Knowledge is power, which is why Break the Cycle works with youth and adults across the country to ensure they have the power to prevent dating violence and encourage healthy relationships. Building on direct experience, Break the Cycle offers trainings that help adult professionals meet the needs of adolescents and young adults.

Earlier this month, Break the Cycle’s Training and Technical Assistance team, in conjunction with the Center for Healthy Teen Relationships based in Idaho, hosted a training session for the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women Services, Training, Education and Policies to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking in Secondary Schools Grant Program (STEP) grantees at the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

Over the two-day training institute, the nine STEP grantee sites discussed ways they could implement survivor and youth centered advocacy and victim services in middle and high schools. Through panels, workshops and small discussion groups, the STEP grantees learned about implementing trauma-informed appraoches to their work, responding to sexual assault in a school setting, counseling and support groups in schools, working with non-abusing parents and caregivers and building relationships with law enforcement.

Break the Cycle is an official TA provider for the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), which provides federal leadership to reduce violence against women, administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. Since its inception, OVW has awarded over $4.7 billion in grants and cooperative agreements, and has launched a multifaceted approach to implementing VAWA. OVW grant programs help provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives by working with state, local and tribal partnerships among prosecutors, judges, law enforcement, health care providers, faith leaders, victim advocates and others.

To learn more about how one of Break the Cycle’s experts can help with in-person training, interactive workshops, keynote speeches, panel presentations, webinars and online consultations, connect with a trainer.