It was indeed my privilege to return to Houston High School. This time, it was all about the young ladies. They have started a Beautifully Unique Girls Club. It gives them the opportunity to talk about important issues in a safe space for full transparency and self expression. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. I had the opportunity to share statistics, knowing the signs of abuses, self worth, and my lived and professional experiences in this space. I appreciated their openness and desire to ensure that this topic was included in their monthly meetings.
Girls Night Out began six years ago at the Whitehaven Library. One of the directors, Donna Windham, reached out to me and asked if I’d be one of the facilitators. She felt domestic violence was a topic that needed to be addressed among young ladies, especially the teens. I agreed to participate. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and learned some great information from the attendees and the other agency presenter.
The following year, I was asked to come back. This time, I would be the sole presenter. Again, I agreed and again, I had a great time interacting with the attendees. I’m honored to say this year will mark six years of me serving in this capacity. It is extremely important that we continue to bring awareness about domestic violence, encourage our young people to make healthy and informed choices and guide their plans and purpose in a positive way. I do hope you’ll make plans to join us, share the information and bring as many young ladies with you as you can.
As many of you are now aware, October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. I will be sharing a lot more blogs over the next few weeks, so please be sure to stay connected. In the meantime, I’m asking that you reach out to your local agencies and ask how you can help, attend events, make a donation, wear something purple, etc. And, as always, if you or someone you know is going through domestic violence, please call 911 asap (if in immediate danger) or your local agency for strategies on how to leave safely. I’m looking forward to sharing the launch of our organization’s website (Walking Into A New Life, Inc.). But, you can keep up with what we’re doing here: https://www.facebook.com/walkingintoanewlifeinc/
It is my honor to facilitate Girls Night Out on Domestic Violence for a 5th year. The 1 hour program is designed to bring awareness to teen girls and women about domestic violence. And, to allow for an unfiltered conversation about dv, sexual assault and teen dating violence.
In 2012, I was asked to serve as a co-facilitator for this event. It is hosted by the Whitehaven Public Library in Memphis, TN. It was believed that the area would benefit from having an intimate discussion with young ladies about domestic violence. Since the initial event, I’ve been doing it solo. It continues to be one of the most enjoyable events that I participate in. I learn as much for the attendees as they say they learn from me.
The event is FREE to attend, and if you or someone you know is in the Memphis, TN area, please make plans to attend. It’s for teens and women only. For more information, please contact me or call the Whitehaven Public Library at (901) 415-2781.
February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention month. It is the time that we, as a society, should be making a conscience effort to educate and inform our teens about the importance of establishing healthy relationships, setting boundaries, knowing the signs of abuse and what to do if you find yourself in an abusive situation.
The problem is, in my opinion, we still have too many adults who are not aware that this month has been set aside for such a purpose. We still have too many adults who don’t quite understand abuse themselves, and therefore, simply cannot educate young people about it. There are too many adults that are still living in their own fear of their abuser, what people will think of them if they tell anyone about being abused (past or present) or struggling with their own lack of self esteem and self worth. I was one of those adults. I always knew that I didn’t want my children to be in unhealthy relationships, but I wasn’t providing them with a positive role models. Nor did I spend as much time as I should have in seeking them out. Although we’ve worked through a lot of our individual and collective hurts regarding the aftermath of abuse, it is still something that I regret.
Thankfully, I am a different person, and I have been able to speak to teens and tweens about abuse and reassure them that it’s not their fault, talk to someone they trust and that help/resources are available. What I enjoy most is talking with the parents and the children at the same time. It gives me the opportunity to in turn, tell the parents to BE the person that their child CAN talk to and trust, face their own fears, leave the unhealthy relationship and know that help and resources are available for them as well as their children. I also like to remind people that they are talking to young people, so if it’s difficult for you to know what direction to take, consider that it’s that much more difficult for a child.
Be sure to search for programs that mentor teens and find out if domestic violence/teen dating violence is covered in their programs. If not, then make the suggestion to have it included. I welcome the opportunity to provide insights that will assist in making our young people feel safe and educated.
It was indeed my privilege to return to Houston High School. This time, it was all about the young ladies. They have started a Beautifully Unique Girls Club. It gives them the opportunity to talk about important issues in a safe space for full transparency and self expression. February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness month. I had the opportunity to share statistics, knowing the signs of abuses, self worth, and my lived and professional experiences in this space. I appreciated their openness and desire to ensure that this topic was included in their monthly meetings.
