5 Conscientiousness Organizations Working To End Violence

Violence comes in many forms and affects all kinds of people. To prevent further harm, many organizations have stepped up to assist victims, create healing spaces within communities, and fight against perpetrators through campaigns and other preventative measures. This list, presented in no particular order, shares several of them.

Kicking off our list at #1 is Culture of Respect. This nonprofit was founded in 2013 by the parents of college-aged students who were alarmed by the high rate of sexual assault on campuses and the lack of comprehensive resources for survivors, students, administrators, and parents.

The organization has developed a series of tools meant to support survivors, prevent sexual violence, and communicate that these acts of brutality are unacceptable. One is a two-year program that brings together colleges that are dedicated to ending campus sexual violence and guides them through a process of self-assessment and targeted organizational change.

Next up, at #2, we have Ending Violence Association of British Columbia, based in Vancouver. It works to coordinate and support the work of victim-serving and other anti-violence programs through resource development, training, research, and education.

EVA BC’s Annual Training Forum is a professional development event for anti-violence workers in British Columbia. It brings together local and international experts to deliver keynotes and workshops that speak to emerging issues and best practices in the anti-violence field.

Coming in at #3, we have SPAN, based in Boulder, Colorado. The organization aims to end violence against people of all ages through support, advocacy, education, and community organizing. It is the only organization in its region designed to provide shelter and advocacy for victims of interpersonal violence.

SPAN's Peers Building Justice program is dedicated to domestic violence prevention through education for young people in Boulder County. To educate youth, providers, and parents about domestic violence, it works on after-school initiatives. Participants explore social justice topics through art, education, and community engagement.

The #4 entry is Know Your IX, a survivor- and youth-led project of Advocates for Youth, that aims to empower students to end sexual and dating violence in their schools. It has developed a number of resources for students, such as the Campus Organizing Toolkit, which explains legal requirements and strategies needed to plan effective campaigns.

Know Your IX believes that ending sexual and dating violence on college campuses is a pivotal part of making higher education accessible for all students and one part of the broader struggle for education justice. In 2015, POLITICO Magazine named the organization one of the 50 influencers transforming American politics.

Last but not least, at #5, we have Neighbors in Action, an institution in Brooklyn, New York with the goal of building safer and healthier communities. It seeks to demonstrate how places can become peaceful and vibrant through the collaborative efforts of local residents, nonprofit organizations, businesses, elected officials, and faith-based leaders.

One of its initiatives, Save Our Streets, is a community-based effort to end gun violence. The S.O.S. staff is focused on the Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhoods and serves as peer counselors to the people who are at risk of perpetrating or being victimized by violence. The teams work closely with neighborhood leaders and businesses to promote public messages that further its mission.