Today marks the close of this year’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign that calls attention to a crisis we confront daily at the Urban Resource Institute: for too many women and children, home is not safe.
The International Rescue Committee’s latest analysis reinforces what our teams witness firsthand. Around the world, 1 in 3 women will experience violence. In crisis and conflict zones, the rates are even higher. But this is not only a global issue — it is a national and local emergency.
Here in the United States, by the end of today, three women will be murdered by an intimate partner.
Those at greatest risk are Black and Brown women, who face layers of inequity, discrimination, and economic vulnerability.
And the most overlooked victims are children. At URI, 65 percent of our shelter residents are under 18. They absorb and carry trauma that can shape the rest of their lives.
Everyday Activism Requires a Continuum of Care
Ending gender-based violence demands coordinated action across a full continuum — from early prevention to long-term healing, and accountability for those who cause harm.
At URI, that continuum includes:
Prevention: RAPP
Our Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP) partners with public schools to reach thousands of students with education on healthy relationships, conflict resolution, and emotional safety. Preventing violence before it begins is essential.
Accountability: APIP
Our Abusive Partner Intervention Program (APIP) works directly with individuals who have caused harm. The independent evaluation is clear:Reduced repeat violence
- Improved nonviolent behaviors
- Stronger survivor safety outcomes
Intervention with people who cause harm is survivor work. It protects survivors now and prevents future violence.
Safety and Healing: Shelter and Stabilization
As the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter, URI offers nearly 4,000 beds each night and supports more than 40,000 people each year with housing, counseling, legal services, and economic empowerment.
Policy Change: Coerced Debt Legislation
The Coerced Debt Bill (A.3038/A.1353-B) — now awaiting the Governor’s signature — will prevent survivors from being forced to pay financially for the abuse inflicted on them. This is economic justice and a necessary path to independence.
16 Days Ends — But Survivors Still Need Us Tomorrow
IRC’s data makes one thing clear:
• Gender-based violence is rising.
• Systems are strained.
• Survivors are carrying the weight.
But 16 Days of Activism also reminds us that solutions exist, and when we commit to them, progress is possible.
What happens tomorrow — and every day after — matters most. We need:
- Investment in social services
- Prevention programs for youth
- Community-led responses
- Safe and affordable housing
- Trauma-informed intervention
- Strong survivor protections
Ending gender-based violence is ongoing work. It requires consistency, partnership, and urgency. It requires every sector — government, nonprofits, philanthropy, business, education, and health — moving together with purpose.
A Future Free from Violence Is Possible — If We Choose It
For more than four decades, URI has helped families move from crisis to stability, from trauma to triumph. We cannot do it alone, and survivors should not be left to carry this burden alone. As 16 Days of Activism ends, the real question begins: Will we meet this crisis with the sustained action survivors deserve? I believe we can. I believe we must. And I am committed to doing this work alongside global partners like IRC — not just for 16 days, but every day.
Nathaniel M. Fields
Chief Executive Officer
Urban Resource Institute
