SafeNest CEO Liz Ortenburger Calls for New Approach to Domestic Violence on Idaho Matters

NV, UNITED STATES, October 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Liz Ortenburger, CEO of SafeNest, joined Boise State Public Radio’s Idaho Matters to challenge long-held assumptions about how communities respond to domestic violence and make the case for a greater focus on prevention, survivor safety and early intervention.

SafeNest is Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit addressing domestic violence, serving primarily Clark County through prevention, protection and empowerment programs for survivors, children and abusive partners.

During the conversation, Liz questioned whether decades of relying heavily on the criminal legal system have created the outcomes survivors and communities need.

“Domestic violence rates aren't going down. Homicides against women aren't going down. The domestic violence space in general is not safer for communities or law enforcement or survivors,” Liz said. “So what does failure look like? Kind of feels like it looks like that.”

Liz explained that domestic violence encompasses a wide range of circumstances and levels of risk, yet the criminal legal system often treats those situations through a similar lens. She argued that communities need more options for intervening before violence escalates while preserving criminal legal intervention for cases involving serious danger and markers of lethality.

In Clark County, Liz said approximately 100,000 domestic violence-related 911 calls occur each year, but only about 20 to 25 percent result in an arrest. She pointed to those households as an opportunity for earlier intervention through counseling, support services and assistance addressing stressors that may be contributing to violence in the home.

The episode also examined how traditional responses can remove survivors’ voices from decisions affecting their lives. Liz discussed mandatory arrest and no-drop prosecution policies, noting that survivors may have little control over what happens after law enforcement becomes involved.

She said success should not be measured solely by whether an arrest or conviction occurs. Instead, organizations should also consider whether a survivor feels safer, has greater financial independence, can make decisions freely and, in situations involving escalating danger, has been able to safely leave the relationship.

Liz also emphasized prevention among children and young adults. She called for more education around healthy relationships, psychological abuse and nonviolent conflict resolution, particularly for children growing up in homes where violence is already present.

The conversation expanded to the changing expectations facing boys and young men and the importance of giving them healthy models for relationships. Liz encouraged parents and mentors to have conversations about equality, partnership and how men can contribute to relationships without relying on traditional expectations around control or being the sole provider.

Ultimately, Liz said the domestic violence movement has an opportunity to reconsider how it defines both intervention and success, including creating more pathways for survivors whose circumstances do not fit a one-size-fits-all response.

She also encouraged individuals to become part of prevention efforts by bringing domestic violence education into workplaces, supporting resources for survivors and mentoring young people.

Listen to the full episode of Idaho Matters featuring Liz Ortenburger at this link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-responding-to-prevention-a-new-lens-on/id1375765256?i=1000761876250


About Liz Ortenburger

Liz Ortenburger is the CEO of SafeNest, Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive nonprofit addressing domestic and sexual violence, and a thought leader redefining how communities prevent and respond to abuse. For more than two decades, she has championed the safety of women and children, bringing bold vision to a field often shaped by reactive solutions.

At SafeNest, Liz leads a multi-million-dollar organization delivering an integrated continuum of care—including emergency response, prevention education, housing, legal advocacy, and offender intervention—designed to disrupt cycles of violence at their roots. Under her leadership, SafeNest has expanded beyond traditional service delivery to address the broader epidemic through strategic partnerships with law enforcement, policymakers, healthcare systems, and community leaders.

Known for challenging conventional narratives, Liz advocates for a shift from punishment to prevention, from survivor-only approaches to system-wide accountability, and from silence to truth-telling. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University and holds an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona.

Christina Lenkowski
Publicity by Christina