Imagine a community without violence...
...and build it with us
Domestic violence affects all types of people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, sexual identity, or religion. The effects are damaging, enduring, and far-reached. Victims don't just include the person who's abused, they also include family members who witness the violence. Furthermore, the costs of domestic violence are estimated to exceed $8 billion each year. Costs include $5.8 billion for medical and mental health care and $2.5 billion in lost productivity. These are reasons why prevention of domestic violence needs to be a community goal.
Primary prevention of domestic violence involves work to stop the violence before it ever occurs. Primary prevention strategies involve the introduction of new values, thinking processes, and relationship skills that are incompatible with violence and that promote healthy, non-violent relationships. Primary prevention is a process that will require true social change. It is a process of changing the attitudes and beliefs that lead to specific behaviors, and an acknowledgement that we can't just accept the world the way it is and expect that the problems will go away.
Forms of primary prevention of domestic violence include public education leading to changes in social norms, policy changes, public service announcements, other media-based means of information dissemination, pre-marital counseling, counseling and support groups for young parents, efforts focused on youth concentrate on respect, trust, and supportive growth in relationships and more. Wemust look to ways of creating a culture that does not condone or support the oppression of women: the average child is exposed to many images of violence against women; we must think of ways to counteract these images with more positive images and messages of women. It is also important to include positive images of men and boys supporting women and being non-violent.
Targets of Primary Prevention include Gender norms ("Boys shouldn't cry", "A man should always be in control", "The man is head of the household", "A woman should be submissive/passive", "Men just 'lose their temper'", "Women should 'know better' than to dress sexy. If something happens it's her fault") as well as Social Norms ("Partner violence is a 'family matter'; none of my business", "Unequal pay for equal (or better) work", "Lack of control over own healthcare/reproductive health", "The biggest, fastest, most in control is the best").
10 Ways I Can Take An Active Role In
Preventing Domestic Violence
In My Home:
- Speak to my children regarding appropriate boundaries; teach them how to show respect for each other.
- Model nurturing in my interactions with my children.
- Refuse to laugh at jokes making light of domestic violence; challenge the impact of these jokes. In the same manner, I can refuse to forward inappropriate/offensive e-mails that make light of domestic violence or sexual violence. I can take this one step further by replying and challenging this type of communication as contributing to the problem of violence against women in our society.
In My Neighborhood:
- Provide young people the knowledge and tools to recognize the warning signs of violent behavior, practice sound judgment and know how to react if they find themselves in a violent situation.
- Help children learn to solve problems and play in nonviolent ways. Teach children basic teambuilding skills and activities that they can teach and practice with other peers.
- Be a role model for all children I am around by resolving issues in respectful and nonviolent ways.
In My Community:
- Increase my own personal awareness of attitudes in my social circle and community regarding domestic violence and violence against women.
- Speak to groups I am involved with regarding the prevalence of domestic violence and the vital role the community plays in ending domestic violence.
- Challenge and discuss negative attitudes and behaviors that perpetuate abuse and violence.
- Encourage my church or civic group to organize a rally to speak out against domestic and sexual violence.
|
