1. Domestic Violence and Public Libraries Our responsibilities to our community 10/23/2012

2. Objectives Why libraries need to be involved in DV What it is Why it happens What we can do to help

3. Why is DV a Public Library Issue? Service and social responsibility as outlined in the professional code of ethics Outreach to underserved populations is a key advocacy initiative for the ALA The poor and homeless constitute a significant part of library users today; DV survivors are likely to be both Accessibility of library services to patrons who have cognitive, mental, or emotional illnesses

4. Domestic violence (DV) is abuse that occurs between two people in a close relationship. DV exists along a continuum from a single episode of violence to ongoing battering.

5. DV includes four types of behavior: Physical violence: when a person hurts or tries to hurt a partner by hitting, kicking, burning, or other physical force Sexual violence: forcing a partner to take part in a sex act when the partner does not consent Threats of violence: the use of words, gestures, weapons, or other means to communicate the intent to cause harm Emotional abuse: threatening a partner or his or her possessions or loved ones, or harming a partner’s sense of self- worth

6. Acting on our responsibility: Understanding the DV context: individuals, community, and social factors Programs, policies, and practices that address DV prevention

7. More content to consider: Methods for garnering community responsibility and/or support for DV prevention and the promotion of healthy relationships Goals and benefits of evaluating programs, policies, and practices Community responsibility for DV prevention and the promotion of healthy relationships.

8. The Social Ecological Model

9. Individual-level influences personal history factors that increase the likelihood of becoming an DV victim or perpetrator: – attitudes and beliefs that support DV – Isolation – family history of violence

10. Individual-level influences : Prevention Strategies often designed to promote attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that support intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust specific approaches may include education and life skills training

11. Relationship-level influences factors that increase risk because of relationships with peers, intimate partners, and family members a person's closest social circle– peers, partners, and family members—influence their behavior, and contribute to their range of experience

12. Relationship-level influences : Prevention Strategies mentoring and peer programs designed to promote intimate partnerships based on – mutual respect – equality – trust

13. Community-level influences The community level of the model examines the contexts in which social relationships are embedded—such as schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods—and seeks to identify the characteristics of these settings that are associated with victims or perpetrators of violence.

14. Community-level influences : Prevention Strategies typically designed to impact the climate, processes, and policies in a given system social norm and social marketing campaigns to foster community climates that promote intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust

15. Societal-level influences larger, macro-level factors, such as gender inequality, religious or cultural belief systems, societal norms, and economic or social policies that influence DV

16. Society-level influences : Prevention Strategies typically involve collaborations by multiple partners to promote social norms, policies, and laws that – support gender and economic equality – foster intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust

17. "Why doesn't she just leave?" increased risk for more abuse when trying to separate no way to support herself and her children may reach out for help only to find that all the local domestic violence shelters are full may not be able to contact friends and family who could help her may worry about the safety of herself and her children if she leaves

18. Resources Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control—www.cdc.gov/ncipc National Online Resource Center on Violence Against Women –www.vawnet.org National Sexual Violence Resource Center— www.nsvrc.org Prevention Institute— www.preventioninstitute.org Violence Against Women Prevention Partnership—www.preventconnect.org