spcaLA's Request for Support to Stop the Cycle of Violence in LA Families

Community safety

Long Beach County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit) City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Domestic violence can and often does have a severe impact on the physical, mental, and emotional health of the families that experience it. Even after the family is out of harm’s way, they usually have a long road to full recovery. Studies show that domestic violence inflicted on children may cause them to display violent behaviors presently or later in life.
The other issue we are seeking to address is bullying in local elementary schools. We hope to not only break cycles of violence but also cycles of harmful language and other bullying behavior. Bullying often begins in lower grades when children start to notice each other's differences, and even instances of bullying that occur early on can cause lifelong self esteem issues.

spcaLA works to prevent violence – toward people and animals. We offer Humane Education experiences that nurture a culture of empathy, compassion, and healthy relationships for all living beings.
Our ASN Youth & Families program serves adults & children seeking safety & support from domestic violence agencies. In animal-assisted sessions, participants work with a shelter dog and explore curriculum including animal welfare, conflict resolution, communication, & restorative coping skills. The program is conducted in 4, 1.5 hour sessions. Participants range in age from youth to adult.
For elementary students, we plan to launch TLC- Stop the Bullying (STB). Based on our award-winning Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC) program for adolescents, TLC-STB will offer lessons on empathy and compassion, hands-on dog training techniques, as well as anger identification, conflict resolution, & anti-bullying in a 3–4-week program. Students will learn to identify & break the cycle of violence by building self-esteem & increasing respect for all living creatures.
In both programs, time spent with shelter dogs includes practicing how to interpret dog body language & how to interact with a dog in a way that feels good for everyone. Participants will also train the shelter dogs in basic obedience & help them learn fun tricks using positive reinforcement. Participants are paired with the same dog each session to develop trust & see themselves as an integral part of their dog’s adoption journey.

Los Angeles County will have safer and stronger families if our work is successful. Our programs aim to facilitate healing for entire families impacted by domestic violence and instill confidence and respect for all living beings in youth. We hope this work helps to break the cycle of violence in many families across LA County and equip young people with the tools they need to have healthy relationships and communication skills.