. Have a strategic or operational responsibility for Domestic Violence or Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG)

2. Be committed to the belief that VAWG is entirely unacceptable in any form

3. Support, advocate and understand the key principles in a coordinated community response to addressing domestic violence, which are stated as:

• Working to increase the safety of survivors and their children
• Holding perpetrators accountable for their behaviour
• Challenging the social tolerance of domestic violence
• Placing responsibility for action with partner agencies

4. Support equality of access to services

5. Be employed in the public sector or by a charitable/not-for-profit organisation

6. Be proactively involved in the DVCN, including use of the website, eParties and conferences

7. Ensure permission is obtained from the originator for redistribution of any resource material contained within the website

8. Help raise the profile of the network

In case of question over membership qualification, the DVCN Steering Group will be consulted

Section 1 - Categories of Membership

Membership of the Network is available to all those who are tasked with Domestic Violence/Abuse Coordination in their area. In September 2012 the DVCN was expanded to include any practitioner who had a strategic or operational responsibility for Domestic Violence or Violence Against Women and Girls (in accordance with the set DVCN Principles shown above).

Section 2 - Qualifications for Memebership

Any person who is working to make domestic violence partnerships more effective shall be eligible for membership.

Section 3 - Application

Application for Membership shall be made by completing the standard application form. The application must include an acceptable form of payment or intent to submit payment. Payments for membership must be received within thirty (30) days of the initial application. Failure to remit payment under these terms will result in a rejection of the application and will require subsequent re-application to join the organization. A decision to reject an application shall be made by the Steering Committee.

Section 4 - Resignation

Notice of resignation shall be delivered to the Steering Committee. No refunds of annual dues will be made on resignation.

Section 5 - Conditions of Membership

The Individual Membership of the DVCN is on an individual basis. Transfers or re-assigned memberships must be presented to the Steering Committee for approval. We reserve the right at any time to modify any of the terms or conditions of the organisation's Membership Guidelines and member benefits. The organisation shall make a good faith effort to notify the membership of any such changes. In most circumstances membership will be transferable to the relevant postholder where the joining fee has been paid for by the employer.

Section 6 - Privacy

The organisation shall protect the privacy and confidentiality of its members. The DVCN Steering Committee will not sell, market or disclose its member information to third parties without the expressed consent of its membership. Consent can be in writing or orally. DVCN members may choose to opt out and not disclose their personal or professional information in the membership directory. The DVCN will make a good faith effort to communicate its privacy policy to members and/or other third parties via its website and other organisation documentation. No individual serving in any leadership capacity shall violate this provision. Failure to comply with this provision may result in warning and/or other remedial measures.

Section 7 - Duration of Membership

Membership terms shall be one year in length and valid from the date of receipt of payment. Membership will expire on the last day of March or September of the following year that the individual/entity has joined depending upon which month gives at leat 12 months membership.

Section 8 - Non-discrimination

The DVCN does not condone behaviour that includes but is not restricted to any type of discrimination on the basis of a person's race, color, sex, age, disability, religion or belief, national origin, physical attributes and sexual orientation.

Approved by the Steering Committee September 2012