Roosevelt Faculty Jill Coleman Adds Domestic Violence Awareness to Courses

By Angela Walsberg, Roosevelt University student

Imagine being a victim of domestic abuse, the one you love is hurting you, and there was no one there to help you out? This is how it used to be—earlier. Back then, if a domestic violence issue arose and the police were called to the scene, the police would most likely just set the two individuals aside and try to talk to them to settle their dispute. Often this method would not work, and the abuse would get worse, resulting in the police returning to the same house multiple times without the root of the issue being solved. The violence continues to escalate, possibly resulting in the victim’s death. This example of the cycle of violence captures the essence of a story, that many who have experienced abuse in the past, and the reason why Domestic Violence awareness education needs to be taken seriously.

Domestic abuse is described as a way to try and gain control over a partner. Domestic abuse can be physical, emotional, or verbal abuse. Most domestic violence happens between married couples, but can also happen between dating couples, and affects anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, or gender.

Although domestic violence has always been a serious issue, now there are additional stricter laws for domestic abuse. In fact, many companies and even schools are now offering domestic awareness programs to educate on the prevention of domestic violence.
One such place is Roosevelt University. At both its campuses (Schaumburg and Chicago), faculty that are working hard to educate their students about domestic abuse. Also, the state of Illinois has the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence that provides educational and training resources. This group also works with local organizations to raise awareness about violence.
Here at the local level, there are many other local government and community organizations that do hands-on work with women who are in abusive relationships or trying to leave those relationships. A strong one is the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence, which co-sponsoring (with Roosevelt University) a domestic violence conference at Schaumburg’s campus on Oct. 27th. Those who attended heard guest speakers and community leaders talk about this problem, and learned more about what’s being done—and can be.

One such Roosevelt faculty member, Dr. Jill Coleman, social psychologist, teaches a Psychology of Women course. As she puts it, “Some instructors, myself included, also try to include information about domestic violence into our courses. If individuals in the campus community are dealing with violent relationships in their own lives, our counseling center has resources to guide them through their specific situations”.

Dr. Coleman estimates that about 10-20% of students in a given Psychology of Women class have had some sort of personal experience with partner violence, and says, “Perhaps they have been in relationships themselves or have a close friend or family member who was/is in an abusive relationship”.

Many victims of domestic violence usually tend to keep it to themselves, and don’t file reports against their abuser. This may be because they feel such violence is caused by something they did to upset the abusers.

Whatever the reason, trying to hide the fact that a person was (or is) a victim of abuse will not help that victim out in life. The emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse are severe. Many reports state that these can lead to anxiety, depression, a sense of loneliness in the world, or of being isolated. In fact, experiencing domestic violence can even lead to suicide by victims. Unfortunately, most of the symptoms or abuse are ignored , and often, many people just don’t realize how common and serious this issue really is.

Recently, Dr. Coleman’s class (Psychology 345: Psychology of Women) completed a service project to benefit the Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) organization in Palatine, IL, and organized a drive on the Schaumburg campus to collect clothing and other household supplies that were then delivered to one of the organization’s drop-off locations. Some of her students extended the collection sites to their homes and workplaces, with one student using Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights as a collection site.

“We also organized a food sale that helped raise nearly $300 for the organization,” Coleman says. “Throughout the semester, we discussed issues related to violence against women (i.e., sexual harassment, sexual assault, partner violence, etc.).”

During spring semester 2012, she will be offering the class as a Transformational Service Learning class, thanks to a grant from the Mansfield Institute for Social Justice at Roosevelt University. Students in the class will be required to complete 20 hours of community based service during the semester. While students will not be required to pick a service site that deals with violence against women, Coleman predicts that a number of students in the class will be interested in this kind of work. She is currently looking for sites to partner with.

Coleman explains her feelings about domestic violence this way: “ I think domestic violence is a complicated issue. A lot of college students, particularly traditional age students, are not aware of how prevalent partner violence is. I believe that there are also misconceptions about abusive relationships, such as that they all involve physical abuse and that they are abusive from the very beginning, when neither of these is necessarily true.

