Simply put, prevention aims to stop the problem before it occurs. Here is our challenge: What are the root causes that lie upstream in the story of sexual and domestic violence? What are the causes behind these assaults, violence, and deaths? What will be effective strategies to prevent these causes from taking root in our society? Is prevention even possible?

JDI believes that the answers to these questions can be found through a human rights and gender analysis of sexual and domestic violence. This analysis demonstrates that the primary cause of sexual and domestic violence is the deeply embedded social norm that values power over another rather than equality, equity, and human rights. This analysis also requires us to look to the margins to identify victims, members, advocates communities and populations that may be under-represented, overlooked, disenfranchised, or otherwise made invisible. It means that we take an expansive view of violence, from physical and sexual to economic and political.

How is JDI involved in prevention efforts?

JDI promotes focused, community informed and driven efforts to address the root causes of violence against women, sexual and domestic violence, and stalking.

As the statewide Coalition, JDI is well suited to focus beyond preventing individual incidents of violence toward broader based efforts that tackle these fundamental issues. Our prevention efforts are grounded in evidence-based efforts to create a world without gender inequity on personal, community, institutional, and societal levels.

JDI’s current mobilization and community education prevention efforts include:

• Member Support: provide opportunities for members to learn from one another, to develop skills, and to build community and foster collaboration in their local communities to implement primary prevention initiatives.
• Massachusetts White Ribbon Day Campaign: promote and encourage men and boys to be allies in prevention sexual and relationship violence and to help #ReimagineManhood based on healthy, positive norms about masculinities and gender.
• Awareness Campaigns, Communications, and Media: aim to shift attitudes that perpetuate sexual and domestic violence and other forms of systematic oppression of women and girls and other marginalized communities that violate their humanity and human rights.