Newsletter Table of Contents:

• From Our Director of Programs (see below)
• The State of California Must Get Proactive to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
• Support Our Work: The Big Day of Giving is Here!
• Events
• Our Impact: The Partnership by the Numbers

At our Statewide Domestic Violence Conference in March, former NFL athlete Ray Rice was interviewed on stage by A CALL TO MEN CEO Tony Porter. He said something we rarely hear in public after someone has caused harm: he admitted that he needed to seek help to change his behavior, and described his journey from being “the man with all the answers” to embracing vulnerability and discomfort as a way to grow.

Our movement is seeking more answers about what works to stop people from inflicting further trauma—given the realities that they are a part of our families, and not all survivors choose to leave. We hold fast to the power of our communities to call for accountability, asking first what the survivor needs and how we can assist in promoting their well-being. We also know that power and control tactics exist in a sea of inequities around gender, race, economic status, and sexual identity. After deep introspection and work to understand their role in these inequities—keeping in mind any prior exposure to violence themselves—is it possible for people who have harmed to use their new understanding to influence their peers?

We believe this is possible. We have seen it—and this is where accountability intersects with prevention to create social change. Ray Rice has been working with athletes of all ages to explore healthy masculinity. Dominique Waltower, a child victim of domestic violence who was abusive in adulthood, has now dedicated his life to helping advocates reach people who harm.

We take our foremost guidance and inspiration from leaders like Tina Rodriguez. In her new film “Making Right: From Victim to Survivor through Restorative Justice”, she guides us through her story of survivorship in a restorative justice project, as well as her work with incarcerated people who have caused harm. Mike Baldwin, a graduate of her program for inmates, is currently traveling with Tina as part of film screening discussions. He has been working to make a positive change in his community. “The way that I can make amends to my victims, who may never see me again, may never desire to hear my voice—the way I make amends to them is by doing my part to make sure that the next man don’t offend,” said Baldwin.

As we think about the fluid nature of accountability work and how it translates into preventing domestic violence, this month’s quarterly newsletter will feature our new #PreventionWorks campaign. You’ll learn how you can add your voice to the chorus of advocates and Californians asking for a sustained $50 million state investment in sexual and domestic violence prevention. During the BIG Day of Giving on May 2^nd, we’re asking you to support essential work like this, getting to the root causes of domestic violence and building people power behind effective solutions. Never forget that together, we’re stronger.

➜ Read next article: The State of California Must Get Proactive to End Sexual and Domestic Violence