Over the past five years, representatives of hundreds of national organizations have gathered annually in San Diego at the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence Across the Lifespan (NPEIV) Think Tank to discuss the development of a National Plan to significantly reduce, if not end all forms of interpersonal violence and abuse. Between these annual meetings, dozens of professionals and advocates from diverse fields participated in monthly conference calls and via email to fine tune a comprehensive set of recommendations for which there was broad consensus. These professionals and organizations participated through Action Teams as a part of the NPEIV for which the annual membership dues are $25, and only $10 for students. In March of this year, a final draft and executive summary of the plan was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors of the NPEIV.

The NPEIV works to make the prevention of interpersonal violence a national priority and to encourage healthy relationships by linking science, practice, policy, and advocacy. There are seven Action Teams within the partnership which focus on:

1. Public Awareness – Developing a national public awareness campaign,
2. Training and Mentoring – Addressing training and mentoring needs in each profession,
3. Practice – Increasing our evidence-based knowledge regarding best practices for competent intervention services at every level,
4. Research – Promoting research on interconnections across types of violence, integrating practice issues into research, and supporting basic and applied research,
5. Public Policy – Coordinating education for policy impact, identifying needs, and developing research involved policy,
6. Dissemination/Translation – Developing strategies to translate research into practice and policy (and vice versa); developing a national dissemination plan, and
7. Global Peace – Collaborating with allies internationally engaged in parallel efforts to address violence by focusing on initiatives which provide education and resources to those working for peace.

The NPEIV represents the only national coalition that will bring together similar organizations under a common goal of ending all forms of interpersonal violence.  Through collaboration and unity, the NPEIV can provide the education and support for the entire initiative as well as assistance to single organizations to meet the goals and objectives set forth in not only the National Plan but each individual group.  To this end, working together to avoid duplication of efforts, sharing of information, and seeking new means to collaborate, the NPEIV will provide the necessary steps to achieve our mutually shared objectives.  The problem of violence continues and working together as one, we can reduce or eliminate all forms.It is the NPEIV’s goal to end all types of interpersonal violence, for all people, in all communities, at all stages of life. In advance of publication, we are asking leading organizations and agencies to endorse the plan. To this end, please review the National Plan and let us know if your organization would like to be listed as a supporter. If fully implemented, we believe this plan will impact millions of lives and speed the day when violence and abuse are memories, not the future.

If you support this plan, please consider adding the name of your organization or institution to the list of those who have endorsed the proposals. Endorsing the plan does not commit your organization to any financial or other obligation, it simply means you support the reforms offered in the plan.

NPEIV intends to use the plan as we approach policy makers, funders and otherwise work to implement these proposals and reduce, and one day, end violence.

We hope you will join us in this historic endeavor.