Coleman continues, “Because people are not educated about the cycle of violence or the early warning signs, they are more vulnerable to being involved in violent relationships and not removing themselves from situations as early as they could. “ Her bottom line: “People should be educated early about partner violence, and this education should be directed at both women and men.”

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course.

Purple Butterfly

By Marcelina Mulawa and Isabel Moshi,
Roosevelt University Students

Have you seen a purple butterfly lately? The purple butterfly can easily be spotted in the Northwest Suburbs on brochures that inform women how to “get safe” in an abusive relationship. The WINGS and Northwest Community Hospital (NCH) partnership uses this easily-recognizable purple butterfly logo. The purple color of the butterfly signifies “Domestic Violence”. The butterfly’s wings signify WINGS’ motto: “Women In Need Getting Stronger” –a reminder that a woman being abused in a domestic violence situation needs to get away and to be strong enough to let it go. Instead, she needs to move to a better place that can help her.

WINGS and NCH can—and does--help that happen.

Because this partner program is exceptional in what they offer and do for victims of domestic violence, they have become a model for other hospitals and non-profits partnerships which may be trying to incorporate similar programs. One way in which WINGS makes itself known at NCH is to have pamphlets available around the facility—especially the bathrooms. These pamphlets are small enough to fold and be hidden in a shoebox, and are made of material that can’t be ripped or destroyed. Consequently, women who see and take them can learn about WINGS and its programs, and see how to contact the organization for help.

Northwest Community Hospital
In addition to having the brochures available at NCH, Anna Vann, a licensed therapist for WINGS works at the hospital, in Arlington Heights, to do assessments and referrals for patients, families, staff, and community partners. Another part of her job is educating physicians and nurses at the hospital, as well as other community partners about domestic violence and what they can do to help those who are victims.

WINGS
The WINGS program is a program for Women In Need Growing Strong, and it is part of the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence. This program, which services the northwest side of Chicago including the northwest suburbs, works closely with Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

Primary goal for the WINGS program is to help women and children who are victims of domestic violence, but it also helps men who are victims of domestic violence. Several ways it does this are with
• Transitional housing programs
• Resale shops
• Community outreach programs
• Hospital-based programs

WINGS also offers a safe house for women and children who can stay at this particular location so that they are separated physically from the person who is abusing them and can find a place where they feel they can be safe.

There are many types of cases in which the WINGS program can help anyone who is a victim. In addition to being victims of domestic violence, victims also may have other issues. Abuse can take many forms: physical, emotional, psychological, and financial. All of these are increasing in today’s fast-paced environment. Though all types of cases may differ, the WINGS program tries to help with any situation victims may be in.

WINGS has found that men too can be victims of domestic violence. Although women victims generally have more resources and opportunities for help, does have the option for an abused male to come into this program. WINGS is unique in that it provides equal services to men and women with the exception of the safe house. That’s only for women and their children under 12 years of age.

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course. Photo courtesy of Holly Swanson.

Hospital Resources Reducing Domestic Violence

By Sarah Schultz, Roosevelt University Student

Every nine seconds a woman is beaten in the U.S., and every two minutes a woman is sexually assaulted according to the Centers for Disease Control. If these statistics do not speak loudly enough, consider your four closest friends; at least two of those friends know someone who has been involved in domestic violence or has been a victim themselves.

Domestic violence is a real issue that Americans face today. More programs, services, and advocacy need to happen in order for these cases of domestic violence to go down.
Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights has partnered with the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence and Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS). Through this partnership, Cindy Hartwig, the director of Women and Children Services and Vice President of the WINGS board, has put together programs that are educating the hospital employees about domestic violence, analyzing and assessing the hospital’s procedures, screening, and intervention policies, and providing internal resources for patients along with counseling, and also creating a greater awareness about domestic violence.

In 2007, Northwest Community Hospital began using the Delphi Instrument, a consensus-driven quality assessment tool for evaluation of hospital-based domestic violence programs, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). NWCH uses this tool (questionnaire) as a basis for their current hospital policies and employee training. The Delphi Instrument is mainly used for screening, documentation, intervention, and evaluations on domestic violence. This strategy showed the quality and quantity of domestic violence care and areas that needed improvement.

