On Thursday, October 23, Community Advocates hosted a Lunch and Learn for community partners on Healthy Relationships and Breaking the Cycle of Violence. October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and as a topic Community Advocates and the Milwaukee Women's Center are working within and deeply dedicated to, it was important to us to provide a baseline of information and resources for others in the community. Through education and support, violence and abuse are preventable, and healthy relationships are possible.
Domestic violence can happen to anyone and when it does, it affects the whole family, said author of Relationship Rights (and Wrongs), Beth Sampson Bauer. At the Lunch and Learn, Bauer shared her story of enduring an abusive marriage and the mental and emotional toll it took on both her and her daughter. Through gut-wrenching experiences and heartfelt optimism for a better life, Bauer took what she knew and embarked on a journey to guide others. She spent two years researching the elements found common in most healthy relationships, which she grouped into three categories and associated with the colors of a traffic light for easy recognition - GO, CAUTION, STOP.
Steve Thomas, the Program Manager for the Nevermore Batterers Prevention and Intervention Program with the Milwaukee Women’s Center, also spoke at the Lunch and Learn. He started working with youth in the early 1980s, and has continued his journey for the past 43 years working in the areas of family preservation, behavior modification, juvenile corrections, and rehabilitation.
During the Lunch and Learn, Thomas emphasised the importance of prevention of violence and abuse. While many of the Nevermore men enter the program as a result of a court order, Thomas would like to see more men entering the program prior to any violence occurring in the home. The curriculum includes understanding abusive and controlling behaviors, male socialization, unresolved trauma, accountability, and so much more. Awareness and engagement matters – for the Nevermore men as well as the community as a whole. Over the years, Nevermore has seen remarkable success with the men in the program, many saying that it has allowed them to openly examine their personal hopes.
At Community Advocates and the Milwaukee Women’s Center, we want to break the cycle of violence for good so that every man, woman, and child can live in safety and peace.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please contact the Milwaukee Women's Center's 24-hour Crisis Line at 414-671-6140.
