Organizations complete training for free help line to stop and prevent domestic violence

Last week, the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color (ABMoC), Homeboy Industries, the National Compadres Network, Creative Interventions and Growing a New Heart hosted an event to finish training for “A Call For Change Helpline,” a free service to help stop and prevent occurrences of domestic violence. 

Community leaders attended their third and final session of training before sharing the Helpline with community members.

Last fall, the helpline expanded to California through the partnership of several organizations.

The Helpline provides free, multilingual, confidential assistance for people who either have used violence in their relationships or have thought about using it.

Trained responders hold meaningful conversations with callers about their behaviors without using judgement or shame. Responders can also connect callers to other local organizations and services that can guide them in their journey.

“The helpline is here to provide a place for people who are ready to practice becoming reliably safe in their close relationships,” said JAC Patrissi, founder and principal of the transformative justice organization Growing a New Heart, who co-founded the helpline in Massachusetts in 2020. “Callers come to terms with what they’ve done and practice making a new way forward. Our responders support callers in examining their deeply held beliefs, their choices and their hopes, so they can foster trusting, safe and loving relationships while being accountable to the harm they have caused.”

“We are so proud to be involved in the expansion of the helpline to Los Angeles, and to help provide an outlet to people who know that their behaviors are hurting their relationships,” said Eric Morrison-Smith, executive director of ABMoC. The Helpline is part of ABMOC’s Healing Together campaign, which invites individuals to create safe, accountable communities by putting healing, gender justice, and racial equity over punishment as the way to end intimate partner violence. “Calling the police won’t end these behaviors, but providing an anonymous place, without judgement, where we can teach people that there are better ways to deal with your frustration can and will.”

Since expanding in October, there has been a 12% increase in calls from California. ABMoC’s interest has created a desire to build a nationwide community response for people to understand the importance of supporting individuals who cause harm in their intimate partnerships. 

“We are working to equip A Call For Change with the resources it needs to continue serving our communities,” said Morrison-Smith. We have our community behind us, along with supporters from across the country that want to keep this path moving forward.” 

Future plans for the helpline include expanding staffing by hiring a California-based manager and more responders for the helpline.

For more information, and to support A Call For Change Helpline, visit: acallforchangehelpline.org/.