Monthly Archives: January 2018

FEMpower: Panel & Breakfast Addressing Bullying in the Workplace Against Women

January 31, 2018WRC NewsAdmin

Long before the #MeToo movement and the Women’s March, bullying was an issue that started to gain traction in the workplace. From universities and boardrooms to offices and politics, it’s a form of intimidation and abuse and inherently similar to violence. Acknowledging how prevalent the abuse of power and control tactics are, particularly toward women, FEMpower was created with the goal of empowering women to deal with these situations in the workplace. Join us for a discussion about this topic and learn coping tactics and strategies to take back to your workplace. Men and women alike are invited to attend.

The breakfast and panel discussion will be held on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 from 7:30 am to 9:30 am at the Hope Club, 6 Benevolent St., Providence, RI. Tickets are $45.00, and proceeds support the Women’s Resource Center’s domestic violence prevention efforts and assistance for survivors.

Please RSVP by Monday, February 19, 2018 by calling 401-846-5263 or Register Online

Panelists include:
• Deb DeBare, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence (RICADV)
• Christine Cunneen, Chief Executive Officer of Hire Image, LLC
• Dr. Joan Johnson-Freese, Professor and former Chair of the National Security Affairs Department, U.S. Naval War College
• Emily Sack, professor at Roger Williams University School of Law

Featuring Betty Galligan, president of Newberry Public Relations & Marketing, Inc. and current president of the Hope Club, who will moderate the discussion.

Be sure to visit the FEMpower Facebook event and mark yourself as “Going” to share with your network!

2018 Men Who Make a Difference Nominees Announced

January 30, 2018Special EventsMWMADAdmin

The Women’s Resource Center is pleased to announce the 2018 Men Who Make A Difference nominees. The annual gala will take place on April 27th at Gurney’s Newport Resort and Marina at 6pm and will be a black tie event. Register for the event and purchase tickets here.

The nominees are:

Mr. Richard Cromwell – President of Maritime Solutions and Freedom Boat Club

Mr. Pete Brock – Retired Center and Guard for the New England Patriots

Mr. Russell Morin – Owner of Russell Morin Catering and Events

Mr. Brad Shear – Executive Director of the Potter League

Mr. Conn Kelly – CEO of McLaughlin Research Corp. dealing in multi disciplined engineering and tech support

Dr. Mark Stamoulis – Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology)

Dr. Robin Wallace – US Army Physician, and leading pediatric physician of his practice

Mr. Michael Newsome – Basketball Coach of Rogers High School

Mr. Frank Newsome – Football Coach of Rogers High School

Mr. Andrew Spacone – Professor of Business Law at the Roger Williams University School of Law

Mr. Anthony Roberson – A Detective of the Providence Police Department

Mr. Keno Mullings – Software Engineer, Owner and Managing Director of the Mullings Group

Mr. Oscar Perez – A Major of the Providence Police Department

Mr. Eric Batista – Attorney in the Office of the Attorney General

Dr. Nathan Tilman – Dentist of Newport Family and Cosmetic Dentistry

Mr. Paul Leys – President of the REALTOR Community state and local level, Real Estate Professional

Mr. Seneca Pender – LICSW, Behavioral Health Clinician at East Bay Community Action Program

Survivor Spotlight: Trina’s Story

January 25, 2018WRC NewsAdmin

In the course of working with a victim of abuse, our staff often uncovers additional issues that need to be addressed. Typically it is an underlying or hidden issue that is causing distress in the relationship.

Such was the case with Trina.

The Women’s Resource Center’s Court Advocates reached out to her to discuss her pending criminal case. Trina openly spoke with the Court Advocate at length about her husband’s mental health issues, which had been negatively affecting their relationship, resulting in emotional and, sometimes, physical abuse.

The Advocate listened to what Trina had to say, resolving to help. Later, the Court Advocate spoke with attorneys for the prosecution to bring the mental health issues to light. Trina’s husband was ultimately referred to a program that ensured he went to mental health counseling. The case stayed open until Trina felt that her husband’s mental health was improving, which made her feel safe.

Trina and her husband eventually reconciled and were able to co-parent for their two children, resulting in a happier home than before thanks to the help of the Women’s Resource Center.

Survivor Spotlight: Harriet’s Story

January 18, 2018WRC NewsSurvivor SpotlightAdmin

Harriet contacted the Women’s Resource Center in need of financial help. She needed help organizing her finances and making smart choices for her family. The staff at the Women’s Resource Center assisted her with getting started with the Allstate Financial Empowerment training.

The Allstate Foundation’s Moving Ahead Through Financial Management curriculum is a comprehensive package of tools and information designed to empower victims of domestic violence and abuse to be self-sufficient with their finances. The curriculum includes the following components:

Strategies for addressing the complex financial and safety challenges of ending a relationship with an abusive partner.
Information on how to protect personal and financial safety in an abusive relationship and after leaving an abusive relationship.
Methods for dealing with the misuse of financial records.
Tools to help people of all incomes and earning power work toward long-term financial empowerment, including budgeting tools, step-by-step planners and more.

After Harriet had been working on the Allstate Financial Empowerment training for a few months, she was encouraged to set goals for herself. Her first goal was to save money for Christmas. With strength and guidance, Harriet proudly managed to save enough money to give her children a bountiful Christmas without any help.

During the holiday months, the Women’s Resource Center runs an “Adopt-a-Family” program that provides detailed “wish lists” to generous people who want to purchase Christmas gifts for our clients. We had over 50 families “adopted” this year. A staff member approached Harriet to ask if she would like her family to be “adopted” for this past holiday season. With a big grin, she answered, “Let someone needier be chosen. For the first time, I got this.”

Survivor Spotlight: Renee’s Story

January 10, 2018WRC NewsSurvivor SpotlightAdmin

Renee called Family Violence Option Advocacy Program for assistance from a RI hospital. She was recently displaced from her home. Her husband had physically assaulted her while she was pregnant and the police were called. Because it was evident that he assaulted her from her hysteria and slap redness marks on her face and wrists, he was arrested. Renee was sent to the hospital. Again, she was 4 months pregnant and told the police this information. She had another child but he was at that child’s father home during the incident. Because the home was owned by the husband, she had to find a place to live. Also, a no contact order was issued to him and he was released hence an immediate safety issue.

The hospital kept Renee and worked closely to assist her with finding housing before releasing her. During that assistance, the WRC was called and the call transferred to a Family Violence Option Advocacy Program staff. After the story was told, Family Violence Option Advocacy Program got off the phone and started making calls searching safe housing. Since it was very cold weather, it was a time when all shelters were completely full. However, after many calls, Lucy’s Hearth in Newport broke their entrance protocol for this special situation and found room for Renee with the agreement that the other child was able to remain with his father until she found permanent housing because there was only room for one person . She was released from the hospital and was taken by a social worker from there to meet Middletown Police at her home where she gathered her things and cab money was given by the hospital representative for her to go to Lucy’s Hearth.

When Renee was settled, Family Violence Option Advocacy Program met with her to assist her with all the resources she would need to apply for from the State. An intake for the Family Violence Option Advocacy Program was done. Renee remains a client and is successfully set up with all appropriate assistance. She is on the waiting list for Lucy’s Hearth transitional housing program which should only take about a month for her to transfer. She will then take her son back and continue to work with Family Violence Option Advocacy Program, WRC staff including court advocates , DHS, and Lucy’s Hearth and many other resources such as the RI Victims Compensation Program, FCCP, therapy and above adequate prenatal care.

Thanks to the Women’s Resource Center, Renee and her children are their way to a new beginning defeating and breaking this cycle of Domestic Violence in her life.