Local Policy

What Issues Matter?

Advocacy for violence prevention and survivor support at the local level might involve policies, practices, programs, and budget decisions that impact community safety and the root causes of violence. Generally, issues important to violence prevention and survivor support include:

Affordable, Safe Housing: Survivors often need to leave dangerous living situations quickly, but a lack of housing options can trap them with abusers. Tenant protections, emergency housing, rapid rehousing, and supportive housing models can improve survivors’ access to affordable, safe housing.

Economic Security and Employment: Financial dependence is a common barrier to leaving abusive situations. Paid leave, job training, access to childcare, and wage equity can help survivors achieve financial independence.

Mental Health & Substance Use Services: Survivors need access to healing and support, but care can be costly or hard to reach. Accessible and trauma-informed care, integrated crisis response, and peer support programs can make healthcare and mental health services more accessible for survivors.

Education & Youth Development: Prevention often starts with youth. Early education about consent, boundaries, and communication can reduce future violence. For example, comprehensive sex literacy education, bullying prevention, school-based mental health, and restorative practices can help prevent intimate partner violence before it ever occurs.

Criminal & Civic Legal Systems: Survivors interact with courts, law enforcement, and child welfare, and may be harmed or helped depending on the system’s design. Things like survivor-centered legal reforms, alternatives to incarceration, protection order access, and legal aid can help reduce harm.

Justice & Equity: Some communities face disproportionate policing, under-resourced services, and less access to justice or support. Equitable funding, culturally responsive services, and leadership that reflects the community, for example, can help address these barriers.

Immigration & Language Access: Immigrant survivors may fear deportation or struggle to find help due to language and cultural barriers. Advocating for non-discrimination policies, interpretation services, and protections from deportation in shelters or courts can help support survivors.

Public Health & Community Safety: Violence is a public health crisis, and prevention is most effective through a holistic, community-led response. Violence interruption programs, community health workers, safe public spaces, and crisis response teams can help support survivors and prevent intimate partner violence before it happens.

Firearm Safety: Access to firearms increases the risk of homicide in domestic violence situations. Background checks, removal of guns from aggressors, and red flag laws can help address this risk factor.

Civic Engagement & Policy Participation: Survivor voices must be heard in decisions that affect their safety, rights, and healing. Voter access, community boards, public hearings, and participatory budgeting are opportunities for survivor leadership and inclusion.