In response to the assessments, Northwest Community Hospital is directly addressing the issue of domestic violence by having a counselor, at no cost to the patients, available for victims of domestic violence. This counselor provides comfort, insight, and resources to the victim.
The hospital also began asking pregnant women, in private, questions regarding if they are suffering from domestic violence. Not only is the staff asking women who are pregnant, but also they are asking these questions of patients over the age of 16.

This personal and caring touch actually makes an impact. Cindy Hartwig explains, “It usually takes between 3-4 times of asking a woman if they are a victim of domestic violence before they will get help.” It is also true that women who are pregnant or have children are more likely to seek help, not for themselves as victims, but because the violence they are experiencing can affect their children or an unborn child.

Another big step Northwest Community Hospital is making towards decreasing domestic violence is by having numerous resources available to patients, employees, and anyone who enters the hospital. Through their partnership with WINGS they provide pamphlets on the signs of an abusive relationship, the cycle of domestic violence, and where to go to for help. They also have a “resource card” which can be stored in an individual’s shoe so an abused person doesn’t draw attention to themselves as victims, especially around their abuser.

Along with their internal resources, Northwest Community Hospital is taking a pro-active role educating the hospital staff. Every year each employee goes through an education program on domestic violence. The counselor, whom the domestic violence victims see, also spreads this education and awareness to the community by visiting doctors’ offices and leaving assessment tools and resources. By simply becoming more aware and educated about this topic, individuals can have an impact on reducing the number of domestic violence cases each year. Through the efforts of the WINGS program, the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence, and Cindy Hartwig, the Director of Women and Children’s Services at Northwest Community Hospital, the hospital has created programs, internal resources, educational material, and staff who are aware and actively working to reduce domestic violence in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.


Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course. Photo courtesy of Holly Swanson.

2011 Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month – October 2011

October 3rd Family Violence Coordinating Council Fall Conference “ Lt. Mark Wynn: Keynote speaker.” Conference is free to attend with no registration fee. Lt. Mark Wynn is the guest speaker. Hosted at Harper College 8am-4:30pm. The Community Crisis Center will offer 5.5 CEUs for $10. Nursing CEUs (5.5) will be offered by Northwest Community Hospital for free and 5.5 MCLEs for attorneys are offered at no charge. Event is full.

October 4 Northwest Community Hospital Ribbon Ceremony in ED Driveway @ 12:30pm. Hospital staff and visitors are invited to tie purple ribbons on the columns and trees to symbolize Breaking Silence on Domestic Violence.

October 10 Northwest Community Hospital Conference Center Rm 1-6 presents a 1-hour seminar on Domestic Violence and Why Women Stay. Open to the public, offering 1 NCE credit. Presentation will be repeated on Oct. 28th at 1:30pm.

October 14 Elgin Community Crisis Center Partner In Peace Breakfast 7:30am Elgin Country Club Contact: 847-742-4088 $25pp, Reservation required.

October 14 Shelter Inc, Fall Seminar “Bullying” Schaumburg Township District Library
9:30-12:30pm. Admission is free. Contact Laura 847-590-6190 X37

October 20 Georgio’s Pizzeria Fundraiser for NWSADV 4-10pm
100 W. Higgins Rd. Suite L100 in the Arboretum- South Barrington
Georgio’s Pizza will donate 20% of its dine-in sales and 10% of its carryout sales from each purchase presenting this flyer.

October 25 WINGS Annual Meeting Luncheon and Awards Ceremony
11:00am - 1:00pm Chandler’s Chop House
401 North Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Cost per person: $25.00, RSVP by Friday, October 21, 2011

October 27 “Break the Silence on Relationship Violence” Community Event
Keynote speaker Wendy Cohen from the Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s Office
The Clothesline and Silent Witness project, and Memorial Ceremony
Hosted by Roosevelt University and NWSADV
4:30-6:30pm Roosevelt University Schaumburg Campus, 1400 N Roosevelt Blvd Alumni Hall Register @ www.roosevelt.edu/breaksilence

Municipalities Partner with NWSADV to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month with Proclamations Read on the following dates:
September 19th- Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates
September 26th- Barrington, Prospect Heights, Wheeling
September 27th- Schaumburg
October 3rd- Palatine
October 4th- Bartlett, Mount Prospect
October 6th- Streamwood
October 11th - Inverness

Attend a Local National Night Out Event on Aug. 2nd

Meet with neighbors to celebrate National Night Out, a campaign on crime prevention.

