Domestic Violence Prevention Collaborative

The Los Angeles Domestic Violence Prevention Collaborative (which is also represented by Los Angeles Urban League, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and Asian Pacific American Legal Center) is funded by the Verizon Foundation. This program employs a culturally relevant, linguistically sensitive, multi-pronged approach, including community education, outreach, multilingual materials, and collaborative media activities.

Target Audience

  • Youth
  • Parents
  • General Community

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is the single leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15-44 in the United States; more than muggings, car accidents, and rape combined. Each year between 2 million - 4 million women are battered and 2,000 of these battered women will die of their injuries. Domestic violence also known as spouse abuse, intimate partner violence, or teen dating violence occurs when one person uses force to inflict injury either emotional or physical, upon another person they have, or had, a relationship with. Although domestic violence cuts across race, socioeconomic status, education, and income distinctions, it has been estimated that African American women experience a disproportionate amount of domestic violence compared to Caucasian women.

There are four types of abuse:

  • Physical - Includes punching, slapping, choking, and having a weapon pulled to the victim's face. Consequences of abuse include rape, unwanted and aborted pregnancies, stress related illnesses, increased substance abuse, suicide attempts, and homicide.
  • Mental (Verbal) - Causes anxiety attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder, chronic depression, and suicidal thoughts and ideation.
  • Sexual - Characterized as unwanted and unwilling sexual acts.
  • Economic - Denial of access to the resources to which victims are legally and morally entitled, such as housing, employment, and family support.

If you need help or resources concerning domestic violence dial #HOPE (#4673) from any Verizon wireless phone and you will be directly connected to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

What Can Each of Us Do?

  • Call the police if you see or hear evidence of domestic violence.
  • Speak out publicly against domestic violence.
  • Take action personally against domestic violence when a neighbor, a co-worker, a friend, or a family member is involved or being abused.
  • Encourage your neighborhood watch or block association to become as concerned with watching out for domestic violence as with burglaries and other crimes.
  • Reach out to support someone whom you believe is a victim of domestic violence and/or talk with a person you believe is being abusive.
  • Help others become informed, by inviting speakers to your church, professional organization, civic group, or workplace.
  • Support domestic violence counseling programs and shelters.