Weekly Activism Blog #1

Activism

For my service learning project I am going to be volunteering with the Harbor House of Central Florida. Since this is shelter for victims of domestic violence, there is extensive training that volunteers have to go through before they can begin. Because this is the case, I will begin my service learning project next week, at the first of my required trainings. I will be attending the training called “Recognize, Respond, and Refer- RRR.”

Reflection

Since I have not begun yet, I have little to talk about. However, I am extremely excited about volunteering with the Harbor House. This past week in class we discussed the article by Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice. While this article focused on reproductive rights, it says, “Under conditions of reproductive justice, we will live in homes free from sexual and physical violence…” (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 244). This feminist view is saying that as women or people in general, we should not be subjected to physical violence. The Harbor House is helping those who have fallen victim to and helping prevent acts of domestic violence. Obviously, it is easy to see that feminist views and the mission of the Harbor House go hand in hand.

Reciprocity

Again, I have not done anything yet, so it is hard to say what I have gained. I feel as though, through doing this project, I will gain a better understanding and compassion for these people who have been victimized. I am currently taking a domestic violence course and am learning a lot about these issues. However, learning about domestic violence in a class is one thing, but actually meeting people who have been suffering because of it, is a whole other story. It’s hard to know what to expect, but I think it will help me gain a whole new perspective of these types of situations and the people who experience them. I picked this project because it interests me, because I can feel something for these people, and because I want to know more about it and what can be done to prevent it. I hope to gain many different things from doing this project, but I guess I will have to wait and see!

Works Cited

Kirk, Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4^th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

Women's Bodies and Advertisement

I was given this ad in my mailbox at work. My initial response was, “What am I supposed to do with this?” Although, I realize this is an ad for tanning, and the most socially accepted way to advertise tanning is by showing people in bathing suits, I felt that this ad specifically was more provocative than necessary. The name of the company is “Bronze Beauties,” so it is obvious that they are targeting women rather than men. I suppose they think that spraying color on your body is a feminine thing. This ad is frustrating to me because it assumes that only women want to look tan. It also assumes that to be beautiful you must be tan. So the ad has already implied that women are not beautiful enough unless they are tan, and then it sticks a woman, barely dressed, on the front of the ad. This woman shows society’s unrealistic standards of beauty and makes a girl feel even more insecure. Now, surely this woman is beautiful in her own way and has every right to show off her body, but with such diverse types of women throughout the world, it is insulting to presume that this specific type of physical appearance is the one that embodies “beauty.” And in terms of beauty, why is beauty purely physical? If beauty is more than physical, then this ad says to me: “Women, no one cares about your personality, opinions, mind, or ideas; you are only beautiful if you look this way, the rest is not important.”

I feel as if the media is always trying to “fix” us, as women. You need to do this or you need to do that in order to be acceptable. As our book says, “The aim is to promote insecurity, self-hatred, and distorted perceptions of size, appetite, and attractiveness, so that we will consume the countless products, diet plans, and cosmetic surgeries marketed to remedy our alleged deficiencies” (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 208). We have been made to feel so terrible about ourselves and our physical appearance that we are going on and being cut open and having things taken out and things put in. And what for? For beauty? Are a few extra inches around my waist really preventing me from being beautiful? Is the pigmentation of my skin what makes me attractive? NO! Absolutely not. So why are we subjecting ourselves to surgeries and extreme diet plans? What about accepting ourselves the way we were created and appreciating our differences and our own individual forms of beauty. It’s a crazy thought, I know.

