theory of change
After ten years of learning alongside survivors, FreeFrom built its Theory of Change to expand what is possible in this work through a survivor-led movement. It keeps the work grounded, accountable
and clear.
FreeFrom works to create and sustain the conditions for a world free from gender-based violence by shifting how society understands harm, building a survivor-led movement, and aligning the resources and partnerships needed to sustain it.
FreeFrom’s Theory of Change is grounded in four interconnected pillars: investing directly in survivors’ financial well-being, activating everyone to play a role, building survivors’ collective power, and transforming the narratives and culture that enable harm.
Together, these pillars build momentum towards systems and communities where survivors thrive across generations and the world moves closer to being free from gender-based violence.
FreeFrom’s Theory of Change
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Thriving isn’t a single destination
FreeFrom’s Crisis to Thriving Framework is how the organization operationalizes what it actually means to support a survivor — not just out of danger, but all the way to thriving. Built directly with survivors, it maps what survivors need across five domains of well-being at every stage of the path from crisis to thriving and serves as the foundation for how FreeFrom designs its programs and measures impact.
This framework captures the evolution from crisis to thriving across the five domains and makes it possible to meet survivors where they actually are.
Crisis to Thriving
Framework
CRISIS
Survivors are being actively subjected to physical, financial, emotional and/or sexual harm. The focus at this stage is immediate safety.
STABILIZE
Survivors begin to experience moments of relief. While safety still feels fragile, some immediate needs can be met.
REBUILD
Survivors start to rebuild safety and stability as immediate harm eases. They start to have enough safety to plan beyond the present moment.
STRENGTHEN
Survivors strengthen safety and well-being with increased resilience. They can better navigate challenges and plan for the future with greater autonomy and agency.
THRIVE
Survivors have built resilience and are thriving through sustained safety, stability and financial security. They pursue long-term goals and fulfill their full potential.
Crisis to Thriving Framework
For too long, “not being in active harm” was considered success.
FreeFrom works with survivors to boldly rewrite this definition of success. The Crisis to Thriving Framework maps five stages — from crisis, where immediate safety is at risk, through stabilizing, rebuilding and strengthening, all the way to thriving, where survivors have the safety, resources and power to flourish on their own terms. Progress isn’t linear, it looks different for each survivor and different kinds of support is needed at different moments across each stage.
Thriving
The Five Domains
of Well-Being
Survivors gain the economic freedom and resilience to meet needs, make choices, and build a secure future through safe and stable access to income, credit, savings, and assets. This includes being able to build and pass on generational wealth, supporting long-term security and stability for themselves and future generations
Survivors are safe and live free from harm, with access to quality healthcare, housing and support systems to protect themselves and their children or dependents.
Survivors experience healing and emotional safety, and have the support to recover from harm and pursue growth and joy beyond healing. Survivors are resilient and have the coping skills to navigate setbacks, periods of crisis and changing circumstances.
Survivors form trusted relationships, build community and belonging and access support systems that reduce isolation and foster connection.
Survivors build power together, take on leadership roles in their communities and use their experiences and expertise to support others, shape systems and create lasting change for survivors and their communities.
3 key
Considerations
A Survivor-Built Framework for Thriving
Grounded in survivors’ lived expertise, the Framework defines thriving on survivors’ own terms, not on what is easiest to measure.
A Flexible Framework for Every Journey
The Framework recognizes that progress is not linear and that survivors may move, pause, or need different forms of support across multiple dimensions of thriving.
A Shared Framework for Supporting Survivor Thriving
The Framework guides FreeFrom’s programs, learning, and impact measurement while offering the field a shared language for survivor-centered support.
Thank you for believing that a world
without gender-based violence is possible
and worth building.
the work
belongs to. . .
everyone
