October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Download our Take Action! Toolkit
February is Dating Violence Awareness Month, a national effort to raise awareness about the impacts of dating abuse and encourage communities to support teens and young adults in seeking healthy relationships. Though these conversations are important to have year-round, February gives us the opportunity to shine a light on dating abuse and inspire conversations about healthy relationships in order to stop violence before it starts.
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Recent Articles
Emotional Abuse: Not All Abuse Leaves Bruises
When talking about domestic violence (or intimate partner violence/IPV), many people believe that if physical violence isn’t involved, then it’s not considered abusive. We often hear comments like, “well at least they don’t hit you,” or “they don’t hit me, so it’s not that bad.” Survivors of abuse not only hear others minimize verbal and emotional abuse, but survivors often excuse or dismiss [...]
Forgotten Victims
Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender, culture, religion, sexual identity, or socioeconomic background. Historically women have been the most recognized victims or survivors of domestic violence, but approximately 1 in 7 men will experience intimate partner violence in their life compared to 1 in 4 women (www.thehotline.org). Domestic violence is not just physical abuse. It [...]
Staying Safe While Leaving
This article includes dual perspectives regarding a survivor leaving a violent situation. Prevention Educator Claudia shares from the perspective of an advocate to friends or family members of a domestic violence survivor and Counselor Jessica, gives insight from a professional to a survivor on suggestions for safely leaving an abuser. We recognize that every survivor’s experience is different and encourage both friends and [...]
BOOK REVIEW: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Summary Eleanor is a 15-year-old girl who recently moved back in with her mother, stepfather Ritchie, and 4 younger siblings after having been kicked out by her stepfather for a year. Her father is distant, emotionally negligent, and unavailable. Her mother is in a domestic violence relationship with Ritchie, which is primarily directed at her mom though also at the children, especially Eleanor. Ritchie [...]
BOOK REVIEW: Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Summary After her 18-year-old sister runs away to escape the pressure of living out their parents' visions of her future, 16-year-ols Caitlin begins acting out. Behaving both in ways to fill and reject the expectations left behind by the absence of her sister, she becomes a cheerleader and starts dating a wealthy drug dealing 5th year senior named Rogerson. Well after it is revealed [...]
BOOK REVIEW: Sparrow by Mary Cecilia Jackson
Summary Sparrow and Lucas are juniors in high school, best friends, and the lead ballerinas at a youth ballet conservatory. Sparrow experiences a near-death dating violence incident at the hand of a powerful upper-class peer around the same time that Lucas’ father abruptly passes away from cancer. Their friends, family, and community struggle to support these teens as they process these intense traumas. Everyone [...]
BOOK REVIEW: What Kind of Girl by Alyssa Sheinmel
Summary Alyssa Sheinmel Maya goes to the principal at her private school with a black eye and tells her principal that their track star and all-around Good Guy of campus hit her. The news spreads fast across campus as different perspectives are pulled to the readers’ attention. Masterfully touching on a variety of issues including addiction, self, harm, recovering from abuse, [...]
Safety Planning for Youth: How Can I Be Safe in My Abusive Relationship?
A safety plan is a set of actions that can help lower your risk of being hurt by your partner in an abusive relationship. It includes information specific to you and your life that can increase your safety at school, home, and other places that you go daily. Why do I need a safety plan? Everyone deserves a relationship [...]
Good Boundaries Help Create Healthy Relationships
What are boundaries and why are they so important? Boundaries are lines that we draw that tell ourselves and others what we are okay and not okay with, in a relationship. Setting boundaries with your dating partner will help ensure that everyone is safe and encourage a healthy relationship. via GIPHY Boundaries vary and not everyone will [...]
Survivor Story – The Scars That Don’t Show
The following is the anonymous, personal story shared by a survivor of childhood emotional abuse and the response from one of HCWC’s Children’s Counselors. HCWC currently employs 8 professional counselors that specialize in working with children and teens across our programs. "Having a narcissistic parent can be very rough; especially when you don’t know how to explain your [...]
Helping Children Process Trauma
As a society we are increasingly exposed to tragic and traumatic events, and unfortunately our children often suffer as a result. Trauma comes in many shapes and sizes. Witnessing violence or an accident. Experiencing violence or abuse. Encountering a man-made or natural disaster. These are all examples of trauma. If you are aware your child has been a part of any of these [...]
Prevent Sexual Violence – Start Talking to Youth About Media Literacy
Sexual Assault Awareness month is an opportunity to shine a light on the importance of preventing sexual violence. Conversations with youth about healthy relationships and consent are imperative to preventing sexual violence and need to happen well before they’re thinking about sex. Whether they find it on their own or are shown by a friend, most young people’s first encounter [...]
