More Than a Pretty Face

By Jan Goodwin

What Is POV?

Founded in 1971, Peace Over Violence tries to protect women and children from violence by providing emergency intervention services and prevention programs in California (where a woman is raped every 54 minutes). "We focus on separate counseling services for women, youths, men, the disabled and elderly, gays, and immigrant populations," says Patti Giggans, the agency's executive director. POV offers a variety of other programs, including self-defense and safety training, and it participates in the Men of Strength campaign, which empowers young men to take a stand against sexual assault, gender discrimination, and violence. In November, POV celebrates its 35th anniversary with a photo-driven campaign. "We want to get people's attention so we can change the attitudes about how we combat violence," says Giggans. To support the campaign, log on to POV's Website: peaceoverviolence.org.

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