Primary Prevention: Working Together for a Violence-free Future!

A large portion of the following presentation was created by the DELTA Training Subcommittee. Their commitment to creating an informative and accessible primary prevention presentation that was made available for DELTA collaborative states is appreciated greatly by FCADV staff. Thank you to the DELTA Training Subcommittee!

What will it take in communities across the country to create the social change necessary to end domestic violence?

We cannot stop the overall flow of violence in women’s and girl’s lives by running shelters or men’s programs for batterers alone. We must address the root causes of domestic violence directly. With such a monumental task at hand, the full participation of our communities is required. Donna Garske Founder, Transforming Communities

The Current Reality: Assessing The Social Fabric

The Scope of the Abuse Around the world, at least 1 in 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. Intimate partners commit percent of homicides of women worldwide. Worldwide

Previous & Current Approaches to Ending DV 1970s Women start speaking out against rape and battering Mid to late 1970s Needs for individual safety recognized –Shift from private safe houses to shelters Mid to late 1980s and forward- demand for accountability in the system –Interaction with other systems leads to demand for more coordinated community responses

What we learned from the Battered Women’s Movement The needs of the women and girls facing violence are diverse and complex Violence is a learned behavior –Batterer behavior changes when they decide to change and when appropriate societal/community mechanisms are in place that hold them accountable for the violence they perpetrate Working with men and boys is essential to ending men’s violence against women.

Building the Loom: Definitions & Frameworks

What Is Prevention? In public health, prevention is activities which reduce the burden of mortality or burden from disease or health Prevention/social change is a long-term process that requires change at various levels of the community to prevent intimate partner domestic violence before it occurs

Prevention is Not A one-time program or event One skill-building session One protocol Prevention IS An on-going process, requiring leadership and commitment Integrated into community infrastructure

Prevention & Intervention: Both Essential

Intervention and primary prevention should complement, not compete with, each other. Preventing domestic violence before it occurs (primary prevention) Preventing a re-occurrence of domestic violence (intervention) + Prevention Prevention continuum within each community

KABBs Knowledge Attitudes Beliefs Behaviors Knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that come from institutional and day-to-day norms.

Prevention of Domestic Violence as a Public Health Issue WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY, Geneva, 1996 Resolution WHA 49.25: DECLARED violence a leading worldwide public health problem –REQUESTED Member States to: Initiate public health activities that use a gender- analysis perspective, measure program effectiveness, and pay particular attention to community-based initiatives Present a plan of action for progress towards a science-based public health approach to violence prevention

The Public Health Approach to Prevention of Domestic Violence Develop and Test Prevention Strategies Disseminate Effective Strategies Identify Risk and Protective Factors Define the Problem

The Social Ecological Model IndividualRelationshipCommunitySociety Factors at each level of the social ecology contribute to the perpetration of domestic violence in our society.

Why Prevention? Adolescents are influenced by many factors that support or condone domestic violence. Each of these factors need to be addressed in a consistent, systematic, and systemic manner. This recognizes that changes in the environment and long-term programs are needed.

An Example: A Comprehensive Approach Examples of this approach include: –Individual level Curriculums, counseling, mentoring –Relationship Support programs, mentoring, parent training –Community Social norms, community education, policy changes –Societal Media campaigns, policy changes

What Will It Take? Social Change Collaboration Community mobilization Leadership development Capacity building

DELTA D omestic violence prevention E nhancement and L eadership T hrough A lliances DELTA  means change

DELTA Who is DELTA?

Why is this important for prevention programming? Community readiness – motivation and willingness Community capacity – ability to identify, address, and mobilize to prevent IPV/SV Community context – institutional/organizational culture; location; ethnic/racial identity; politics; religious identity; social context

The Men's Focus Group is talking with the younger kids about stereotypes.

The older group and the Men's Focus Group played a co-ed basketball game.

The Boys & Girls Club youth with the Men's Focus Group after the basketball game.

Miguel Ibarra and Zlinic Henry