Coordinated responses are most commonly used to organise local responses to violence against women. This may be facilitated by local government, which can provide valuable leadership by promoting a cross-sectoral approach to addressing and preventing violence against women and supporting existing community-based initiatives (Hayes, 2006).
At the local level, there are various possible structures to facilitate coordination, including work commissions, committees, inter-sectoral boards and social networks. These may develop relatively autonomously of national government, or be formed in response to changes mandated at the national level.
Three main models of coordination structures at the local level include:
- A separate (often community-based) organisation takes responsibility for coordinating (e.g. Duluth DAIP);
- A staff member in each organisation volunteers or is assigned to coordinate with staff in other organisations; and
- A separate council, coalition, task force, or other similar group coordinates services and providers (e.g. Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women) (Martin, 2005).