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Will you help us light up the night?

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October is domestic violence awareness month and as a board member of the Women’s Resource Center I wanted to ask the community to come together and join us for a night of light to honor all the victims of domestic violence.  It is sometimes hard to believe that domestic violence happens in our beautiful seaside towns and that the services the center provides are so needed.  The Women’s Resource Center is a safe haven for women and families who are coping with domestic violence in all its forms.   It can be easy to say that domestic violence does not exist in our community if you don’t witness it yourself. But the statistics bear out that it does and it is getting worse.  

Domestic violence does not always start with physical violence and bruising. Derogatory language aimed at making a person feel small and without value is often how it begins. Around the world at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. In the US alone everyday more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends. Most think of domestic violence as a woman walking around with black eyes, broken bones or obvious bruises and they fail to see the woman who is yelled at every day and called horrible names, the woman who is threatened by violence and in fear that her children will be taken away, or the woman who has nowhere to go so she stays.

I want to change what victims and survivors see when they look at our Newport County Community.  I want them to see light and therefore I ask you to please join me on October 29, 2018 at 6:00 PM on the steps of the Women’s Resource Center (114 Touro St, Newport, RI) as we light 1 candle and pass that light to all that join us and together we walk to the Newport Courthouse in silence with our light.  I ask that you walk for the 1 out of 3 women who have been abused in her lifetime, I ask that you walk for the children and silent witnesses to a women’s suffering, I ask that you walk for the survivors of domestic violence who were able to get away and most importantly I ask you to walk for the women who feel afraid to come into the light.  Please join me and the board of the Women’s Resource Center to create such a bright light that all feel safe to come out of the darkness and know this community supports them.  Will you help us light up the night?

For more information on Women’s Resource Center, contact us at: 401-846-5263, or visit our Facebook page. 

Eilish FitzGerald Clarkson

Board Member, Women’s Resource Center

Survivor Spotlight: Tori’s Story

Survivor Spotlight, ,

 

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After dealing with physical, emotional and verbal abuse for years from her partner, Tori drew the line when he began abusing their daughter. When her partner realized Tori would do anything to protect their daughter, the abuse escalated, becoming even worse than before.

That’s when she reached out to the Women’s Resource Center and secured a Child Support Waiver so she could move on.

After that life-changing phone call, Tori decided to piece together her broken life. She finally broke down, called a family member and told them about the abuse.  Luckily, Tori and her daughter were graciously accepted into the home of her family member, so she was able to flee her abusive household safely, with her daughter in tow.

It has been years since she’s been in contact with her abuser; the night she fled was the last night they spoke. Tori’s eternally grateful for the support the Women’s Resource Center has provided her family.

Although it took Tori years to not look over her shoulder every day, she now lives in peace and is completing her practicum for a certificate program in the medical field. Thankfully, her daughter is well-adjusted, doing well in school, sports, and socially.

Above all, Tori is mostly happy that she was able to find the courage to leave her abuser and provide her daughter with a better life. If it were not for the help of the Women’s Resource Center, Tori fears her abuser would have continued to inflict harm upon her and her daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Survivor Spotlight: Dunia’s Story

Survivor Spotlight, ,

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Dunia thought she had it all – a family she loved, a warm and cozy house, and a doting husband. And, for the first years of her relationship with her husband, this was true. Then, something changed after they got married, and the abuse began. In the beginning, she said, it was mainly verbal arguments and emotional abuse, but soon, escalated to physical violence. When her husband pushed her against a wall and tried to choke her while she was in the third trimester of her first pregnancy, Dunia began to see how deep-rooted the violence was.

After 7 years of being kicked, punched, spit on, and verbally abused, Dunia had had enough, and she made one call that would change her life.

Dunia was first referred by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services to the Women’s Resource Center. There, she requested a Child Support Waiver to help support her children. The Advocate met Dunia when she was five months pregnant and visibly fearful of her abuser, despite having escaped. Due to her cultural beliefs,  she’d never told anyone in her family about what she was going through, especially her parents, and never dared to call the police.

Once Dunia reached out to an Advocate within the Women’s Resource Center and shared that she finally got the courage to call the police, she felt she was finally able to overcome her abuser. In light of her recent success, Dunia felt it was possible to let her parents in on the secret she had kept all these years. Once Dunia shared with her parents what had been going on, she realized that her parents would always support her unconditionally, as they asked that she and two children move to live with them.

By the time of the second reassessment, Dunia disclosed that she was feeling more empowered and independent, and stronger and with a better self-esteem. These feelings allowed her to go back to school, while still working full time. She acknowledged the tremendous support she was getting from her parents and the assistance from the Family Violence Option Advocacy Program (FVOAP) and expressed her gratitude. However strong she felt, Dunia was conscious that she was not yet ready to face her abuser, and asked for a continuation of the child support waiver.

When our Advocate met with her once again six months later, Dunia joyfully talked about her good grades at school, that her kids were doing great, and her parents were enjoying their time with their grandchildren while supporting her one hundred percent.

