State Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31) was honored Monday, Oct. 6, by the Fairfax County Domestic Violence Community with its Legislator Award of Excellence for her work regarding domestic violence and support for women, children and families.
In 2014, Favola sponsored legislation which would have prevented any person convicted of stalking, sexual battery, or assault and battery of a family member involving the use of force from possessing, transporting, or carrying a firearm or any other weapon for a period of five years following conviction. In 2012 and 2013, she partroned a bill that made it a crime to possess a firearm while in the residence of the alleged victim or the transport of a firearm by a person subject to an emergency protective order issued as a result of domestic violence.
Favola was a founding co-chair of the group that developed Project Peace to address domestic violence in Arlington. She is a founding board member for Doorways for Women and Families which creates pathways out of domestic violence and homelessness toward safe and stable lives. While on the Arlington County Board, Favola started the Task Force on Youth which led to the creation of the Arlington Partnership for Children, Youth and Families whose mission is to improve the health, well being and safety of children, youth and families in Arlington through researching young people’s needs, advocating for policies and programs to meet those needs and engaging members of the community as part of the solution.