Education & training
We work to increase public awareness on domestic violence by teaching, training, and public speaking, in public, private, alternative, university and college classroom settings, public meetings, open forums, neighborhood meetings, churches of all denominations. We train people in the medical, law enforcement, child protection, social service, religious, corporate, legal, education, inmate (youth and adult), criminal justice supervision fields, as well as community and civic leaders, and educate them on issues of domestic violence such as resources available, culturally relevant interventions, appropriate case management, and safety planning. We also focus on the plight as it affects the lives of the youth by educating about teen dating violence. We serve on boards and commissions, at the local, state and national levels to represent the grassroots experience of dealing with domestic violence as interventions, rules, policy and procedure themes are addressed in developing practice models for responding to family violence.
Advocacy
We advocate for the systemic changes needed within the institutions of the community to effectively respond to these needs. We challenge law enforcement when they deviate from departmental policy in response to family violence calls. Advocate on how city dollars are spent in terms of effective response from community agencies. The judicial system as a vital link in dealing effectively with domestic violence, the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative has worked to improve the criminal and civil response to domestic violence. During October, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the P.E.A.C.E. Initiative plans, designs and implements events and activities in a citywide effort to create awareness, get community involved, in eradicating the violence in families.
coalition building
We work to engage community members in discussions about the effects of family violence on family members and the community as a whole. We are training them to know what to expect from law enforcement in terms of laws, safety, protections, resources and their rights which they in turn will teach other community residents. We have learned that most survivors of family violence seek help with those people closest to them, therefore it is imperative we build a community consciousness of awareness, accountability and response. This way that community member, will know what to say, how to respond, and where to send survivors of family violence for the appropriate help and support.