In rural and remote areas, prevention may seem like a luxury because even basic services may not be available. However, small steps can be taken to further prevention goals. Prevention occurs with the process of education and by creating an atmosphere of openness and trust. Prevention also means taking an active role in promoting social change and making efforts to influence needed legislative changes.
Victims of domestic violence will come forward and seek assistance if they believe that they will be believed and not blamed. The pattern of violence will be interrupted if people are provided the resources that they need to escape violence. Sarah Buel, adjunct professor at Harvard Medical School, makes the following recommendations to promote prevention:

1. Educate yourself and colleagues.

a. Know and use community resources, especially battered women’s programs.
b. Use national resources
c. Read relevant books and articles.
d. Institute mandatory and frequent domestic violence training.

2. Be willing to change individual and institutional practices:

a. Routinize inquiry about abuse.
b. Educate domestic violence victims about safety plans.
c. Participate in family violence coordinating councils.
d. Document abuse accurately and legibly.
e. Ensure that your social service agency has access to domestic violence advocate or program.
f. Integrate family violence into the curricula of social work departments.
g. Ensure that professional social work organizations are active in combating family violence.

3. Initiate comprehensive community education.

a. Place posters, brochures, articles, safety plans in office waiting areas, interview rooms and staff offices.

4. Have the courage to envision the changes needed to end family violence.

a. Avoid the usual excuses, i.e. lack of time, money, and human resources—start visualizing and moving toward change.