Building Bridges Across the California Ecosystem to Prevent Gender-Based Violence

January 24, 2024 |
Valor

In April 2023, VALOR collaborated with the Center on Gender Equity and Health at the University of California, San Diego, the California Department of Public Health, and the Blue Shield of California Foundation to host a one-day forum to gather advocates, researchers, and policymakers invested in preventing gender-based violence. Together, participants discussed their shared vision to live in a California free from gender-based violence and tangible steps our communities can be taking to work towards this goal. Forum participants identified four primary avenues for our ongoing work: 

  1. A coalition for Research to Action work on GBV is needed, inclusive of researchers, practitioners, and policy experts, along with metrics regarding targets of success for GBV prevention.
  2. High quality and inclusive data should help drive GBV-related policy decision-making.
  3. Prioritization of culturally specific, community-led GBV prevention is needed across GBV funding, the generation of research evidence, and GBV prevention policies and practice.
  4. Ongoing state, foundation, and philanthropic investments to support prevention work is essential.

As VALOR’s CEO, Sandra Henriquez, shared during a panel discussion at the forum, “It’s really important that we do have communities of color leading some of the research and studies so that we can look at what is happening within particular populations and communities and what the needs are.” 

Black and white image of Sandra Henriquez

Gender-based violence prevention takes time and sustained funding. These priorities outlined by forum participants highlighted in the recently released white paper, point to the need for our continued work. 

Read Building Bridges Across the California Ecosystem to Prevent Gender-Based Violence.