Partnerships

ESDA is a new organization which aims to leverage the collective impact of empowerment self-defense practitioners and influence national dialogue about preventing interpersonal violence. ESDA positions empowerment self-defense as a powerful means of personal and social change with a robust and growing research base demonstrating its efficacy. ESDA foregrounds survivor agency, awareness of neurobiological factors surrounding trauma, and a commitment to social justice as fundamental components of violence prevention.  

The Equality Community Center is a collaborative workplace for LGBTQ+ and allied social justice seeking non-profit organizations. They strive to provide a safer and more inclusive gathering space with social and educational programming for all, while supporting the most marginalized.

The Violence Prevention Network (VPN) is a collaborative of violence prevention programs based in Cumberland County, Maine. Together, these programs represent a K-12 approach to violence prevention programming for schools, with the objective to provide age-appropriate educational and co-curricular programming for students to address issues related to exposure to violence. The other members of VPN are: Hardy Girls Healthy Women, Maine Boys to Men, Family Crisis Services Young Adult Abuse Prevention Program (YAAPP), Portland Defending Childhood, Speak About It, Sexual Assault Support Services of Southern Maine (SARSSM), The University of Southern Maine (USM), Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Maine Civil Rights Team Project. 

The Mission of the Wabanaki Women’s Coalition is to increase the capacity of tribal communities to respond to domestic and sexual violence, and influence tribal, national, and regional systems to increase awareness, safety, justice, and healing for all our relations. Its member programs include Indian Township Passamaquoddy Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Center, Maliseet Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Center, Micmac Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Center, Passamaquoddy Peaceful Relations Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Center, and Penobscot Nation Domestic and Sexual Violence Advocacy Center.