Newsletter Table of Contents:

• From Our Director of Programs (see below)
• Feature: The Possibilities for Prevention When Youth Are in the Lead  
• Support Our Work: Help Stop DV for Future Generations
• Events
• Catch Up With the Partnership

For our Shifting the Lens conference, March 11-12 in Los Angeles, we’re intentionally stepping into an uncomfortable space. We will hear from Ray Rice, an athlete who forever changed the conversation about domestic violence in 2014 when a video was released showing him striking his partner in an elevator.

Why on earth would a domestic violence organization be curious about and want to hear from Ray Rice?

Survivors are at the center of our work, and they’re the ones who often take on the emotional labor of sharing their story. Their voices are most important in guiding our approaches—and at the same time, they cannot, and should not, bear the responsibility of reaching people who harm. When we read about Ray Rice working to educate athletes of all ages about his abusive behavior, the pursuit of healthy manhood, and opportunities to learn from his path to accountability, we knew this conversation would be most effective coming from someone with his lived experiences. If we believe survivors can move from trauma to healing, why shouldn’t we hear from people who cause harm also working towards healing?

We decided to invite Tony Porter, CEO of A CALL TO MEN to join us as a Keynote Speaker and interview Ray Rice at our conference. By having this courageous conversation, we are seeking to shift the burden from survivors, many of whom are women that have been at the forefront of work to end domestic violence for decades. This will be about men’s accountability, men’s growth, men’s healing and most of all, hope for a healthy manhood that values all women and girls. As always, this conversation is about ending domestic violence, not just putting a band-aid on it. At Shifting the Lens, we’ll explore the concept that people who harm have been exposed to the same toxic cultural elements of power and control that show up in their behavior. After hard, introspective work with domestic violence programs, and a central focus on the needs of survivors— can they be part of this movement’s work? We need you there at Shifting the Lens as part of this discussion.

We’re grateful that you’re exploring bolder solutions with us as we explore justice, accountability, prevention, and how we turn the tide on domestic violence. Read on in our Quarterly Newsletter to learn more about our commitment to prevention. Through our state budget advocacy and Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month campaign: Youth in the Lead, there will be many opportunities for you to be part of social change.

Shifting the Lens: What People Are Saying

 “We can no longer address domestic violence in the same binary way we have for the last 20-30 years. It simply does not represent the multiple dimensions and realities of families. It is by taking the step to speak with those who cause harm that we move closer towards transformative justice for all our communities. If not us, who will take this on?”

— Sharon Turner, Movement Leader

“I have a lot of emotions about Ray Rice being at the conference and I’m choosing to honor all of them.  When I was first told that he was going to be there, my initial response was “oh” mixed with a little bit of “what the hell?”  Then I thought to myself, I want to know some things.  I want to know why he feels whatever work he’s done gives him a public voice now.  I want him to explain to the advocates in the room exactly how he’s changed and why that change is credible, knowing what we know about recidivism.  I want to know about the work he is doing with other men in areas of anger and masculinity and how that has influenced his own heart.”

— Bev Gooden, Creator of #WhyIStayed

“When we speak of the topic of accountability, it’s in all of our best interest to add healing and a path towards restoration to that topic. That discussion is very necessary.”

—  Dominique Waltower, Speaker, Inspire Perspective

We are at a place in the movement that is requiring us to expand our vision of accountability and rather than excluding harm doers from the healing process, we are open to alternatives to justice that includes people that commit harm in the healing process.”

— Tina Rodriguez, Program Manager, Community Action Partnership Of Madera County