Domestic Violence Prevention

SAFESTART: “THERE IS TOO MUCH VIOLENCE IN OUR WORLD.”
This statement is sad but true. We work to end the cycle of violence by talking with parents and caretakers about how young children can be affected by the violence they witness, and how we can help children overcome these effects. SafeStart case management focuses on keeping the victims and children safe from violence. The program focuses on parents with young children (ages 0-6).

Even if it does not directly target the children, exposure to violence can have a significant effect on a child’s brain development and behavior. Children may exhibit symptoms such as unexplainable anxiety or an inability to focus on tasks.

APA, as the fiscal agent of Violence Against Women for API families funded by Department on the Status of Women (DOSW), provides prevention education and case management services for API families with children 0-19 years old in San Francisco.
​

• Children’s Support Group

APA provides various groups for children including groups that empower children. For example, the Superheroes group specifically targets children who may have experienced violence in community or at home.

• Parenting Classes

ACT Against Violence parenting classes are catered towards protecting children from the effects of violence. The class teaches parents how to foster their children’s growth and act appropriately without the use of spanking and yelling. The class also discusses the effects of community violence, as well as domestic violence, on children and families. Even if the children are not the actual target of violence, children may still suffer from anxiety or fear that consequently affects their focus and school performance.

• Counseling

Confidential counseling is available to families or individual family members. The API Hotline is a resource to parents and youth in times of stress and crisis. Trained hotline volunteers can provide help in Cambodian, Cantonese, Laotian, Mandarin, Samoan, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.