PEACE OVER VIOLENCE

Peace Over Violence provided supportive services, community outreach, prevention education, and professional training to community members throughout Los Angeles County, including the Metro Los Angeles area and the West San Gabriel Valley. A total of 17,729 individuals were served through a variety of survivor-centered, trauma-informed programs and services addressing sexual assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, and related forms of abuse and victimization. Services were provided in English, Spanish, American Sign Language (ASL), and additional languages through interpretation services to ensure accessibility for diverse communities and underserved populations. Peace Over Violence programming included a 24/7 L.A. Rape and Battering Crisis Hotline; emergency response services for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence- Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART); Family Justice Center services; Trauma Recovery and Counseling services; Housing and financial assistance; case management; prevention education and community outreach; professional training; empowerment self-defense programs; Legal Advocacy, including immigration and civil legal advocacy; and survivor support services. Accomplishments: During the reporting period, 662 survivors received ongoing counseling services through individual counseling and support groups designed to support healing, trauma recovery, emotional wellness, and long-term stability. Housing and financial assistance programming provided critical support to survivors experiencing domestic violence and crisis situations, helping individuals and families stabilize during times of immediate need while supporting pathways toward long-term safety and self-sufficiency 101 survivors. Peace Over Violence's volunteer programming continued to play a vital role in supporting agency services and community outreach efforts. POV volunteers dedicated their time supporting hotline services, Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) emergency response programming, youth programming volunteers from youth institute, empowerment self-defense education, and violence prevention workshops conducted throughout the community. Volunteers also supported prevention education efforts by increasing awareness regarding domestic violence, sexual assault, healthy relationships, consent, and community safety. Case management and advocacy services assisted survivors throughout various stages of crisis response and systems navigation. Advocates guided survivors through reporting processes, accompanied survivors to court hearings for restraining orders and other legal matters, and connected individuals and families to local resources and supportive services, including shelter, counseling, housing, and community-based assistance programs. Peace Over Violence is particularly proud of its collaborative partnerships with community organizations, public agencies, and systems partners that enhanced services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Accomplishments included maintaining co-located domestic violence advocacy services at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, strengthening Family Justice Center partnerships, supporting Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) collaborations with law enforcement agencies, and continuing strong working relationships with domestic violence shelters and community service providers throughout Los Angeles County. Peace Over Violence is also the founder and lead organization of Denim Day, an internationally recognized sexual violence prevention and awareness campaign that originated in Los Angeles and has continued for the past 27 years. Denim Day has grown into a global movement raising awareness about sexual violence, victim blaming, consent, and survivor support through public education, community engagement, and advocacy efforts worldwide. In addition, Peace Over Violence leadership and staff actively participated in countywide coalitions, multidisciplinary partnerships, and public awareness programming focused on improving responses to domestic violence and sexual assault, strengthening survivor services, advancing prevention efforts, and promoting systems-level advocacy and education throughout the community. All Peace Over Violence programs utilized survivor-centered, trauma-informed approaches designed to promote safety, healing, empowerment, dignity, and access to supportive resources for survivors and their families.