2008 Woodie Awards
Women's Programs a safe haven for victims
Director says special groups are 'therapeutic' and 'free environments' for women in domestic violence situations to speak out and also learn
Sophie Siemion
Issue date:
10/24/07
Section:
Features
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According to The
National Domestic Violence
Hotline, 4 million women
are victims of domestic
violence each year. This
is only an estimate of the
number of incidents.
In 2006, 49,980 of those
incidents were reported in
Washington state.
Between January 1997
and June 2006, there were
16 children killed because
of domestic violence incidents
in the state.
While many cases are
reported, there are still victims
that stay silent, and
this makes it impossible to
ever know how many incidents
truly occur.
The country may suffer
from domestic violence,
but locally there are
groups such as the Kitsap
County Domestic Violence
Task Force and the Young
Women's Christian
Association that are working
towards domestic violence
prevention.
Even within Olympic
College there are resources
and groups that do
their part to be a voice for
domestic violence victims.
"It's surprisingly common
on campus," Laurie
Adamson, director of
Women's Programs, said.
Adamson speaks proudly
about the options OC
offers. From the resource
guide brochures in the
bathrooms to the weekly
group meetings, Women's
Programs provides outlets
for faculty and students.
"It requires an integrated
approach," Adamson
said of the domestic violence
support system. "It's
very holistic; we bring it all
together."
The resource guides in
the bathrooms are ways
for victims to identify their
situation and open their
eyes to the actions that are
going on.
In the weekly meetings,
mental health specialist
Ramalina Steiner comes
from Port Orchard to conduct
the sessions.
Adamson refers to these
as "therapeutic" and "free
environments."
"A lot of info sharing
and very little audience
participation," Adamson
said of the sessions.
For six years, Adamson
has been head of the program,
but it has been 10
years since the program
National Domestic Violence
Hotline, 4 million women
are victims of domestic
violence each year. This
is only an estimate of the
number of incidents.
In 2006, 49,980 of those
incidents were reported in
Washington state.
Between January 1997
and June 2006, there were
16 children killed because
of domestic violence incidents
in the state.
While many cases are
reported, there are still victims
that stay silent, and
this makes it impossible to
ever know how many incidents
truly occur.
The country may suffer
from domestic violence,
but locally there are
groups such as the Kitsap
County Domestic Violence
Task Force and the Young
Women's Christian
Association that are working
towards domestic violence
prevention.
Even within Olympic
College there are resources
and groups that do
their part to be a voice for
domestic violence victims.
"It's surprisingly common
on campus," Laurie
Adamson, director of
Women's Programs, said.
Adamson speaks proudly
about the options OC
offers. From the resource
guide brochures in the
bathrooms to the weekly
group meetings, Women's
Programs provides outlets
for faculty and students.
"It requires an integrated
approach," Adamson
said of the domestic violence
support system. "It's
very holistic; we bring it all
together."
The resource guides in
the bathrooms are ways
for victims to identify their
situation and open their
eyes to the actions that are
going on.
In the weekly meetings,
mental health specialist
Ramalina Steiner comes
from Port Orchard to conduct
the sessions.
Adamson refers to these
as "therapeutic" and "free
environments."
"A lot of info sharing
and very little audience
participation," Adamson
said of the sessions.
For six years, Adamson
has been head of the program,
but it has been 10
years since the program
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