The following article is the final article of a five-week series focusing on raising awareness about domestic violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and we hope to educate our community on this very important issue. 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Locally, the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center has been serving victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and child abuse since 1978. Last year, HCWC served 2,307 victims of abuse (face-toface) primarily from Hays and Caldwell Counties. 1,047 of those were victims of domestic violence.
If you followed our five week series, you’ve read articles about domestic violence and lethality, ways to help someone leave safely, how to maintain self-care during these difficult times and our new life changing transitional housing program. You have probably been on the roller coaster that is domestic violence: heart-breaking stories about victims and their children, homelessness, domestic violence homicide, how hard it is to leave and finding ways for self-care but you also find hope, new beginnings and starting over.
There is another important part of the work in domestic violence: prevention. At the root of HCWC’s mission in serving victims of abuse is our mission to end violence in the communities we serve. Prevention is how we accomplish this goal. HCWC has been committed to providing prevention and community education since the very beginning. Our prevention educators work with youth at local middle schools and high schools and discuss topics such as:
•Healthy and unhealthy relationships
•Consent and boundaries
•Gendered expectations
•Self-compassion
•Media literacy
•Bystander intervention
3,507 youth in local schools participated in one of our prevention education programs this past year. “Youth are interested in learning these topics and when we actively engage them in these conversations, we empower them with the skills to find their place in this world”, Megan Osborne HCWC Prevention Educator. Most young people report that they have never talked about these topics with the adults in their life. Often they learn about relationships from their peers and by the people they see every day who may sometimes not be the model of a healthy relationship.
It can feel daunting to think about how you can bring an end to violence but it can be as simple as just starting the conversation. Including you in our mission is essential in building a community free of violence. Talk to the young people in your life and ask them what they think about these things. Engage in these conversations early and often. Even children as young as preschoolers are ready to learn about boundaries and kindness. It serves as a starting point in which you build upon as they grow older. Being their educator is part of building a healthy relationship with them that continues throughout their lifetime.
If you would like learn more HCWC’s Prevention Education and Community Education program, visit our website at www.hcwc.org or call our 24/7 Helpline @ 512-396-4357. You can also find more education on these topics by visiting our educational website: www.stopthehurt.org and there you will find our debut episode of a new outreach effort, HCWC’s Podcast: Outspoken.
