MAWS takes a leadership role in developing new county, state, and national policy initiatives to prevent and end domestic abuse and protect the rights of abused women and girls. Legal services and referrals are made to victims of domestic violence who need assistance in prosecuting their batterers. In addition, MAWS is a founding member of the California Alliance Against Domestic Violence (CAADV).

Significant Public Policy & Technical Assistance Achievements MAWS collaborates with other organizations to help develop new domestic violence public policies and legislation. In addition, MAWS provides technical assistance to domestic violence organizations to help them implement strategies to better serve battered women and their children.

Marin County: MAWS trains hundreds of law enforcement and medical agencies, schools, churches, and community groups to improve numerous community-wide emergency, housing, health care, and legal systems for responding to domestic violence.

Statewide California: MAWS drafts and helps pass legislation which increases the effectiveness of domestic violence intervention. Work also focuses on increasing the California Department of Health Services and California Office of Criminal Justice Planning funding for domestic violence programs and for assisting with statewide planning for effective use of the funds.

Nationally: MAWS worked to pass the Violence Against Women Act, part of the federal Crime Victims Bill. This bill created new funds to carry out services for rape and domestic violence victims and to implement training programs with police departments and court officials to prosecute batterers.

Internationally: MAWS helped to establish the first batterers reeducation program in Europe. Presentations were made at the first International Conference on Violence Against Women in Eastern Europe. In addition to MAWS' ongoing technical assistance to international domestic violence organizations, on-site assistance is given to visiting scholars and activist from around the world.