COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
& PUBLIC POLICY
WE BELIEVE
SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
are PREVENTABLE PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS.
Sexual assault and domestic violence in Iowa remain preventable yet persistent public health problems that has reached epidemic levels. In order to create sustainable change, we need to both educate on the experiences of survivors and advocate for policy and community transformations that lead to safer living in Iowa.
COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT
We believe it is the responsibility of every Iowan to understand sexual assault and domestic abuse and how it affects the collective health of our communities. Both forms of violence occur in homes of every type, among people of every construct, and often silently torment individuals you come in
contact with every single day.
WHAT CAN THE COMMUNITY DO?
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Learn about and support are advocacy issues.
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Join PROACTIVE, a men’s healthy relationship group.
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Participate in events focused on the awareness/prevention of intimate partner violence.
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Discover Restoryation, a national project highlighting the importance of solutions to support and sustain the anti-violence movement.
ADVOCACY
WHAT IS ADVOCACY
AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Advocacy is any action that speaks in favor of, recommends, argues for a cause, supports, defends, or pleads on behalf of others. There are multiple advocacy strategies for engaging and building relationships with policymakers, enlisting strategic allies, and mobilizing key stakeholders. Advocacy often involves educating policymakers, stakeholders (e.g., individuals, communities, and/or organizations), the public, media, etc., on unmet needs and/or the impact of policy decisions.
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Advocacy helps ensure that decisions on public policies are made with a thorough understanding of how they will affect the people and communities they impact. Elected officials and other policymakers make important decisions that affect the quality of our lives and our communities, including how our tax dollars are spent, how systems and communities respond to violence, and how people’s basic needs are met.
It is important that our team engage with legislators to help make important issues part of public policy discussions.