Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention Initiative

The initiative seeks to engage and mobilize Cambridge’s communities, agencies and City departments to change attitudes, behaviors, policies and practices to prevent and bring attention to domestic and gender-based violence.  In collaboration with community leaders, local agencies and interested citizens, the initiative will develop and provide accessible, safe and relevant strategies and resources to prevent and respond to domestic violence within all communities in Cambridge.

Guiding Principles

The work of the Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Initiative will:

• be informed by a broad range of Cambridge communities with particular emphasis on communities of color and non-English speaking language groups traditionally underrepresented in decision-making leadership; also essential to a strong and informed collaborative are youth and GLBTQ communities
• recognize that gender-based violence is connected to societal sexism and unequal power in relationships and as such, see men’s participation as essential to the work as advancing women’s empowerment and dignity
• collaborate with survivors to develop strategies and resources that consider their safety and well-being
• engage youth to challenge narrow gender roles and redefine relationships
• view gender-based violence holistically and acknowledge economic, racial and social injustice as well as the pervasive presence of violence 
• be framed by multi-cultural perspectives that invite innovative, creative ideas and engage in restorative approaches
• rely on deeply formed partnerships as well as foster expanded relationships with City departments, agencies, community groups and grassroots organizations
• commit to continually evaluate our efforts and progress

The Cambridge Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative has been built on the foundation of the work done through the Cambridge Domestic Violence Free Zone. On March 7, 1994, the Cambridge City Council passed a resolution defining the city as a Domestic Violence-Free Zone (DVFZ) directing all municipal and city-affiliated organizations to work collaboratively to reduce family violence.

 In 1997 eleven key projects were developed by a collaborative group within Cambridge. Learn more about the DV Free Zone in this historical document. (Please note that contact information in this document is out of date.) 

In an effort to reinvigorate the Domestic Violence focus in Cambridge, (Former) City Councilor Marjorie Decker held a community forum and began a DV awareness campaign in 2011.  Learn more about the 21 Days of Questions 365 Days of Action campaign. Marjorie Decker, along with a planning group, coordinated an effort to collect over 1000 questions from people across Cambridge. 

Following additional community forums, the City of Cambridge made a commitment to create a new position in order to coordinate ongoing efforts on domestic and gender-based violence in City. The “Coordinator of the Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative” was hired in October, 2014. The Cambridge Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Steering Committee is tasked with implementing the goals of the Initiative.

Over the spring and summer of 2015, the Cambridge Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative conducted an Assets and Needs Assessment in order to gain a better understanding of the how the issues of sexual and domestic violence in Cambridge are currently being addressed, what is working well, and what are the unmet needs of those affected by these issues. The Steering Committee conducting this Assessment reached out to community residents, local non-profits, businesses, youth, universities and City departments. Below is a link to their findings.

Assets and Needs Assessment Report with Recommendations October 2015

If you are interested in talking with us, please contact the Coordinator of the Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative.