Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violencewas created in 1985, and its mission is to end domestic violence. October was declared Domestic Violence Awareness Month in 1989. We know that domestic violence occurs across all ages, economic, racial, and gender categories. Domestic Violence can take the form of Emotional, Psychological, Economic, Sexual, and Physical abuse. Abuse is never the fault of the victim. While we have made gains with many programs providing assistance to the abuser and the abused. Even with these new approaches, over 200 people were killed due to domestic violence in our state in 2022.
Georgia’s 24-hour domestic violence hotline is 1.800.33.HAVEN
The Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence Crisis Line 404-688-9436
The Women’s Resource Center hosts an annual vigil in downtown Decatur to increase awareness and prevention. This year, the event will take place on October 19th. I spoke with Jean Douglas, the executive director, about the organization and its work.
The Women’s Resource Center has its mission in its full name, The Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence. I asked Douglas about their mission. She speaks to the mission being a lofty goal. She says that everyone agrees domestic violence is horrible, but it poses a societal challenge, and while changes are being made, they are small but incremental. Today, there is a lower tolerance in the acceptance of domestic violence.
I asked Douglas if there was a way to recognize the abuse when it started. The little thing that turns into something unmanageable. She speaks about romantic relationships where control and passion can seem like the same thing. Red Flags, such as isolating behavior, can be disguised as flattery.
Douglas speaks about the stigma associated with domestic violence. This most often impacts the victims and not the abusers. She shares that dismantling the systems that support domestic violence is challenging. Educating abusers in managing their behavior and ideas about how they should behave in relationships is an uphill battle. There are also many myths about domestic violence, which society says “just leave.” If leaving will end in violence, sometimes staying in place is the only option. We forget that often, domestic violence includes financial and familial control.
Every third Thursday in October, The Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence hosts a vigil in downtown Decatur where the names of every domestic violence victim who has died during that year are read, and candles are lit. This event brings awareness and commemoration. Additionally, they make presentations to churches and corporations and have a Teen Dating Curriculum.
To volunteer with The Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence
To participate in the Candlelight Vigil on October 19th
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