Host an Event
Hosting an event is a great way to raise awareness in your community. To make your event the most impactful, don’t forget to register with us! Want to show a video at your event? Check out the video libraries from Love Is Not Abuse and loveisrespect.org.
House Party
Host a celebration themed around healthy relationships like Break the Cycle's Valentine’s Anytime Party. Send any money you raise to a dating violence organization.
Poetry Slam
Hosting a poetry slam on dating abuse and healthy relationships is a great way to get your community engaged. Start by contacting the manager at your local coffee shop, favorite venue or space on campus. Then pick a date and begin advertising. Food is always a big draw! Are you a teacher? Use these simple steps from the National Educator’s Association (NEA) to get your class started. Don’t forget to encourage participants to present poetry related to Teen DV Month.
Plays
There are many great plays about dating violence that you can put on. Pick between The Yellow Dress, Remote Control, I Am Domestic Violence and Don’t U Luv Me? Feel free to be inspired by the theatrical efforts of others like IndyFringe and Theatre Action Project.
Art Show
Students and community members can enjoy participating in an art show around dating abuse and healthy relationships. Whether you’re leading a club, classroom, online community or group of friends, try to find a way to display the art that makes it most impactful – perhaps publish a booklet or display the art in a public place like the library. You can encourage submissions by making your art show a competition with the winner getting a fun prize.
Rally/Vigil
Organize a rally or picket line by reserving a park or parking lot. Make posters and signs using statistics to raise awareness about abuse. You can also host a candlelight vigil at your house, campus or community center to honor both those who have survived domestic violence and those who have not.
Speaker
Bringing speakers on campus or to your community group or organization is a great way to start a dialogue around dating violence. Ask someone from a local domestic violence organization or a professor who writes on a related issue. Make sure to reserve the appropriate space and figure out if you need to fundraise to pay for costs like the speaker’s fee, refreshments and audio/visual equipment. Then, promote the event online and through flyers and posters on campus or in your community. Before the day comes, pick someone to introduce the speaker and thank everyone who comes.
Press Conference
Really want to make a splash? Host a press conference with a sympathetic legislator or community leader!
Start by contacting your VIP by email, phone or mail to see if they are interested in attending. Once you’ve gotten their attention, work with their PR staff to find a good time, place and format. Press conferences are most effective when they take place on a midweek day sometime between late morning and early afternoon. Expect the event to take no more than one hour, but make sure you have time to set up and break down. Pick a location that ensures good lighting, photo opportunities, convenience for reporters and enough space for all your guests. Feel free to invite other speakers, but make sure everyone knows how long they have to present and what the format will be.
Next, figure out what you need for the event. For example, does your speaker want a podium? Should there be a computer for presentations? Will refreshments entice people to come? Should you have a system for asking questions, like writing them on cards and handing a stack to the speaker? How much will everything cost? You may need to conduct a small fundraiser, like a car wash, to be successful.
Start promoting the event by writing a press release. Check out these tips to get started. Make sure your speakers all approve the release before you send it. A week before your event, give copies to all local media outlets including television stations, radio stations and newspapers. Once you’ve sent the press release, promote the event to community members online, through mailed invitations, by posting flyers or some combination of these tactics.
Now you are ready to host the event! Arrive early to set up and make sure everything looks good. Greet the reporters at the door and provide them with an additional copy of the press release and statistics on dating violence. During the event, leave time for a question and answer session. End by thanking everyone and emphasizing the importance of addressing dating violence in your community.
Keep Going by Supporting VAWA
Now that you’re an expert event planner, keep supporting dating abuse prevention by rallying around the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, VAWA. We have a complete activism toolkit to get you started!
