United Communities Advocating Non-Violence (UCAN)
UCAN Alexandria is located in Alexandria, Minnesota.
Our Vision: To be an abuse-free community.
Our Mission: To transform the community and the lives of those affected by domestic violence through support, awareness, education, and involvement.
Ending violence in our community is everyone's responsibility. Joining UCAN is a personal pledge never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women, children, and men. We are an educational organization that encourages reflection and discussion that leads to personal and collective action.
We partner with businesses, community groups, schools, and faith-based organizations to prevent violence through awareness and education of children, youth, and adults.
Misconceptions about Domestic Violence
- Domestic violence is unusual.
- It's impossible to love someone who abuses you.
- Domestic violence happens when someone flies out of control.
- Domestic violence is always physical.
- When someone abuses you, it's an obvious decision to leave the relationship.
- There's no good reason for a victim not to call the police.
- Both parties usually hold some responsibility in domestic violence situations.
- Women abuse men just as often as men abuse women.
- Men are never victims of abuse, and women never perpetrators.
- Domestic violence only happens to women who are poor or dependent or uneducated.
- Drugs and alcohol cause domestic violence.
- People who commit intimate partner violence are violent in most of their relationships.
- You can rescue a friend from domestic violence.
- Tough love is the best way to help a victim of violence.
Facts about Domestic Violence
- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience relationship violence in their lifetime.
- From 2003-2012, domestic violence accounted for nearly a quarter of all violent victimizations.
- 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.
- 95% of men who physically abuse their partners also psychologically abuse them.
Impact on Children and Families
- Domestic Violence is the leading cause of injury to women between 15-44 in the United States
- Intimate partner violence results in more than 18.5 million mental health care visits
- Victims of intimate partner violence lost almost 8 million days of paid work because of violence perpetrated against them by their current or former husbands, boyfriends or dates. This loss is the equivalent of 32,000 full-time jobs
- Little boys who grow up in homes where domestic violence is occurring are 11 times more likely to become abusers than boys who come from violence-free homes
- 81% of men who batter had fathers who abused their mothers
- 63% of young men between 11-20 who are serving time for homicide have killed their mothers abusers
About UCAN
UCAN Inc. is a non-profit group of committed community members who are interested in reducing domestic violence in Douglas County. ...
What We Do
We are an educational organization that encourages reflection and discussion that leads to personal and collective action among community groups, schools, and faith-based organizations to prevent violence ...
Get Involved
What can you do?
You can be a part of the solution! You can donate money, volunteer your time and talents, spread the word about the work that UCAN is doing, or request a presentation for your business, church or civic organization.