History
Intimate partner violence (IPV) affects families and youth of every class, education, race, and faith. The impact is staggering, with annual health care costs alone topping $4.1 billion in the U.S. Some 43,000 youth and children witness violence in their homes every year in Massachusetts, and in 2001, "approximately one in five female public high school students in Massachusetts reported having experienced physical or sexual violence from dating partners." 
The faith community is a critical community partner in work to end IPV. "Each year, more abuse victims, perpetrators, and family members seek help from clergy and religious leaders than all other helping professionals combined." The faith community is uniquely placed to improve access to services and to provide critical prevention, earlier intervention, accountability, and long-term social change in order to lessen the impact of IPV on families and youth. However, faith community leaders are not always prepared to respond. One victim said after a Safe Havens training for Boston TenPoint Coalition clergy, "I'm glad you're doing this work. My mother went to our pastor for help many years ago. He told her to pray harder, but nothing changed. Now maybe some other girl won't spend eight years of her life being raped, like I did."
Safe Havens was founded in 1991 in response to all the families and youth who reach out to their faith leaders for help. In order to end the IPV nightmare and respond to families, elders, and youth at risk, it is critical that faith community leaders engage in prevention, earlier intervention, accountability, and social change. Since 1991, Safe Havens has provided outreach, education, and resources to innumerable congregations in the Greater Boston area. In addition, 60 congregations in the Greater Boston area have completed Safe Havens' 22-hour Family Violence Prevention Project training program.
