About Us

About Futures Without Violence

Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund (Futures), is based in San Francisco with regional offices in Boston and Washington, D.C., is an international nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to end violence against women and children. Founded in 1980 in San Francisco by President, Esta Soler, Futures Without Violence has employed a broad-based approach to violence prevention encompassing grassroots organizing, professional training, national public education, state and federal public policy formation/implementation, institutional reform, and international leadership development.

Educating and Engaging the American Public:

  • In 1993, in partnership with the Advertising Council, Futures launched the very first and only national public education campaign (TV, print & radio PSA’s) on the unacceptability of domestic violence and sexual assault, “There’s No Excuse for Domestic Violence”.
  • Over the years continued to develop public campaigns with the Ad Council targeting specific audiences, such as, “It’s Your Business” for the African American community and the “Teen Action Campaign” for teenagers.

Engaging Men and Boys:

  • Local, national and international programs to educate men about the critical role they play in raising boys to respect women. (e.g. The Coaching Boys into Men program and media campaign in partnership with the Ad Council)
  • Customized educational materials and special clinics for athletic coaches so that they create a climate of respect for women and girls through “teachable moments” – on and off the field. (Coaching Boys into Men Playbook)
  • Partnerships with professional sports teams, (SF Giants, Oakland A’s, San Francisco 49ers) to generate support, awareness and enthusiasm around the issue.
  • Parenting programs for fathers who have been abusive and are committed to reforming their behavior.

Awareness in the Workplace:

  • Specialized training programs for executives and managers to understand the impact of domestic violence in the workplace.
  • Awareness and education resources for employers to share with employees to help prevent violence and build stronger families.
  • Technical support for employers to develop corporate policies and procedures designed to assist employees who are in need of help.

Education and Awareness in Schools and Communities:

  • Violence prevention programs in high schools through the dissemination of the Teen Action Campaign, an education, awareness, and action program designed by teens for teens.
  • Customized resources, training programs, and special workshops for high school teachers so that they can embed violence prevention strategies into their core curricula and help promote a culture of respect within the schools.
  • Educational resources for parents, teachers and other mentors to young people to help initiate and facilitate conversations on healthy relationships early and often.
  • Teacher Training Academy created in collaboration with master high school teachers to develop curricula for English/Literature teachers on how to engage their students in conversations relating to the storylines and characters who are confronting issues of physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual assault, etc.
  • Programs for children who grow up in violent homes.

Training for Professionals in Healthcare, the Judiciary, and Congress:

  • Local, regional and national training programs for physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals so that they can recognize and respond to women and children who are being abused.
  • Educational seminars and resources for family court judges to guide them in making sure that their courtrooms provide real help to victims of family violence.
  • Consultation to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and state legislatures on how to craft appropriate laws and funding programs in support of battered women and children, children at risk, and young parents. (E.g., Authored and advocated for landmark Violence Against Women Act and successfully led efforts to reauthorize VAWA in 2000 and 2005, including co-chairing a successful campaign to garner more than $600 million for local violence against women programs through the US.)

Building Leadership in immigrant and minority communities:

  • Leadership development programs for women of color and immigrant women so that they can better advocate for and support women and children in their communities who are in need of help.
  • Education programs for immigration attorneys so that they may better represent their clients on issues of asylum due to abuse, legal status/custody issues, and government services available to women and children in need.
  • Culturally appropriate and customized education and awareness programs for communities of color, e.g., “Coaching Boys into Men” for the Native American community, “Its Your Business” for the African American community; “There’s No Excuse” for the Asian American community, etc.

Empowering Women and Girls Internationally:

  • Challenging cultural norms that permit violence against women by educating and building leadership among indigenous and impoverished women, including midwives, in countries such as India, Mexico, Africa, and China.
  • Training health care providers to identify and support victims of abuse by setting up hospital-based programs and crisis centers in countries such as India and China.
  • Training athletic coaches in partnership with UNICEF in countries such as Africa, Norway, India, and Brazil so that they teach boys to respect women.
  • Advocating on Capitol Hill and the White House for investments in education, health, and safety for women and girls around the world.

Creating Futures Without Violence:

  • Creating a global hub for leadership development, public education, and action on the Main Post of the Presidio, a national park in San Francisco.
  • Featuring a state of the art conference and education center to host up to 300 individuals on site and up to 30 locations around the world via Cisco Telepresence.
  • Engaging the general public through a series of interactive exhibit that educate and inspire individuals everywhere to participate in positive solutions to end and prevent violence.
  • To learn more, visit www.futureswithoutviolence.org.

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