October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

As our president so poignantly stated in his official proclamation last week, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month - a month to recommit ourselves to ending violence within our homes, our communities, and our country. An excerpt of his proclamation can be read below:

"Domestic violence touches the lives of Americans of all ages, leaving a devastating impact on women, men, and children of every background and circumstance. A family's home becomes a place of fear, hopelessness, and desperation when a woman is battered by her partner, a child witnesses the abuse of a loved one, or a senior is victimized by family members. Since the 1994 passage of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, championed by then Senator Joe Biden, our Nation has strengthened its response to this crime and increased services for victims. Still, far too many women and families in this country and around the world are affected by domestic violence. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves to ending violence within our homes, our communities, and our country."

"During this month, we rededicate ourselves to breaking the cycle of violence. By providing young people with education about healthy relationships, and by changing attitudes that support violence, we recognize that domestic violence can be prevented. We must build the capacity of our Nation's victim service providers to reach and serve those in need. We urge community leaders to raise awareness and bring attention to this quiet crisis. And across America, we encourage victims and their families to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. Together, we must ensure that, in America, no victim of domestic violence ever struggles alone."

The YWCA of Charleston echos President Obama's sentiments and encourages you to get involved and show your support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in and around the greater Kanawha Valley. Our October calendar highlights domestic violence awareness activities occurring in our area throughout the month. We also encourage you to participate in the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence's (WVCADV) “Light In the Window” public awareness campaign and display a purple candle in your window this month to show support for survivors of domestic violence. Purple electric candles can be obtained by calling the YWCA Resolve Program at (304) 340-3573 or the WVCADV at (304) 965-3552.

With Domestic Violence Awareness Month in mind, please consider that:

• A domestic violence homicide occurs once every 8 days in West Virginia.
• Domestic violence is the single greatest cause of injury to women in the United States – more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
• Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the United States.
• 1 out of 3 women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
• 40% of teen girls ages 14-17 know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.
• Domestic violence costs the U.S. economy $3 to $5 billion annually in job absenteeism, and another $100 million annually in medical expenses.
• Gay and bisexual men experience abuse in intimate partner relationships at a rate of 2 in 5 – comparable to the amount experienced by heterosexual women.
• Approximately 50% of the lesbian population has experienced or will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes.
• While 73% of domestic violence victims are female, domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender.

Be more than aware. Help us end domestic violence in our homes, our communities and our country.

WVIDA Program Launch - A new resource for domestic violence victims

Tomorrow morning marks the launch of an initiative that could change the lives of countless domestic violence victims and their families in West Virginia: the West Virginia IDA (WVIDA) savings match program. Both the media and the general public are invited to join us tomorrow (Thursday, October 1) at 10:00 am at BB&T Bank on Summers Street (6th floor dining room) to celebrate this groundbreaking opportunity to economically empower domestic violence victims in our state. Below we've answered some frequently asked questions about this new WVIDA initiative, as well as how it relates to our mission and programs.

What is an IDA savings match?
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are special matched savings accounts designed to help families and individuals of modest means establish a pattern of regular saving and ultimately purchase a productive asset – something of value that is likely to return substantial long-term benefits to its owner, like security, stability and opportunities for more income. A savings match is a promise to supplement a WVIDA participant’s savings deposits at a specific rate. For example, a 3:1 savings match means that for every dollar a WVIDA participant saves, he or she will have another $3 added to his or her total account balance.

What does an IDA have to do with domestic violence?
Economic abuse is a tactic commonly used by abusers to control their victims' finances and prevent them from leaving the relationship. Many people associate domestic violence with physical attacks, but damage to your credit score and being cut off from access to money create lasting scars that make it hard, if not impossible, for abuse victims to recover. Many victims stay in abusive relationships due to lack of resources to stand on their own two feet.

