Sexual and domestic violence are serious societal problems that can have lasting, harmful effects on survivors and their family, friends, and communities. The impact and obstacles for survivors from underserved communities and those in poverty are even greater. The Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Project aims to advance violence prevention work while centering racial and social equity.

Through funding from the Office on Violence Against Women, the Alexandria Sexual Assault Center and Domestic Violence Program have partnered with Capital Youth Empowerment Program and Safe Space NOVA to advance violence prevention work and create a safer Alexandria for children and youth.

The approach to build effective violence prevention programming in Alexandria that centers racial and social equity in Alexandria is focused on:

1. Engaging youth, especially from underserved communities, to serve as peer advocates to develop peer-to-peer prevention programming by and for youth.
2. Partnering with community based organizations, Capital Youth Empowerment Program and Safe Space NOVA, who are representative of the youth we aim to reach and are already doing essential and successful work with underserved youth.

Contact Erika Callaway Kleiner at erika.kleiner@alexandriava.gov for more information on the Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Project.

This project is supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-22-GG-01072-CY awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this program are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice

Capital youth Empowerment Program

Capital Youth Empowerment Program (CYEP) is committed to promoting the healthy development of children and fathers. CYEP is expanding the reach of the evidenced based healthy relationships curriculum Safe Dates to more middle and high-school youth in Alexandria, with particular focus on Black and Hispanic youth. This is a specialty of CYEP, a program whose work is to “level the playing field for the underserved.” Outcomes from the Safe Dates curriculum show that participants will be less likely to be involved in dating violence, either victim or the aggressor; less likely to be involved in intimate partner violence as adults; more likely to intervene if they see problems related to dating abuse; and less likely to experience problems associated with dating violence, including declining school performance, depression, and suicidality.

Visit cyep.org to learn more about CYEP.

Safe Space NOVA

Safe Space NOVA (Safe Space) is dedicated to providing a safe, accepting, and supportive environment to combat social stigmas, bullying, and other challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth. Safe Space is engaging LGBTQ+ youth in Alexandria to present their healthy sexuality curriculum for queer youth that covers topics such as body autonomy, consent, communication, boundary-setting, and more. Safe Space offers a support group for LGBTQ+ youth to ask questions, connect with other youth, and build a resource network. Safe Space also delivers training for allied professionals and youth-serving organizations to improve sexual and domestic violence services for LGBTQ+ youth. 

Visit safespacenova.org to learn more about Safe Space NOVA.

The Peer Advocate Program was developed through a partnership among the Sexual Assault Center, the Domestic Violence Program, the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP), and the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria (SAPCA). Peer advocates work with these organizations and community partners to deliver peer-to-peer prevention programming and conduct community outreach in Alexandria. Peer advocates deliver workshops and presentations to Alexandria youth on topics related to sexual and reproductive health, sexual assault prevention, healthy relationships, mental health, and substance use prevention.

The Peer Advocate Program began with a high school cohort, and through the Sexual and Domestic Violence Prevention Project, launched a young adult cohort in 2024 to build on the success of this peer-to-peer program and expand violence prevention programming in the City of Alexandria.

Click here to learn more about the High School Peer Advocate Team.

Contact Alina Selnick-Escobar at alina.selnickescobar@alexandriava.gov for more information on the Peer Advocate Program.