Weekly Activism Blog #4

Activism

This week was an exciting week for me with my community learning partner. I had my Volunteer Orientation training on Thursday night.  It was really exciting because I got to hear about all of the different ways harbor house helps out with issues of domestic violence and all the areas I have to choose from for my volunteering.

Reflection

I knew that victims were most at risk for homicides when trying to leave, but something interesting I learned this week was that if the woman gets a restraining order and the victim and batter have children, there is no restraining order for the children. So the woman still has to meet with the batterer in order to exchange the children for mandated visitations. I learned that domestic violence homicides happen often during this act of child swapping. The more I learn about Harbor House, the more that I appreciate it. Even though domestic violence is primarily a crime against women, Harbor House also provides support for men, while not directly in their shelter, but in other ways. Also, Harbor House doesn’t turn anyone away, even if they show up with a family of nine. It is truly a beautiful and impactful thing they are doing there. In Seely’s Fight Like a Girl, She focuses on ways to take action, one way she says is through volunteering at a local domestic violence shelter (212). So I feel like I am on the right track to making an impact and helping these women and their families.

Reciprocity

I think that the more I learn about this issue, the more and more serious it becomes to me. The host of the training told us example of women who come into the shelter straight from the hospital with broken bones or jaws wired shut.  I feel like to see that sort of thing is very life changing and really puts into focus what is important in life. I am learning to become more accountable in the issue of domestic violence. Many people who hear or see incidents happening do nothing to stop it. I want to be a person who does something, and doesn’t just stand there and let it happen.

Works Cited

Seely, Megan. Fight Like a Girl. New York and London: New York UP, 2007. Print.