Breaking the cycle of domestic violence

"When dad gets mad he turns into a monster. He is usually nice, but once he turns mad he says mad for a long time. He hits my mom and laughs. He probably thinks girls can't fight very well. Mommy says boys shouldn't hit girls." Chris, age 4

"This is a picture of my dad punching my mom in the nose. The red puddle is blood from my mom. The blue puddle is spit, because my dad is screaming so loud right in my mom's face. It makes me sad when they fight. I don't try to stop him anymore, because I get cussed when I try to make him quit fighting with my mom. I've seen so mnay situations like this I can't remember all of them."

These images were painted by children who received counseling at the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program. You may find the images disturbing, as we do, because they show the violence that the children have witnessed throughout their lives. This service the YWCA provides becomes ever more important when you think about Nalisha Gravely and how her 2-year-old son may have witnessed similar acts of violence on his mother.

The YWCA is working to break the cycle of violence through counseling offered to the children who witness this violence. By educating the children on the proper way to express your emotions and how to cope with stress, the YWCA is teaching the next generation that it isn't acceptable to use your hands for anything other than help. "Hands are for helping, not for hitting," is a phrase we often repeat.

The cycle of domestic violence is broken when we're able to reach the next generation and educate them about how to have a healthy relationship. The YWCA is reaching out to another generation through "Celebrate Respect" -- a teen rally to promote healthy relationships. The event is scheduled for Thursday from 5-7 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center on Donnally Street. So please join us and help to eliminate violence in our community through prevention and education.

Note: The YWCA's Nalisha Gravely fund has raised nearly $10,000.