What happens when nothing matters?  It would be great if the answer were nothing – but what has happened, is happening and will continue to happen is that lives are being taken, lost, and handed over in acts of suicidal despair, hopelessness and homicidal rage.  Lackadaisical sexual encounters are exchanged without giving significant thought to the consequences and this epidemic is reaching younger and younger generations.

We can change this.

Many students have no idea why they feel the way they do about many of the inappropriate behaviors they emulate. These behaviors are learned and they can be unlearned.  The Alliance teaches students to understand why it’s not okay. 

         Why does this matter?

Our target demographic, ages 15-24, are challenged with the realities of homicide, AIDS and suicide as the three leading causes of death.  This is preventable.

HOW BAD IS IT?

Each year millions of children witness their mother or female caretaker being abused -- typically nothing is said or done. So, before you know it, the seemingly harmless sequence flows to siblings, schoolmates, boyfriends, girlfriends or significant others under the veil of “love” and acceptability. Male children who witness abuse of one parent by another are 700 times more likely to beat or other way abuse their female partners when they grow up, and every 12 seconds when a woman is battered…a child is present. 

In essence, the abusive activities they once feared, they now emulate and are accepting as normal behavior.

Children in foster care are three to six times more likely than children not in care to have emotional, behavioral and developmental problems, including conduct disorders, depression, difficulties in school and impaired social relationships.  African American, Native American and Latino children and youths are disproportionately represented in the foster care system by a margin of more than two to one. 

As long as nothing is said or done the cycle will contunue.

Looking at it this way it’s easy to understand how this epidemic has gained, and is gaining so much momentum. 

So, what do we do? 

Together, we can saturate this virus with enough force to break down its barriers. Our training sessions, workshops, promotional campaigns, and public service announcements are designed to help break the cycle of abuse.  

 Awareness.  Prevention.  Intervention.