Education beginning in kindergarten and continuing on through high school regarding the nonviolent resolution of problems in relationships in general can be offered. Curriculums have been developed that could be adapted for coeducational school or community settings. These eight strengths are nonthreatening behavior, respect, trust and support, honesty and accountability, responsible parenting, shared responsibility, economic partnership, and negotiation and fairness. Marriage relationships based on equality have lower rates of both conflict and violence. Programs for offenders also can help.
Programs tend to focus on anger and conflict management.
Use the police cautiously. Mandatory arrests for marital violence may help. Use of the police in deterring violence is also limited in other ways. Currently, the prevention of marital violence is not a high priority in our society. While the recently enacted Violence Against Women Act may change the level of interest in the problem, the funding being made available is largely for women's shelters, not primary prevention programs.