Combating Hate and Violence in Rural Communities, by Harold W. McSwain, Response, June 2000. From abuse of children, spouses and the elderly to defiance of the government as took place in Oklahoma City, Okla., five years ago, violence and hate in town and rural places has multiple causes. On the personal and family level, violence stems from stress related to poverty, crowded housing, hunger, inadequate medical care, poor education and training for work, loss of property, and marginalization.

The Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) is an international association of community based groups and prison based groups offering experiential workshops in personal growth and creative conflict management. The national organization provides support for the work of local groups They teach the same non-violent skills and techniques that were used by Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Their workshop targets are: prisons, communities, and schools.

National Association for Community Mediation