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October 2009 |
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Family Justice Center is now accepting resumes for FJC Service Specialist! Responsibilities include: · Conduct interviews with Domestic Violence victims/survivors in order to assess needs and provide information, referrals, and support. · Schedule appointments for FJC guests with FJC partner agencies. · Prepare and maintain case records and information necessary for agency reports. · Work as part of a team to ensure quality service provision for FJC guests. A competitive benefits package is offered, including health, dental and life insurance, short term disability, and a retirement plan, all paid by the agency. Vacation, sick and personal time off is also included. Applicant must be bi-lingual (English/Spanish), have ability to work until 8pm Mon.-Thurs., and have knowledge of domestic violence issues and local community resources. This position requires a Bachelor’s degree and one year of experience in interviewing and needs assessment is preferred. Please e-mail your resume to ssokolowski@fjchc.org.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Domestic Violence Awareness month was first observed in 1987. It is a way for the community and non-profit, private & government agencies to mark the month with education, recognition and memorial ceremonies, community outreach and other events dedicated to end domestic violence. A highlight of activities: October 6: The Spring’s Candlelight Vigil in Remembrance of Victims of Domestic Violence Homicide: 6 pm The Franciscan Center, Tampa October 15: The Spring’s Candlelight Vigil in Remembrance of Victims of Domestic Violence Homicide: 6 pm McCall Park, Plant City October 20: The Spring’s Men in the Movement Rally: 6 pm, Lykes Gaslight Park Downtown Tampa
Men “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” to Stop Rape Inspired by the idea that you can’t truly understand the experiences of others until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, men from the University of South Florida will proclaim their solidarity to end rape, sexual assault/battery, and gender violence by marching in high heels and participating in USF’s Second Annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event. WHO: Male USF students and staff, with women marching at their side.
Macy’s Shop for a Cause Saturday, October 17th, Macy's is partnering with the FJC for their annual event "Shop for a Cause". The event gives you an opportunity to give back to your community and victims of DV by purchasing a $5 Shopping pass for exclusive savings at Macy’s stores. The FJC gets to keep 100% of the proceeds which go directly to the clients we serve. Please check out our website at www.fjchc.org for details or email ssokolowski@fjchc.org .
FJC Wins Champion of Peace Award! The Student Council at MacFarlane Park Elementary has honored the Family Justice Center with the very first annual “Champion of Peace” award! They planned a beautiful ceremony in recognition of the International Day of Peace. As part of this, they shared poetry, created beautiful pictures of a peaceful world and talked about what peace meant to them. Nikki accepted the award on behalf of the Family Justice Center, which was presented by the school principal, Dr. Riveiro. The ceremony ended with a procession to the Peace Pole, which has “peace” in several languages and was surrounded by pinwheels made by the children. What a beautiful event, thank you MacFarlane Park Elementary!
New from the Domestic Violence Awareness Project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence:
- 2009 Domestic Violence Awareness Resource Packet. A collection of informational materials, fact sheets, articles and order forms for items available from national, statewide, and culturally specific organizations and projects. Available on the DVAP website (http://www.nrcdv.org/dvam) under "Materials."
FJC Partner Council Spotlight Record Number of Interns at the Family Justice Center The Family Justice Center welcomes a record number of interns! This semester, FJC was proud to accept four students for internship. The students came to the FJC through partnership with the University of South Florida’s Social Work Department and Hillsborough Community College’s Department of Counseling and Human Services. Interns have been learning to provide direct services to Guests of the FJC and how to link Guests with services of FJC partner agencies. Whether or not these students go on to work in the field of Domestic Violence, we know that all areas of Social Service work assist victims of Domestic Violence and the FJC is so glad to be able to provide this experience to the future of the Social Service industry! FJC is also honored to be recognized by its academic partners as an excellent place for learning and to be trusted with their students. Here is looking forward to a wonderful semester!
Carlos Betancourt Honored for Services
The Family Justice Center is proud to share that our very own Carlos Betancourt of Gulf Coast Legal Services will be honored by the East Pasco County Task Force on Domestic and Sexual Violence for his commitment to and work with immigrant women who have been victims of domestic violence. Carlos will be honored on October 1st at the East Pasco Domestic and Sexual Violence Task Force’s annual luncheon.
Carlos has been working in the field of immigration law since 1978 and has concentrated his efforts on victims of domestic violence for the past eleven years. Carlos has worked with Gulf Coast Legal Services, an organization that serves five counties including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco, for the past six years. Carlos is a trained Paralegal who has been accredited to legally represent people who are in need of immigration services. Carlos credits his own life experiences for his ability to relate to the people he serves. Carlos came to the United States from Puerto Rico and says he can relate to the experiences of immigrant people for that reason. He also shared that victims of family violence have a very special place in his heart.
At the Family Justice Center, we are so pleased to have Carlos on-site to share his vast experience, knowledge, and caring nature with our guests! He is a wonderful advocate, colleague, and asset to this movement. Congratulations Carlos! You deserve it!
