The dynamics of domestic violence in the Newly Independent States are essentially the same as in the United States. What does differ dramatically between these two cases however is the social awareness of the problem and the tools available to prevent and defend against acts of domestic violence. In the NIS this problem is aggravated by inherited cultural traditions, social structures and norms of behavior which have historically tolerated domestic violence. In the US most states have adopted comprehensive laws that define the criminal aspects of domestic violence and a system for enforcement. The US experience has also illustrated that law enforcement is only one segment of a comprehensive solution to dealing with violence and abuse in the home. Collaborative models that establish domestic violence community partnerships are producing measurable and positive results. Working linkages between police, victim advocate groups, prosecutors, judges, health care professionals, family counselors and schools are producing an effective coalition of community based services to attack the systemic issues of domestic violence.

In 1998, Project Harmony received a grant from the United States State Department to administer "The Domestic Violence Community Partnership Program." This innovative two-year program brought together coalitions of domestic violence prevention and response experts from the United States, Russia, and Ukraine to share strategies and develop community-based tools for increasing awareness of this problem, and protecting women in culturally relevant and law enforcement-supported ways.

The program took place in Petrozavodsk and Volgograd in Russia, and in Odesa and Lviv in Ukraine. Based on the success of the first two-year initiative, Project Harmony received another grant in 1999 to continue the program for an additional two years and to extend the locations to include the cities of Irkutsk in the Far East of Russia, Uzhgorod in Ukraine, and Tbilisi in Georgia.