Systems Advocacy

Systems advocacy is integral to DC SAFE’s mission. There are many ways to create systemic change, be it through legislation, litigation, direct action, or regulatory reform. But whatever the tactic, we strongly believe that the most effective change happens when we elevate the collective voices of the more than 8,000 clients we serve each year through partnerships with the government agencies and community-based organizations survivors rely on to achieve safety and stability.

Our Guiding principles

Systems advocacy is immediate and everyday work on the ground-level.
We strive to be an interrupter for survivors in the DC systems.
We continuously listen to the challenges that survivors face in seeking help, and then work with our community partners to find timely solutions.
We advocate for survivor-centered, low-barrier services that equally distribute care regardless of survivors’ participation with the criminal justice system.
It is our responsibility to be accountable, to hold systems accountable, and to continuously improve our collective response to domestic violence and enhance community safety.

partnerships & Initiatives: Improving community safety

Below are some of the primary partnerships that we have within various DC systems. Some partnerships may seem counterintuitive or even oppositional to our mission, but the act of partnering provides a forum for dispute resolution and education about survivors’ perspectives, needs and experiences.