How does the WVIDA program fit into YWCA Resolve’s services?
The YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program is the pilot domestic violence agency in the state to launch this initiative. Our ability to offer the WVIDA savings match to qualified program participants is a valuable tool in our overall Keys to Financial Freedom financial literacy program, which enable domestic violence survivors to fully understand their financial circumstances and how to engage in short-term and long-term financial planning to accomplish their personal goals.

What can the WVIDA savings match be used toward?
The WVIDA savings match can specifically be used for the following productive assets: homeownership, home repair, small business development, and post secondary education.

Is there more to the WVIDA program than just savings matches?
Absolutely. Most people need more than just cash to become economically independent. For this reason, WVIDA participants must attend both a 10-part personal finance and money management workshop series, and a special asset-specific preparation program. These workshops are designed to help participants acquire or polish personal and financial skills that are essential for long-term success – skills like long-range planning, household budgeting, credit repair and savvy consumer habits.

What is required of IDA participants?
IDA participants are asked to commit to make monthly savings deposits of at least $25 for at least 12 months, attend a personal finance and money management workshop series, participate in asset-specific ownership preparation training (homeownership and business plan development) and support one another through on-going peer support meetings.

How is the WVIDA program made possible?
The WVIDA program is made possible through a partnership between KISRA, the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program. The 3:1 savings match is funded by a grant from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and from the DHHS Administration for Children and Families.

YWCA and WVJC Helping Students "Dress for Success"

Tomorrow, West Virginia Junior College (WVJC) will begin its partnership with the YWCA Past & Present Gently Used Clothing Store to help students learn to dress for success. The college's new "Dress for Success" program will provide students with an opportunity to collect inexpensive interview-ready and career-appropriate attire and/or accessories. Donated business attire for both women and men will be supplied by YWCA Past & Present and made available to students in a make-shift clothing shop tomorrow in Room 102, and will become a recurring program to take place once every 12 week quarter.

Rose Winland, WVJC Student Services Coordinator and initiator of the "Dress for Success" program states:

"While it may be cliché, it is certainly true that individuals who 'dress for the position they want, not for the position they have,' tend to find this among other strategies they employ to achieve success in the business community. Our goal at West Virginia Junior College is to assist the students in obtaining the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in both professional and personal environments – and the ‘Dress for Success’ program is a way to further that goal."

All proceeds from the sale go to YWCA Past & Present, which generates critically-needed revenue to support the YWCA Alicia McCormick Homes for battered and homeless women and children. Donations of business attire and accessories are greatly appreciated, and can be dropped off at YWCA Past & Present, located at 1598 Lee Street, East, Charleston, WV 25311.

The YWCA of Charleston is proud to partner with WVJC in helping empower students who are working to create better lives for themselves and their families. Comments or suggestions regarding the Dress for Success Program can be addressed to Rose Winland, Student Services Coordinator, West Virginia Junior College, via e-mail: rwinland.wvjc@gmail.com.

YWCA Racial Justice Position a New Opportunity for West Virginia

The following post was written by Hallie Chillag Dunlap, a member of the YWCA of Charleston's Board of Directors and Chair of the YWCA Eliminating Racism Committee.

In the early weeks of the summer, Paul Sheridan came to me, and to the YWCA of Charleston with an idea of reaching out to the United States Justice Administration in the hopes of acquiring federal stimulus dollars to further the work of the Eliminating Racism Committee of the YWCA Board of Directors and our associated community group, One Kanawha. Members of these groups are consummate community activists, motivated by a strong social justice imperative. Members quickly recognized an opportunity to develop a staff position dedicated to this end through personal and community commitment and federal dollars.

As conversations evolved regarding how we could develop a social justice position to support our existing work, we realized that a grant application that reflected the YWCA's mission as well as community needs could truly empower a potential employee to do thoughtful and critically needed work in our community.

Furthermore, this would be a chance to meet both the requirements of the stimulus money (put someone to work) and to hire an individual to help to fulfill the mission of the YWCA, specifically our "eliminating racism" call to action. YWCA staff members (thank you Felicia Bush and Deb Weinstein) and community partners (thank you Paul Sheridan, Tracy Dorsey Chapman, JoEllen Zacks, Crystal Good, and Margaret Chapman among others) worked tirelessly to complete an intensive grant application in less than two weeks!

