Stand Up Colorado is a statewide, collaborative, multi-year relationship violence prevention campaign that goes beyond public awareness to alter behavior and effect long-term social change. The Movement will prevent future relationship violence by shaping an informed, zero-tolerance public attitude that inspires individual and community action (Stand Up Colorado 2018 Media Guide).
One of the campaign’s resources is the Stand Up Colorado Helpline; a statewide resource for people who think they may be using, experiencing, or witnessing relationship violence. The Helpline is staffed by qualified professionals who are available to talk with callers about what is happening and refer them to additional resources (Stand Up Colorado 2018 Media Guide).
Family Tree is one of Stand Up Colorado’s campaign sites, and the Domestic Violence Outreach Program (DVOP) has participated in the planning committee throughout the development and implementation of the campaign. DVOP also incorporates campaign messages into community education efforts, including content on lingering relationship violence myths that have been identified in Colorado. Most Coloradans know that domestic violence is common and acknowledge that survivors do not instigate or deserve to experience it. However, we still have work to do as a community around other myths, including the ideas that “victims can just leave” or “domestic violence doesn’t happen in my neighborhood.” The campaign and Family Tree hope to see changes around these ideas and promote understanding of the risks a survivor faces when leaving, the other barriers they face (such as a lack of resources, including affordable housing), and the fact that relationship violence can happen in any neighborhood.