The Commission recognizes that IPV is a serious public health problem in Pierce County, Washington.  The Commission has chosen to focus on primary prevention to confront the harmful myths and misconceptions surrounding IPV and challenging society's perception of IPV.

Primary prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) is stopping the violence before it starts.  The public health model the Commission bases its prevention efforts describe primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts or interventions. The model further proposes that early or primary prevention costs society less than secondary and tertiary interventions. 

Primary prevention* is stopping violence before it occurs, eliminating the underlying causes and risk factors, and strengthening protective factors.

Secondary prevention* is eliminating further harm and violence by interceding after the violence has occurred, to deal with the short term consequences of violence.

Tertiary prevention* is responding after the violence to address the long term effects.