When a House is Not a Home (Domestic Violence & Homelessness)

Families with young children now account for 40% of the nation's homeless population and in the course of the year, more than 1.3 million children are homeless. Each year, women are forced to leave domestic violence, lucky to leave with their lives and their children. Where can they go? What options are available to them if the local domestic violence shelter is full? Are friends and family willing or able to help them? If they leave, will they be homeless?

Nationally, domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness. 

This workshop will explore:

·          The correlation between domestic violence and homelessness.

·          Homelessness through the eyes of children.

·          Availability of local resources for victims in Durham.

 

 

Cyber-Teens (Internet Abuse & Safety)

Over 90% of kids in middle and high school are fairly proficient in using the internet and social media outlets such as Twitter, MySpace, Digg, YouTube and Facebook.  Facebook has become the home of cyber bullying, internet peer pressure, provocative pictures, videos, and sexting blogs. In addition, social networks like Facebook have opened more doors for rapist, murderers, and child predators to commit senseless crimes against children. Do you know who your children are having conversations with online? Studies show that 16 percent of teens considered meeting someone they've only talked to online and 8 percent have actually met someone they only knew online. Who are you really chatting with on the worldwide web? 

This workshop will explore: 

·         Internet Abuse

·         Child Pornography

·         Texting or Sexting

·         Online Child Predators

·         Cyber Crimes

·         Internet Safety

·         Guidelines for youth

·         Guidelines for Parents

 

The Ugly Truth about Abuse

Psychological & Long Term Effects of Domestic Violence

The wounds may go away but the internal scars never fully heal. Long after the physical scars have disappeared a woman fights daily to stop the pain of flashback, dreams, nightmares, and the deeply engraved fear that lives within the soul of a victim. A significant number of people in the U.S. experience mental health problems – problems that often go unaddressed. Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence are associated with increased risk for developing a range of psychological and psychiatric conditions or exacerbating existing ones. At the same time, living with a serious mental illness may increase a woman’s vulnerability to abuse. Of 140 women attending an outpatient psychiatric clinic, 64% had a lifetime history of physical and/or sexual abuse (Surrey et al, 1990).

 This workshop will explore:

·         Long term effects of sexual and physical abuse.

·         Psychological conditions associated with abuse.

·         Psychological effects abuse has on children who witness abuse in the home.

 Dispatch 911

“911 What’s your emergency?”  The tiny voice on the other end cries and in a whisper utters the words, “I told my mom what happened but she didn’t believe me.”  This scenario is most common when sexual abuse occurs in the home, in the church, or within the family. Sexual abuse amongst children violates their innocence and causes challenges with adult images. Who can they trust? Who can they tell? Who will protect them? 

This workshop will explore:

·         Identification of sexual abuse

·         Warning signs and behaviors of children who have been abused

·         Psychological effects of sexual abuse amongst children

·         Protect, Prevent, Prevail understanding how to help a child who has been sexually abused