Domestic violence: Time for Social Change

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
October is Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. This year's theme, established by the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, is: "Time for Social Change."

The theme is a commitment to raise awareness, promote prevention, hold offenders accountable and advocate for policies to support survivors, according to the website for Jane Doe Inc., a Massachusetts-based victim advocacy organization.

"Behind every domestic assault is the story of a woman, child or man who is affected," said Dawn Shewmaker, Family Advocacy Program assistant. "The 66th Medical Squadron's Family Advocacy Program offers clinical intervention for active duty, Guard and Reserve victims, offenders and other family members with the hope of prevention."

Domestic violence, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior typically perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.

Focused on prevention, the base clinic offers Family Advocacy Strength Based Training.

"Our office provides couple or individual counseling, healthy parenting, family therapy, connections to local community resources, emergency telephone numbers and assistance in filing restraining orders when needed," said Shewmaker.

For more complex situations, other forms of education are offered with the goal of improving the situation.

The Family Advocacy Safety Education Seminar is a one-time class that provides basic information about the dynamics of family abuse.

"This program promotes skill building through education by targeting the most significant risk factors," said Shewmaker. "It's a workshop that incorporates topics such as parenting skills, relationship dynamics and communication."

In addition, an 11-week Domestic Violence Intervention program is for offenders after a case has been determined by Family Advocacy to meet criteria for power and control issues. This course provides safety planning, anger management and more.

"The goal of all our programs is to make our military family and community safer for all," Shewmaker said. "We want to bring families together and help them thrive."

October was designated Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Month to remind people of the far-reaching implications of domestic violence and to reinforce the value of prevention.

Jane Doe Inc. says on its website that personnel don't have to be in crisis to call. People may talk to a domestic violence advocate in Massachusetts by calling SafeLink at 1-877-785-2020 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.

For further information on these types of programs at Hanscom, contact the Family Advocacy Program at 781-225-6385.