The P.E.A.C.E.* Initiative 2012
* Putting an End to Abuse through Community Efforts
The mission: To educate our community about the extent and often deadly consequences, of domestic violence and to respond effectively through collaborative partnerships.
P.E.A.C.E. Initiative programs on domestic violence include:
Education and Training
Increase public awareness on domestic violence by teaching, training, public speaking, in public, private, alternative, university and college class room settings, public meetings, open forums, neighborhood meetings, churches of all denominations. We educate and train on topics such as peoples’ legal rights, possible legal remedies, approaches for legal advocacy, the services and resources available in the state, municipal and county levels, to complement these efforts such as safety planning, counseling needs, advocacy in the civil and criminal justice system, income needs, education needs, childcare needs, protection through law enforcement needs. We train and educate people in the medical, law enforcement, child protection, social service, religious, corporate, legal, education, inmate (youth and adult), criminal justice supervision, community and civic leaders on issues of domestic violence such as resources available, culturally relevant interventions, appropriate case management, and safety planning. We also teach others, such as survivors how to advocate for themselves in these systems, as well as how to work with the mainstream and alternative media (TV, print, audio) to help educate the community about the issues we face as a community due to domestic violence. We serve on boards and commissions, at the local, state and national levels to represent the grass roots experience of dealing with domestic violence as interventions, rules, policy and procedure themes are addressed in developing practice models for responding to family violence.
Responsible Fatherhood Programming
“Men Cultivating the Power of P.E.A.C.E. – Hombres Cultivando el Poder de Paz”. This program is collaborating with community based organizations especially women’s organizations to learn about the extent and impact of family violence. This campaign will engage males in the learning about and need for stopping the spousal and child abuse violence and involve them in community education, arts, activist, organizing, faith based and neighborhood events and activities to do so.
Immigrant Community
We are working with the Mexican Consulate and maintain an ongoing dialogue with them, meet quarterly and have them attend trainings on the legal remedies they have open to them for helping them assist their immigrant clients.
Offender Population -- Project ADVANCE* Addressing Violence & Abuse through Networking, Client Education and Empowerment
We work with the offender population in Bexar County that are first time arrestees, to educate them about domestic violence, to promote healthy relationships, to lower recidivism rates, and intervene in the cyclical nature of domestic violence withing the criminal justice system. They are court ordered nine, two hour sessions that involve learning about their responsibilities and options with regard to stopping domestic violence, impact of D.V. on children, child custody, parental obligations, as survivors and or perpetrators of domestic violence, etc. They also receive wrap around case management services to help them interrupt and stop the violence.
Coalition Building and Community Organizing.
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 they need.
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.