In El Paso, a path to change domestic violence

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, a domestic violence court offers funnels perpetrators into programs that offer counseling and other services to address the root causes of their behavior. Its two tracks focus on first-time offenders to short-circuit any escalation into chronic abuse, as well as those with multiple domestic violence charges. Judges work closely with participants to encourage them and call them out when they aren't meeting their obligations, and recidivism rates among those who complete the programs are far lower than those who do not.

In St. Paul, one of Minnesota’s collective approaches to solutions in action — dubbed The Blueprint for Safety — is a foundation of laws that adapt to the proliferation of domestic violence in the state and successful efforts of marrying the advocate community with the criminal justice system.

Areas of High Point, North Carolina have suffered from crime, poverty, and neglect, until the city began implementing Operation Ceasefire, a policing program that uses data collecting, community support against crime. High Point is now leading the country in its success of Operation Ceasefire, boasting dramatic reductions in violent crimes, domestic abuse, robberies, and drug-related offenses.

In southern Louisiana's Lafourche Parish, sheriff's deputy Valerie Martinez Jordan used her history as a domestic violence victim to create a countywide program to legally seize the guns of people convicted of domestic violence or whose gun rights are suspended under a protective order. The program, since expanded statewide by legislation she inspired, took more than 200 guns out of circulation in her parish alone since last year and is credited with preventing any domestic homicides by people disarmed through her program's efforts.

In South Auckland, epicenter of New Zealand's high rates of domestic violence, police respond to calls for help but instantly call in Te Taanga Manawa, a Māori-led team of multiple, culturally appropriate social-services agencies to guide families toward fixing the root of their problems. In the past, police may have made referrals to services agencies. But the Māori's distrust and the time lag in getting offers of help meant that families often rejected it, having papered over their conflict for a time. Now, nearly all accept the help offered while the crisis is still hot.

The murder of a woman in Wisconsin highlights a lethality assessment tool for law enforcement to use that’s designed to help domestic victims and authorities understand how much danger victims might be in and help police connect them with services. It’s proven effective at helping those facing domestic violence take steps to reduce the chances they might be murdered by their partners. But getting it implemented, especially in rural areas where there may not be many resources for victims, has proven challenging with less than half of Wisconsin’s counties using it.

Volunteer advocates in Papua New Guinea are trained by the United Nations to be human rights defenders and are crucial links for women facing abuse to help them navigate through legal proceedings to get protection. In a country where many officials are bribed and women have few resources to get help, the defenders are usually their only route to escape. It's dangerous work but when it works by coordinating many sectors it's effective.

Lethality assessments have proven effective at avoiding domestic violence homicides and such a tool might have saved a Vermont woman who was murdered. The 11 questions help victims understand the danger they are in and also help law enforcement connect them with services. But officers in many counties in Vermont are either not using the tool or not doing it systematically even though an advocacy organization has pushed for its implementation and even when police chiefs embrace its use.

Domestic violence victims often suffer in silence and do not have encouragement to find help. San Luis Obispo in California has created a program RISE that trains primary care physicians to identify signs of domestic abuse and collaborates with clinics to treat and rehabilitate victims. The Affordable Care Act provides coverage for domestic violence screenings, offering financial incentives to help get victims the help that they need.

High Point, North Carolina, had the highest rates of domestic abuse in the state. The county decided to take a more comprehensive approach to the standard methods of the criminal justice system by adding in better collaboration with advocacy groups and social services and focusing on deterrence strategy. Their model has been largely successful in reducing domestic violence and is now being emulated in other regions.