Dunia was ecstatic to be free her abuser for good when her husband eventually filed for divorce. She truly feels she is capable to live without him and provide for her children with a healthy and safe environment to grow up in.

Survivor Spotlight: Tanya’s Story

WRC News

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Tanya has had a long road. Her abuser forced her to leave their home, after a 13-year long marriage, with her daughter in the middle of the night. With nowhere to go and no resources, she called the Women’s Resource Center. From there, our staff took over, making sure the family was safe and connected with people who would help them. First, Tanya received safe shelter from our organization. When she was ready, both her and her daughter began seeing a counselor, completely free of cost. After several years of working with the Family Violence Option Advocacy Program, Tanya is feeling more empowered than ever.

She is mustering up the courage to file for divorce from her abuser, who she is still legally married too. “I no longer want to live in fear,” Tanya said when asked about her new goals. “I want to provide a safe and strong life for myself and my daughter.”

Survivor Spotlight: Penelope’s Story

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Penelope reached out to the Women’s Resource Center in an attempt to escape from her hostile husband in Connecticut. After years of enduring physical and emotional abuse, she was ready to leave the state to protect herself and her five children, and start a new life.

The Women’s Resource Center connected Penelope to the Family Violence Option Advocacy Program (FVOAP), and within her first assessment, Penelope’s family was already on their way to being relocated from Connecticut to Rhode Island. The FVOAP program helped Penelope and her family get on their feet once they were in the Ocean State. The program helped secure safe housing, connected Penelope with community resources like cash assistance at the Department of Human Services (DHS), helped enroll the children in school, referred the family to counseling services, and got Penelope registered in a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program so she could work to support her family.

Soon, the Women’s Resource Center set Penelope and her family in motion. Penelope was granted a work waiver that allowed her to attend counseling while locating safe housing and resources in the community, and her five children were enrolled in school and attended consistently, which ensured their safety and good grades. She then began attending CNA classes to further her education and create more career opportunities for herself. After a strong eight weeks of training, she took the Rhode Island State Test and later reported that she passed on the second attempt. She is currently employed as a CNA.

After a heartbreaking journey, we were able to help Penelope determine the next path that her life would take. In the last meeting with the FVOAP advocate, Penelope excitedly shared that she would soon be closing her cash assistance case at the DHS, and living independently.

Survivor Spotlight: Janina’s Story

WRC News

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Janina was a victim of violence long before she was domestically abused.

She grew up in an abusive and traumatic household. As a child, her parents would use physical beatings as a way to discipline her and her younger sister. As is common with victims of violence, she unfortunately perpetuated this cycle of abuse as an adult, and chose an abusive partner.

Janina first came to the Women’s Resource Center to file a restraining order and was assisted by our Court Advocacy program.  The Advocates implemented a safety plan with Janina, encouraging her to move away from this cycle of abuse. They also worked with the sheriff’s department to ensure a quick service of the restraining order.

Despite the mental, physical and emotional hardships it took to leave her abuser, Janina did it, thanks to the Women’s Resource Center. After receiving our help, she was able to get full custody of her children and protection from her abuser, who had been in her life for over a decade.

Survivor Spotlight: Rita’s Story

WRC News

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The Women’s Resource Center was first contacted by Rita when her husband was arrested for domestic simple assault.

The Women’s Resource Center’s Court Advocate spoke at length with Rita about all available options, taking time to explain the court process in detail.  He also discussed possible dispositions for the case and advocated for her to prosecute against her abuser.

Rita was referred to our free counseling program, and began seeing a therapist regularly to deal with the emotional and physical trauma that her abuser had left her with.  Later, her case was “thrown out” and she gained protection from the court’s “no contact order.”  Despite this measure, Rita decided that enough was enough for her. She decided to file for divorce and end the cycle of abuse, which she had endured for so many years.

This is the power of the Women’s Resource Center, and a testament to the lives we touch with our programs every day.

Survivor Spotlight: Maura’s Story

WRC News

survivor_spotlight-JPEGMaura was in a long-term abusive relationship.

As time went on, dependency on her partner increased as she relied on him for housing, food, money, and more.  Soon, the control escalated, and Maura became a victim of domestic violence.

One day, after an explosive argument, Maura felt his hands tightening around her neck. That was the final straw; she decided then and there she no longer would put up with her boyfriend’s emotional and physical abuse.

Before her courage escaped her, Maura called the police, and her partner was arrested. With assistance from Women’s Resource Center’s court advocacy program and crisis counseling, Maura was able to also testify against her former spouse. This lead to a conviction, sending him behind bars. After this harrowing series of incidents, Maura was able to reunite with her adult children and grandchildren from whom she had been estranged.

To date, with the help of the Women’s Resource Center, Maura has successfully obtained employment and continues to receive counseling services from the Center. She is happy to put the past behind her.

 

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

WRC News

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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

Special Events

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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