The dream of having a dedicated employee to push our equity work forward was an exciting and unprecedented opportunity. This individual would not have another job to distract him or her from our important mission! We realized that having a paid YWCA staff position could really grow what had been before exclusively volunteer work. Last month we were notified that we would have the opportunity to hire such an individual, which was an extremely exciting revelation for our community and committee members!

To this end, we are currently looking for a Racial Justice and Hate/Bias Crimes Statewide Coordinator. This position will coordinate a one-year, statewide, racial justice training project. In addition, the position requires that this individual facilitate statewide trainings in racial justice and hate/bias crime issues. This individual will also have the opportunity to develop a model community dialogue. We are looking for an enthusiastic, energetic individual with social justice priorities to come and dedicate themselves to the call to eliminate racism.

For more information, please see extended position specifications here.

To paraphrase the timeless words of Mahatma Gandhi, come and be the change you want to see in this world!

First Lady says "August is Girls Night Out Month"

The following article is a Monthly Message by West Virginia's First Lady Gayle C. Manchin, published on HuntingtonNews.net. The First Lady shares the YWCA of Charleston's passion for making each home in our community a safe place free from domestic violence. We thank her for her voluntary post on this issue and on our Girls Night Out event this coming Thursday that benefits victims of domestic violence through the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program.

August is 'Girls' Night Out' Month

August, 8, 2009 (HNN) -- August is a month of reining in our last summer activities, thinking of our new beginnings--whether it be the opening of school, band and athletic practices, or fundraisers as fall quickly approaches. My mind goes to the ‘Girls’ Night Out’ event which has become an annual favorite, not only here in Charleston, but across the state and nationally.

The theme this year is Girls in pearls: the black and white bash on Thursday, August 13, 6-11 p.m. at the Sunrise Mansion. All of these similar events were designed to draw attention and awareness to debilitating effects of domestic violence and the essential need for women to know they can and should be able to turn to other women for resources, support, and maybe above all, unconditional friendship. The YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program offers 24/7 shelter and supportive services for victims of domestic violence.

Unfortunately domestic violence is a horrific problem that continues to plague West Virginia at alarming rates; therefore, the YWCA of Charleston has begun a discussion on ending the cycle of domestic violence in our state. The YWCA of Charleston believes that all people – women, men and children – have the right to live their lives free of violence, oppression, and intimidation. Our very nation was founded on this premise; however, domestic violence directly violates these rights and makes the home a place of terror instead of a place of peace.

In our most recent data, the West Virginia State Police Crime Statistics Report, noted 14,315 reported incidents of domestic violence. Of these, 10,530 of the victims were female and 3,518 were male, illuminating the fact that violence and abuse is not limited to one gender and certainly no one race. Domestic violence is defined as any of several acts between family or household members causing or placing another in jeopardy of physical harm; creating fear by harassment, psychological abuse or threatening acts; committing sexual assault or abuse; and confining or abducting another person against their will.

Yearly, YWCA representatives are joined by other domestic violence advocates from around our state for Domestic Violence Prevention Day at the state capitol in a continuing effort to educate lawmakers and the public about this ongoing appalling dilemma in our state.

Although these are all steps in the right direction, it takes more than government, law enforcement, and service providers like the YWCA to fully combat this issue. Women empowering women is one more way that we can be advocates and a voice for all who are intimidated into silence. It takes the entire community to look after our friends and neighbors and be positive role models to our children and students. It takes all of us in rising up as a community and saying “no more” to the cycle of violence.

I would invite all women who would like to join us in Charleston on August 13 to register online at http://www.ywcacharleston.org/ or contact Carol Carroll, Phone: 304-340-3573 or Email: ccarroll@ywcacharleston.org or check for events in your community----better yet-start one in your community to insure that we eliminate victims and engage advocates!