Youth & Prevention
What is prevention?
Generally, prevention means taking action to stop a problem before it can begin. For Violence Free Minnesota, prevention means stopping violence before it occurs AND addressing the short-term and long-term consequences of violence that has already happened.
To prevent violence before it begins and address harm that has already occurred, we need the efforts of individuals, families, communities, and societies across the age spectrum to encourage relationships of empowerment and confidence. Prevention is a collaborative process that looks different for every community. Violence Free Minnesota promotes prevention by training health providers to recognize signs of abuse. We address systems of oppression like racism, classism, and sexism along with issues like pay equity that prevent victims from accessing safety.
COVID-19
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The following resource is for youth and their guardians to address two urgent public health epidemics: COVID-19 and intimate partner violence.
Youth Advisory Board
Violence Free Minnesota’s Youth Advisory Board meets monthly to work on campaigns, trainings, events, and other activities to prevent youth relationship abuse. If you or someone you know is between the ages of 14 -24 and interested in getting involved in violence prevention, please spread the word and apply today!
Healthcare Resource Hub
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This resource hub is intended for healthcare providers or anyone working in a clinic or hospital setting. The hub provides information about the warning signs and forms of relationship abuse, how it impacts health, how to work with patients experiencing abuse, how to assess for relationship abuse, and how to respond if a patient discloses abuse. It was created by a Violence Free Minnesota staff member, a sociology & family violence prevention student, and an occupational therapy doctoral student.
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Questions? Please contact Meggie Royer, mroyer@vfmn.org
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Project Connect
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Health care providers are uniquely positioned to have an impact on relationship abuse. We know that women who talked to their health care provider about abuse were 4 times more likely to use an intervention, and 2.6 times more likely to exit the abusive relationship.
Project Connect seeks to improve the public health response to domestic and sexual violence and reproductive coercion. Project Connect Minnesota is focused on promoting healthy relationships among Minnesota’s youth and adults through clinical intervention. Clinics involved in Project Connect are trained to screen and talk about healthy relationships with all clients. Safety cards are given out to every client as a quick and easy safety resource.
Project Catalyst
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The Project Catalyst Minnesota Leadership Team collaborates to promote policy and systems changes that support survivors of IPV and human trafficking seeking care in community health centers and violence-prevention programs. They also offer training and technical assistance to six community health centers and six domestic violence advocacy programs/community-based organizations in Minnesota. The team will then. implement a plan to improve care for survivors Minnesota-wide.
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Prevention Network
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Annually, Violence Free Minnesota convenes advocates from across the state for Prevention Network meetings. These meetings explore the intersection of prevention and programs working to end relationship abuse in Minnesota.
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Reproductive Coercion
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Reproductive coercion is a form of abuse in which a person who is, was, or wishes to be in an intimate or dating relationship with an adolescent or adult engages in behaviors that are intended to maintain power and control over the victim/survivor’s reproductive health and reproductive choices. Anyone of any gender identity or sexual orientation can experience or perpetrate reproductive coercion.
Reproductive coercion includes pregnancy pressure, pregnancy coercion, birth control sabotage, and sexual coercion.
Get Involved​
If you would like more information, training, and resources on clinical screening, intervention, and referral around domestic/sexual violence and reproductive coercion, please contact Meggie Royer at mroyer@vfmn.org
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