Cruelty and violence run wide and deep in our society. They have no single cause and no simple solution. Hundreds of programs around the country are addressing violence from many different perspectives. These efforts generally fall into three categories:
- Primary programs aimed at the general population to educate people about violence-related issues and to change the way society views different forms of violent behavior.
- Secondary programs that seek to change the attitudes and behavior of higher-risk individuals through mentoring or fostering nurturing, nonviolent skills.
- Tertiary programs focusing on intervention or treatment for individuals already associated with antisocial or violent behavior.
First Strike® Directory of Violence Prevention & Intervention Programs
In February 2000, the First Strike campaign produced a directory of animal-related programs around the United States that fall into the three categories described above. Specifically, we singled out those programs that seek to break the cycles of violence and abuse by tapping into the special relationships that can exist between people, animals, and other elements of the natural world.
We paid special attention to animal-related programs that focus on victims and perpetrators of violence and on those who are considered to be at risk of becoming entangled in the web of abuse.
We also included programs that reach out to the professionals—teachers, social service workers, and law enforcement authorities—who work with these populations.
These programs cover a wide range of audiences and techniques. They share a common conviction that sensitivity to the needs of animals, and activities that help people meet those needs, can produce significant chances in the way people view themselves and others.
In 2004, we updated the directory in order to provide current information on the original programs highlighted in 2000. The HSUS is pleased to make this revised edition available online as a PDF file.
To learn more about animal-related violence prevention programs, download the updated Violence Prevention & Intervention Directory.
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