The San Luis Obispo County Beat the Punch Campaign is a prevention campaign designed to provide information, education, and alternative actions to help prevent domestic violence in our community. By informing and helping our local men in identifying and preventing high-risk behavior and abuse, we will move closer to a society where intimate partners treat each other with dignity, respect and compassion. Together, we can Beat the Punch.

Men can help end domestic violence by simply doing some or all of the following:

Learn about the full range of physical, verbal, and emotional behaviors men use to control their partners.

End those behaviors in your own life, and challenge other men to end them as well. This includes challenging all forms of sexism wherever you find it.

Teach Early. It’s never too soon to talk to a child about violence. Support your sons and teach them to respect and value women as equals. Support your daughters to be self-loving and powerful.

Tell them how. Teach children to express anger without using violence. When they get angry, tell them they can walk it out, talk it out, or take a time-out.

Help build community-wide intolerance for all expressions of male control over women.

Make it known to your women friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors that you do not tolerate abusive behavior toward women.

Support community efforts to prevent violence against women. Get involved with your local women’s shelter. Involve your religious organizations, parent’s groups, or neighborhood association in domestic violence prevention programs. Support women's safety and equality wherever you go.