Works Cited

Kirk, Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4^th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

http://www.bronzebeauties.net/

Harbor House Service Learning Proposal

Contact Information:

Service Learning Proposal for Harbor House of Central Florida

Kelsey Paul

September 21, 2010

WST 3015- 001

Community Partner Profile:

Harbor House of Central Florida

P.O. Box 680748

Orlando, Florida 32868

Contact: Taylor Ulman, tulman@harborhousefl.com  

http://www.harborhousefl.com/

The mission of the Harbor House of Central Florida is “to eliminate domestic violence in Central Florida by providing safety, shelter, empowerment, education and justice.” Their overall goal is “promoting peace in every home” (Harbor House of Central Florida). The Harbor House gives survivors shelter, support, basic necessities, child care, legal advocacy, counseling, and so much more. In order for the Harbor House to continue to do such positive things for survivors they need donations. They don’t only need monetary donations, but donations of time spent volunteering, and donations of basic items (i.e. food, clothing, etc). The political/social basis of this organization is evident in their protection of human rights. People should not have to suffer abuse and the Harbor House is standing up and fighting for that right.

The Proposal:

Women, men, children, and pets are all potential victims of domestic violence. One out of every four homicides in the city of Orlando is caused by domestic violence (Harbor House of Central Florida). The most dangerous time for a victim is when they are trying to leave, so it is important that survivors have a safe place to go, and Harbor House is exactly that. According to the Harbor House of Central Florida’s website, In Orange County alone, there is an estimated 130,000 victims of domestic violence a year. The goal of my service learning project is to help in the fight against domestic violence in any way that I can. The Harbor House of Central Florida helps in many different aspects of domestic violence. They have a 24 hour crisis hotline. They give shelter to survivors, as well as their children and pets. They provide counseling services for survivors and offer childcare. They, also, have many prevention programs through education and advocacy.

In order for me to help the Harbor House in achieving their goal, I plan to dedicate my time to the cause. I cannot be completely sure at the moment of the way that I will be volunteering. I have submitted my application, and once I hear back I will know where they need me to serve. Until then, however, I will have to speak hypothetically. I am hoping to help out in either child care or in their Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program. “Twenty percent of teenage girls and young women have experienced some form of dating violence” (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 261) I believe that volunteering by “educating teens on healthy, non-abusive relationships” I will help make a serious impact on domestic violence (Harbor House of Central Florida). If people know what to look for in their partner, and what is a red flag, then they will be able to get out of the situation before it is too late. Of course, helping victims escape their dangerous situations is a vital part of fighting domestic violence, but without prevention domestic violence will only continue. Education is imperative in stopping the cycle from continuing, and what better place to start educating, then with our youth. At the end of my service learning project, I hope to have educated at least one person on domestic violence so that they may avoid becoming a victim of domestic violence or  even a victimizer. Whether I help through prevention education, or through just assisting survivors through child care, I think just knowing that I did something that helped positively impact the issue of domestic violence, is a worthwhile outcome in the end.

Although men can be victims of domestic violence, it is true that the majority of victims are female. So, domestic violence is not only a human rights issue, but also an issue of women’s rights. Feminists believe fighting against “ attitudes and systems of inequality that support male superiority,” and fighting for things like equality in wages and job opportunity will help in the steps to ending domestic violence (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 272). If women were seen as equal partners rather than inferior then maybe the act of domestic violence would not occur so often and commonly against females. The Harbor House provided shelter for 759 women and children in 2009-2010 (Harbor House of Central Florida). The Harbor House is empowering women by helping them get back on their feet and teaching them how to live healthy and independent lifestyles.

My first step to volunteering with the Harbor House of Central Florida was to submit an application. I submitted my application on September 19^th, 2010. I received an email confirmation saying that I should be hearing back in 5 business days. They will have to complete a background check on me, so after all that is cleared I will begin training. I’m sure it depends on which program you are assigned to, but you are told there may be up to 30 hours of training before you can start volunteering. After training I will begin serving regularly in whatever capacity they need me most.

Time Line:

1. Fill out application- Sunday, September 19^th

2. Receive response from volunteer coordinator- Week of Sept 20th

3. Domestic Violence 101 Training- October 5^th

4. Domestic Violence Volunteer Orientation- October 21^st

5. Core Competency Training- November

6. Continue training and volunteering- November- End of Semester

Works Cited

Kirk, Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4^th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

Harbor House of Central Florida. 19 Sept 2010. Web. 2010. <http://www.harborhousefl.com/>.

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