Post by lace on Oct 1, 2006 22:19:41 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Access-York holds domestic violence awareness event [/glow]
Organization seeks 1,000 signatures of those promising to help end violence
Oct 1, 2006 — Paper hands of lavender, purple and white.
Hopeful promises to acknowledge domestic violence and end the silence lay hand on top of hand.
They covered a table in York Galleria Saturday.
About 300 to 400 people already have signed pledges that Access-York is distributing to bring attention to domestic violence and encourage people to be personally responsible by recognizing they can take action in their own life and talk to family and friends.
The organization's kick-off event Saturday for Domestic Violence Awareness month included musical performances by the Southside Steppers and Duke Street Deacons. As the Deacons played, the flash of a trombone slide and bright Dixieland music attracted onlookers from the mall's upper balcony.
Barbara Woodmansee, community education director for Access-York, said people need to know that domestic violence is a serious issue, but there is hope and there are programs that can help people.
Access-York runs two shelters in York County, has family programs and uses prevention programs to teach children and college students about dating violence.
Organization representatives hope to collect 1,000 pledges on paper hands from people who pledge that "ending domestic violence begins with me."
Black silhouettes of people who have been affected by domestic violence will be displayed around the county with individual stories. The anonymous stories are from Pennsylvania, including York County, Woodmansee said.
One story remembers a 56-year-old mother of two who was stabbed, wrapped in a trash bag, thrown in a trash can and set on fire by her 19-year-old son. Another story remembers a 55-year-old man who was stabbed to death by his 22-year-old son.
In 2003-04, York County was third in the state for domestic violence fatalities, but in 2005 the county had none, said Twilah Shipley, executive director of Access-York. She said she could not call that a trend because statistics swing from year to year.
Domestic violence is an issue that people sometimes push from their minds, said Donette Yeilding, a teacher at Southern Middle School. Yeilding had stopped to hear the music with her daughter.
She said she has seen cases of domestic violence in school and knows abusive spousal situations can affect children, whether or not they are being abused, too.
"Life is hard for a lot of children these days," Yeilding said.
Area doctors see cases of domestic violence and work closely with Access-York.
Dr. Andre Lijoi, associate director, residency, in the department of family medicine at York Hospital, said he has had Access-York staff members talk to his residents about the issue.
He tells his residents to tell parents it starts with how they treat their newborn children. Babies learn to trust in their first year of life.
"I have this belief - and some people may think its corny - but everyone can make a difference in their own little world," Lijoi said.
Quick facts
· Each year in Pennsylvania an estimated 800,000 women are assaulted in their own homes.
· In a national survey of more than 2,000 American families, about half of men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.
Access-York programs include:
· a 24-hour hotline, (800) 262-8444
· shelters in York and Hanover, and transitional housing
· support groups
· a children's program
· medical/hospital advocacy, legal advocacy, welfare advocacy
· community education and training
For more information on signing a pledge or learning about domestic violence, call Access-York at 846-5400. Pledges also will be available at the ninth annual Women's Show at the York Expo Center on Oct. 7 and 8.
Source: Access-York
www.ydr.com/health/ci_4426179
Organization seeks 1,000 signatures of those promising to help end violence
Oct 1, 2006 — Paper hands of lavender, purple and white.
Hopeful promises to acknowledge domestic violence and end the silence lay hand on top of hand.
They covered a table in York Galleria Saturday.
About 300 to 400 people already have signed pledges that Access-York is distributing to bring attention to domestic violence and encourage people to be personally responsible by recognizing they can take action in their own life and talk to family and friends.
The organization's kick-off event Saturday for Domestic Violence Awareness month included musical performances by the Southside Steppers and Duke Street Deacons. As the Deacons played, the flash of a trombone slide and bright Dixieland music attracted onlookers from the mall's upper balcony.
Barbara Woodmansee, community education director for Access-York, said people need to know that domestic violence is a serious issue, but there is hope and there are programs that can help people.
Access-York runs two shelters in York County, has family programs and uses prevention programs to teach children and college students about dating violence.
Organization representatives hope to collect 1,000 pledges on paper hands from people who pledge that "ending domestic violence begins with me."
Black silhouettes of people who have been affected by domestic violence will be displayed around the county with individual stories. The anonymous stories are from Pennsylvania, including York County, Woodmansee said.
One story remembers a 56-year-old mother of two who was stabbed, wrapped in a trash bag, thrown in a trash can and set on fire by her 19-year-old son. Another story remembers a 55-year-old man who was stabbed to death by his 22-year-old son.
In 2003-04, York County was third in the state for domestic violence fatalities, but in 2005 the county had none, said Twilah Shipley, executive director of Access-York. She said she could not call that a trend because statistics swing from year to year.
Domestic violence is an issue that people sometimes push from their minds, said Donette Yeilding, a teacher at Southern Middle School. Yeilding had stopped to hear the music with her daughter.
She said she has seen cases of domestic violence in school and knows abusive spousal situations can affect children, whether or not they are being abused, too.
"Life is hard for a lot of children these days," Yeilding said.
Area doctors see cases of domestic violence and work closely with Access-York.
Dr. Andre Lijoi, associate director, residency, in the department of family medicine at York Hospital, said he has had Access-York staff members talk to his residents about the issue.
He tells his residents to tell parents it starts with how they treat their newborn children. Babies learn to trust in their first year of life.
"I have this belief - and some people may think its corny - but everyone can make a difference in their own little world," Lijoi said.
Quick facts
· Each year in Pennsylvania an estimated 800,000 women are assaulted in their own homes.
· In a national survey of more than 2,000 American families, about half of men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.
Access-York programs include:
· a 24-hour hotline, (800) 262-8444
· shelters in York and Hanover, and transitional housing
· support groups
· a children's program
· medical/hospital advocacy, legal advocacy, welfare advocacy
· community education and training
For more information on signing a pledge or learning about domestic violence, call Access-York at 846-5400. Pledges also will be available at the ninth annual Women's Show at the York Expo Center on Oct. 7 and 8.
Source: Access-York
www.ydr.com/health/ci_4426179