Nichelle Mitchem Describes Characteristics of A Healthy Relationship
When discussing the topic of romantic relationships, people often inquire about the characteristics of an abusive relationship. It is important not only to know the characteristics of an abusive relationship but it is equally important to know what constitutes a healthy relationship. A health relationship has been defined as one where it functions to increase self esteem of both participants in the relationship. An abusive relationship is one in which the victim’s sense of self is diminished. Let’s look closer at the characteristics of both types of relationships.
Healthy Relationships
- Partnership: There is shared responsibility.
- Economic equality: Freedom exists related to issues of work, school, and money.
- Emotional Honesty: Both parties feel safe to share fears and insecurities.
- Sexual Respect: Accepts that no means no.
- Physical Safety: Respects partner’s space and discusses issues without violence.
- Supportive/Trusting: Listens and understands, values partner’s opinion, and sensitive to other’s needs.
Abusive Relationships
- Domination: Abuser decides. Servant-Master relationship.
- Economic Control: Withholds money.
- Emotional Manipulation: Uses jealousy, passion, and stress to justify actions.
- Sexual Abuse: Treats partners as sex object.
- Physical Abuse: Hit, choke, kick, punch, pull hair, twist arms, trip, bite.
- Controlling: Isolates partner from friends.
- Intimidating: Charming in public but menacing in private.
The behaviors listed above are not comprehensive. The information should simply serve as a brief overview and to encourage the reader to seek more information.
For further information on the topic of domestic violence, there are many websites that can provide comprehensive information including but not limited to: http://www.thehotline.org; and http://www.ncadv.org.
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Nichelle Mitchem Discusses Child Abuse Prevention
Recognizing the alarming rate at which children are abused and neglected, the need for innovative programs to prevent child abuse, and the importance of assisting families affected by maltreatment, the month of April was designated at National Child Abuse Prevention Month in 1983 by Presidential Proclamation. Since then, child abuse and neglect awareness activities have been promoted across the country.
With the goal of strengthening families, child abuse and neglect awareness activities are promoted across the country during April. In April, communities should seize the opportunity to help keep children safe, provide the requisite support families need to stay together, and raise children and youth to be happy, secure, and stable adults. The Child Welfare League (CWLA) gives guidance on activities that each of us can take to help prevent child abuse and neglect. Here is CWLA’s list of ten actions that we can take to help prevent child abuse.
“Ten Things You Can Do
Volunteer your time. After-school activities, parent education classes, mentoring programs, and respite care are some of the many ways to keep children safe from harm. Be a voice in support of these efforts in your community.
Discipline your children thoughtfully. Remember that discipline is a way to teach your child. Use privileges to encourage good behavior and time-outs to help your child regain control. Both words and actions can inflict deep, lasting wounds.
Support prevention programs.
Know what child abuse is, and what the signs are. Physical and sexual abuse clearly constitute maltreatment, but so does neglect, or the failure of parents or other caregivers to provide a child with needed food, clothing, and care. Children can also be emotionally abused when they are rejected, berated, or continuously isolated.
Report abuse. If you witness a child being harmed or see evidence of abuse, or if a child tells you about abuse, make a report to your state’s child protective services department or local police.
Invest in kids. Encourage leaders in the community to be supportive of children and families. Ask employers to provide family-friendly work environments. Ask your local and national lawmakers to support legislation to better protect our children and to improve their lives.
Write, visit, fax, phone, or e-mail your elected officials.
Participate in ceremonies to memorialize children. Read the names of children lost to violence in your state, hold a candlelight vigil, or host an event at your state capital to remember those children who were lost to violence.
Raise public awareness.”
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International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) Empowering Birthing Women Seminar
Registration: $150 by March 1, 2011
Contact: EventDetails@meetup.com
Speaker: Henci Goer
Topics: The Gap Between Evidence and Practice
The Illusion of Choice in Childbirth
Speaker: Sandra Bardsley, RN
Topics: Joyful Birth Information
Website: http://eventful.com/sacramento/events/icea-empowering-birthing-women-seminar-/E0-001-034306603-0
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Preventing Workplace Violence Seminar
This three-hour seminar provides information for employers who are interested in developing a workplace violence prevention program. –Workers Compensation Board (WCB) Alberta
Call 780-498-4990 for more information.
Website: http://www.wcb.ab.ca/employers/seminars.asp
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American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting & Exposition
Venue: Washington, DC
Date: October 29- November 2, 2011
URL: http://www.apha.org/meetings/
According to the APHA website, “The APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition is the oldest and largest gathering of public health professionals in the world, attracting more than 13,000 national and international physicians, administrators, nurses, educators, researchers, epidemiologists, and related health specialists. APHA’s meeting program addresses current and emerging health science, policy, and practice issues in an effort to prevent disease and promote health. APHA has a world of public health in store for you.”