Early Childhood Council of Hillsborough County, Inc.
In conjunction with the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health
Presents it’s 2009 Annual Conference
Meeting the Needs of Young Children and Families: “Every Moment Matters”
November 18 –20th 2009
Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay 2900 Bayport Drive Tampa, Florida 33607
For more information or to register, please click the link below
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FJC Volunteer Program
Are you interested in volunteering at the Family Justice Center? The Family Justice Center is always looking for people who are willing to share their time and service to help us to provide a safe and comfortable environment for all those we serve. For more information Please contact the Outreach Coordinator at 813.935.2015 or outreachcoord@fjchc.org . _______________________
The Family Justice Center Training Academy
Nuts and Bolts: The Basics of Domestic Violence Advocacy TrainingOctober 5th and 6th, 2009 andNovember 2nd and 3rd, 20098:30am to 5:00pmFJC***12 CEU’s******14.5 CLE’s***$20Nuts and Bolts is a four part (FJC 101, 201, 301, 401), 2-day training offered to advocates, volunteers, interns, clergy, and other community based providers who work with victims of domestic violence. Topics include, dynamics of domestic violence, safety planning, lethality assessment, confidentiality, boundaries, working with diverse populations, dating violence, and effects of domestic violence on children and adolescents.
Children with Sexual Acting Out BehaviorsOctober 13th, 2009 from 9:00am to 11:00amFJC*** 2 CEU’s***$5An introductory course for professionals working with children, sponsored by the Sexual Abuse Intervention Network. This course enables participants to distinguish between normal and problematic sexual behaviors in children. Topics including characteristics of sexually abusive youth, defining childhood sexual abuse, strategies for preventing further victimization and the legal process in Hillsborough County are also covered in this course. FJC Orientation for new On-Site PartnersOctober 19th, 2009 from 9:00 am to 12:30pmFJCBasic operational procedures of the FJC, and vital safety policies and procedures, equipment, and scheduling procedures between agencies. The Child Welfare Domestic ViolenceCross-System Training Series Presents:Dynamics of Domestic ViolenceOctober 14, 2009 from 1 pm to 4 pm***3 CEU’s***
This course will provide a basic understanding of the dynamics of power and control, forms of abuse and ways in which community members can intervene to provide safety and support to survivors.
Presenters: Nikki Daniels, LCSW from the Family Justice Center
Meeting the Post-Separation Needs of Womenand Their ChildrenWith Lundy BancroftHosted by: Jewish Women International’s National Alliance to End Domestic ViolenceOctober 6, 2009 webinar
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The Family Justice Center of Hillsborough County 9309 North Florida Avenue Suite 109 Tampa, Florida 33612 |
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The FJC Training Academy is made possible by the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County.
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Battered Women’s Protective Strategies by Sherry Hamby with contributions from Andrea Bible (July 2009)
In Brief: When exploring battered women's protective strategies, the first question to ask is, “Protection from what?” Protection from further violence is one answer, but many domains of a woman's life are threatened by battering: her physical safety and financial stability, the well-being and safety of her children, her social status, her psychological health, and her hopes and dreams for her life. One goal of this review is to broaden perceptions of both what women are trying to protect and how they are trying to protect it.
A Wide Range of Strategies Despite Constraints Most women face substantial constraints in accessing services or using other protective strategies, including: batterer's behavior and threats; financial constraints; institutional policies that can make it difficult to access help; social norms and pressure, as well as a lack of social support; and personal values which complicate women's choices. Nonetheless, there is substantial evidence that most victims use multiple protective strategies. Existing data suggest all of the following are frequently used: immediate situational strategies; protecting children, family, friends, and pets; calling the police; obtaining a restraining order/order of protection; going to a domestic violence shelter; utilizing other domestic violence program services such as court accompaniment and transportation; reaching out for social support; turning to spiritual and religious resources; using traditional health, mental health & social services; and terminating the relationship.
Invisible Strategies What is also striking about the research on protective strategies is what is missing, particularly from quantitative research on victims of domestic violence. For example, there is virtually no quantitative research on a wide range of strategies, including how many women: open bank accounts and start saving money; return to school; file for custody of their children, or seek supervised visits for their children when they visit their father; relocate to get away from a stalker; coach their children on how to escape during a violent episode or take steps to minimize their children's time with the batterer; successfully work with their partners, with or without the assistance of advocates or therapists, to make their relationship safe; or examine all of their constraints and options and make a calculated decision that staying is the safest thing to do at that moment.
Conclusion A lot of people look at the efforts of battered women and see a glass half empty—too few efforts, executed too late after the violence begins. The data, however, better support the view that most women make many efforts to protect themselves and their children, while also searching for ways to improve their situation despite tremendous barriers. Battered women may not use all possible protective strategies. Depending on their circumstances, some women will adopt strategies to minimize the risk of further losses. Others will attempt immediate confrontation or exit while many will choose a combination of strategies. In order to best help battered women maximize gains and minimize losses across all the domains of their lives advocates, providers, and scholars all need to see the full world the victim lives in. |