This month held many activities to celebrate Domestic Violence Awareness Month. A vigil to celebrate lives saved and lives remembered, a Safe Dating Teen Event, Domestic Violence 101 Training and an Open House Appreciation for law enforcement and justice officials. Each event having its own unique opportunity to share the impact of domestic violence.
Most recently, we held a Pastor Breakfast and Training Session at Kingsway Christian Church in Avon for local pastors and church officials. Pastors are often the first people that victims of domestic violence turn to, but many of them have never received training in how to work with those victims. This training session was designed to help them better understand the realities of domestic violence and the best ways to respond to various situations.
We know that one out of every four women and one in every eleven men will experience domestic violence at some time during their lives. So if a pastor sees 100 women in his congregation, it’s likely that 25 of them are currently being abused or have been in the past. It’s a problem throughout all faiths, social levels, communities, and congregations. And youth pastors should be aware that one in three teens will experience sexual or physical abuse or threats from a dating partner. Churches can be a very powerful force in domestic violence protection by educating their members and knowing how to help victims.
As the month wraps up we would like to invite you to participate in one final activity, Dine Out Against Domestic Violence. A group of local restaurants have agreed to donate a portion of what they earn that evening to support Sheltering Wings. We encourage everyone to enjoy a meal out and help prevent domestic violence at the same time.
Participating restaurants include: Avon- Charbonos, Orange Leaf, Firehouse Subs, Chick-fil-A, Papa Joe’s Jr., and Monical’s Pizza; Plainfield- Stone Creek Dining Company, Logan’s Roadhouse, Firehouse Subs, Hotbox Pizza, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chick-fil-A, Red Robin, and Three Pints Brewpub; Brownsburg- Boulder Creek Dining, Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill, and Firehouse Subs; Danville- Bread Basket Café & Bakery. Complete details about Dine Out Against Domestic Violence can be found here.
In His Service,
Cassie Martin
Executive Director
