Iowa Men’s Action Network
Over the last several years, DELTA PREP, a national collaborative effort funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and CDC Foundation, has provided support to 19 domestic violence state coalitions to build capacity for primary prevention. This week, the effort is culminating with a National Prevention Symposium in Atlanta. DELTA PREP has been summarized in this project summary, which describes efforts from the 19 DELTA PREP grantees. Last December, PreventConnect released six podcasts from DELTA PREP. Below is an additional podcast describing efforts to prevent domestic violence.
Tess Cody of the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) and Michael Shaw of Waypoint describe the work of the Iowa Men’s Action Network. Through ICADV’s involvement in DELTA PREP, they decided to engage men to support preventing domestic violence.
We are forming an “Engaging Men” effort at the Women’s Center of Southeastern CT. As male volunteers we feel we can be most effective at preventing domestic violence and sexual assault by supporting the Center’s efforts already underway in the school system to teach non-violent problem solving skills, bullying prevention, healthy dating relationships and safe dates. We feel that the power and control syndrome associated with domestic violence an sexual assault is a direct result of unmet needs of children in dysfunctional family settings. By teaching the skills they do not learn at home, we create empowered individuals, supportive upstanders, and new norms for behavior. As men, we intend to help raise funds to spread these program to all schools in our area.