Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA)
Purpose of the Program
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem in the United States. Research indicates that IPV exists on a continuum from episodic violence-a single or occasional occurrence-to battering (Johnson, 1995). Battering is more frequent and intensive and involves one partner who develops and maintains control over the other. For additional information about the magnitude and consequences of IPV, see the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC)
web site.
All forms of IPV, from episodic violence to battering, are preventable. The key to prevention is focusing on first-time perpetration and first-time victimization. Knowledge about the factors that prevent IPV is lacking. CDC is working to better understand the developmental pathways and social circumstances that lead to this type of violence. In addition, the agency is helping organizations evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs to reduce both victimization and perpetration.
The Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through
Alliances (DELTA) program seeks to reduce the incidence (i.e., number of new
cases) of IPV in funded communities. The program addresses the entire
continuum of IPV from episodic violence to battering through a variety of
activities.
Learn about other activities that CDC is engaged in to
prevent IPV.
History of the Program
The Family Violence Prevention Services Act was passed in 1994 to support the work of Coordinated Community Responses (CCRs) addressing IPV at the local level. U.S. Code Title 42, Chapter 110, Section 10418, Demonstration Grants for Community Initiatives funded nonprofit organizations to sustain IPV intervention and prevention projects (CCRs) in local communities.
A CCR is an organized effort to prevent and respond to IPV. These efforts can be organized formally (e.g., nonprofit organization) or informally (e.g., group of concerned citizens). CCRs typically involve diverse service sectors (e.g., law enforcement, public health, and faith-based organizations) and populations. Historically, CCRs have focused on providing services to victims, holding batterers accountable, and reducing the number of recurring assaults. Few have concentrated on stopping initial IPV, otherwise known as primary prevention.
CDC was given the responsibility of administering the federal funds provided by this legislation. The monies were first used to fund 10 CCR demonstration projects. To facilitate primary prevention at the community level, CDC began funding the DELTA program in 2002. Nine state domestic violence coalitions were initially funded; five more were added in 2003.
The federal legislation is intended to support community level efforts. CDC funds state-level domestic violence coalitions to provide prevention-focused training, technical assistance, and funding to local CCRs. A local nonprofit organization serves as the fiscal agent and receives DELTA funding to support the local CCR's adoption of primary prevention principles and practices. CCRs integrate prevention strategies through increased cooperation and coordination among participating sectors.
Program Concepts
Primary prevention is the cornerstone of the DELTA Program. Program activities are guided by a set of prevention principles including:
- Preventing first-time perpetration and first-time victimization;
- Reducing risk factors associated with IPV perpetration or victimization;
- Promoting protective factors that reduce the likelihood of IPV;
- Planning evidence-based programs;
- Using behavior and social change theories in prevention program planning and evaluation; and
- Evaluating prevention programs and using results to form future program plans.
Prevention requires understanding the circumstances and factors that influence violence. CDC uses a four-level, social ecological model to better understand violence and potential strategies for prevention. This model considers the complex interplay between individual, relationship, community, and societal factors, and allows us to address risk and protective factors from multiple domains.
The DELTA program encourages the development of comprehensive prevention strategies through a continuum of activities that address all levels of the social ecology. It is important that these activities are developmentally appropriate and are conducted over several life stages. This approach is more likely to prevent IPV across a lifetime than any single intervention or policy change.
Individual-level influences are personal history factors that increase the likelihood of becoming an IPV victim or perpetrator. Examples include attitudes and beliefs that support IPV, isolation, and a family history of violence. Prevention strategies at this level are often designed to promote attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that support intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust. Specific approaches may include education and life skills training.
Relationship-level influences are factors that increase risk because of relationships with peers, intimate partners, and family members. A person's closest social circle
- peers, partners, and family members-influence their behavior, and contribute to their range of experience (Krug et al., 2002). Prevention strategies at this level may include mentoring and peer programs designed to promote intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust.
The community level of the model examines the contexts in which social relationships are embedded-such as schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods-and seeks to identify the characteristics of these settings that are associated with victims or perpetrators of violence. Prevention strategies at this level are typically designed to impact the climate, processes, and policies in a given system. Social norm and social marketing campaigns are often used to foster community climates that promote intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust.
Societal-level influences are larger, macro-level factors, such as gender inequality, religious or cultural belief systems, societal norms, and economic or social policies that influence IPV. Prevention strategies at this level typically involve collaborations by multiple partners to promote social norms, policies, and laws that support gender and economic equality and foster intimate partnerships based on mutual respect, equality, and trust.
Current Activities
State domestic violence coalitions that receive DELTA Program funds are working to build IPV prevention capacity within their organization, state, and local communities. Specifically, each coalition has recruited a diverse group of people from within their state to develop an IPV Prevention Plan. This 5-to 8-year plan will focus on the strategies needed to prevent IPV and build the infrastructure required to support the activities.
Each state domestic violence coalition is also working to integrate primary prevention principles into their operating structures and processes, develop primary prevention resources, and deliver primary prevention training and technical assistance to various partners throughout their state.
At the local level, state domestic violence coalitions are supporting local CCRs in the development of an IPV Prevention Plan and a Progress Report. The purpose of the local IPV Prevention Plan is the same as the state plan, to focus on prevention strategies and needed infrastructure. The Progress Report is an opportunity for local CCRs receiving five years of DELTA funding to report the evaluation results of their prevention strategies.
By focusing on multiple levels within each state, CDC is supporting comprehensive efforts to prevent IPV. Many believe that IPV is a community problem requiring a community solution.
Publications
DELTA Program: At-a-Glance
References
Johnson MP. Patriarchal terrorism and common couple violence: two forms of violence of against women. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 1995;57(2):283-94.
Krug EG, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R, editors. World Report on Violence and Health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002.
Page last modified: June 09, 2008