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Human Trafficking in the United States
Date: March 14-19, 2011
Cost: $275
Contact: Jane King in the Office of Religious Life, at extension 1527
E-mail: kingj@southwestern.edu
“Human trafficking is an illegal violation of human and civil rights that is destroying the lives of women, men, teens and children around the globe. Students in the National Seminar will explore various aspects of human trafficking from political, theological, economic and cultural perspectives. Those on the D.C. trip will focus on domestic issues, with students on the New York trip focusing on international issues involved.
The National Seminar Trips are designed to involve students in the intersection of volunteer service, social justice advocacy, lived faith, ministry and institutions that care about the well-being of society. The Seminar is hosted by the Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, located on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and across from the United Nations Building in New York City. These trips include transportation, food, lodging, seminar, direct volunteer service and visiting religious, national and other sites.”–Southwestern.edu
Website: http://www.southwestern.edu/live/files/1258-destination-service-application
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Beyond Ideology: Interdisciplinary Research on Trafficking, Forced Labor, and Migration
Date: February 4–5
Contact: Janet Halley (Law, Harvard Law School)
Denise Brennan (Anthropology, Georgetown University)
According to the website, “A complex new counter-trafficking legal order spans the United Nations, international treaty law, and local criminal law. It is widely understood to be—and in some places is enforced as—an anti-prostitution effort and, as such, it is swathed in ideological conflict over sexual morality. But the actual legal mechanisms have profound impacts on migrant laborers across the spectrum of possible work destinations, on refugees, and on low-wage workers in receiving countries. Ten years after the adoption of the UN’s counter-trafficking and counter-smuggling protocols, it is time for a thoroughgoing assessment of the trafficking regime. This exploratory seminar will bring together legal scholars specializing in the full range of relevant legal orders; social science scholars who have done field work with migrant workers, including sex workers; and leading participants in NGOs dedicated to refugee protection, safe migration, public health services for sex workers, and related areas of human rights concern. In the seminar, we will gather what we know (breaking down interdisciplinary barriers in the process); report on current research; and assess the need for further research. In the long term, participants will commit to a publishing effort aimed at collating the best research on the actual distributive consequences of international and national anti-trafficking efforts to date, and they will set the stage for a reassessment of law and policy in this area.”
Website: http://www.radcliffe.edu/academic/seminars2011.aspx
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Along the Paths of Justice: An Introductory Seminar to Human Trafficking
Date and time: Jan 23, 2011 6:00 pm | Sunday to Jan 25, 2011 8:00 pm | Tuesday
Venue: SAAM/Flood Church
Sacramento, CA 95817
Intended audience: This training is geared toward community members who are interested in an introductory look at human trafficking.
ABOUT THE TRAINING
Along the Paths of Justice, developed by Chab Dai USA, provides an introduction to human trafficking for members of the community who are interested in learning more about human trafficking in the United States and across the globe.
- What is human trafficking?
- Where does human trafficking happen?
- What causes human trafficking?
- What is being done about human trafficking?
- How do I fit in?
–Eventful.com
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Men in the Movement: Risks, Rewards, and Complexities Webinar
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| Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/528792849 |
According to the announcement for this upcoming event, the webinar will feature Patrick Lemmon and Ben Atherton Zeman. They “will discuss some of the risks, rewards, and complexities of getting men involved in the movement to respond to and end gendered violence.
Patrick J. Lemmon has twenty years of experience in helping organize communities, and particularly men in communities, to speak out for ending men’s violence against women. He recently moved to Portland from Washington, DC, where he was co-founder and Executive Director of Men Can Stop Rape and a member of the Board of Directors for the DC Rape Crisis Center. Honors include the Ms. Foundation for Women’s Gloria Award and American University’s Capital Area Peacemaker Award. He thrives on helping committed groups of people find the path to creating the communities they want to live in.
Ben Atherton Zeman has performed “Voices of Men” and given presentations in 44 states, Canada, China and the Czech Republic. For the past seventeen years, Ben has worked as a prevention educator for rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs, and state coalitions. The right-wing, so-called “Father’s Rights” group Fathers for Life accuses Ben of “spouting all the absurdities of radical feminist propaganda,” which he freely admits, and accuses him of being “backed by powerful antifamily business and political profiteers…lawyers and politicians’ bank accounts…” which he wishes were true.
Together they offer a range and depth of experiences working to engage men in the movement to end gendered violence and we look forward to offering them the opportunity to shares those experiences and their expertise with you.”
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