As part of the National Night Out annual event, community members are encouraged to meet with law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials.

According to National Association of Town Watch, over 37 million, from over 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. people participated in National Night Out 2010.

Local police departments, such as Arlington Heights Police Department and Elgin Police Department will have Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence material on hand.

Members of the Alliance organization will also display material at the Barrington National Night Out event.

For more details about a National Night Out event in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago visit the Daily Herald for the story:
Read more: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110801/news/708019832/#ixzz1TtZSqBsh

Events: Domestic Violence Awareness Month – October 2010 Northwest Suburbs of Chicago

Local Events During Domestic Violence Awareness Month – October

All of October, Between Friends will provide a table of DV information in the Rolling Meadows courthouse "Entrance area"

All of October, Hoffman Estates Department of Health and Human Services offer screenings and no cost consults. 847-781-4850

October 1 Purple Ribbon Tying----Ribbons will be tied on the trunks of the tree's of the Rolling Meadows Court House. The ribbons will stay on the tree's throughout October. (Between Friends) Contact: April Fehrenbacher, ICDVP 847-818-8900

October 6 Between Friends court advocates will be in front of the Rolling Meadows Court House with DV awareness stickers

October 8 Elgin Community Crisis Center Partner In Peace Breakfast 7:30am

Contact: 847-742-4088

October 15 Dress to Express---Wear Purple all day today! Take a picture of your coworkers wearing purple and we will put your pic and your business's link on our webpage during the month of November. (Between Friends)

October 15 Family Violence Coordinating Council Fall Conference “ Holding onto Hope, Substance Abuse, Domestic Abuse and the Family.” 8am -4:30pm Chandlers Banquets Grand Ballroom for More information contact Grayce 847-818-2528

October 20 Safe From the Start of Northwest Cook County, in collaboration with the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence will be displaying the Clothesline Project at the Palatine Opportunity Center (1585 N. Rand Rd.) during the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Safe From the Start is a community response dedicated to reduce the trauma of exposure to violence in children ages 0-5 in the communities of Northwest Cook County. The Clothesline Project is a moving and provocative display of personally decorated shirts showing how violence has affected the lives of survivors and their children. Please join us on October 20th between 4-7 PM to view the shirts and find out more information about local domestic violence information and resources. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Laura Rutledge, from the Safe from the Start program at (630) 823-5204.

October 22 NWSADV Men’s Initiative on Domestic Violence keynotes Hoffman –Schaumburg Rotary at Poplar Creek Country Club

October 25 Illinois Domestic Violence Laws Training---This is a training to provide an overview of DV laws for counselors, advocates, crisis line workers, etc. ICDVP credits will be provided. (Between Friends)

October 26 Hanover Park and WINGS are hosting a domestic violence candlelight vigil at 6pm at the village hall. Event is free and open to the public.

October 27 Northwest Community Hospital - presentation on Dynamic of Domestic Violence will be on Oct 27th from 11am to 1pm in 30 minutes increments open to public in the conference room 1-6

PALATINE WINGS NEEDS YOUR HELP

Following the tragic loss of the Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS) resale shop in Palatine, Illinois State Senator Matt Murphy is assisting in the efforts to restock and open a new location.

A fire was started by the June 18 storms that passed through suburban Cook County and as a result the WINGS resale shop was destroyed. I would ask area residents to consider giving a monetary or clothing article donation to the store as a way of helping the WINGS fund for programs and shelters.

The former WINGS location was at 756 E. Northwest Highway in Palatine. For more information about WINGS, visit their Web site at www.wingsprogram.com.

If you have questions about the organization or donations, please contact WINGS at 847-519-7820. Donations are being accepted daily at a drop off located at 345 North Eric Drive, Palatine.

I am the chair of the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence, an organization whose mission is to raise awareness on preventing domestic violence. For more information about NWSADV, visit www.endallabuse.org.

Fire Devastates Resale Shop

The resale shop that supported local domestic violence shelter: WINGS a total loss after a fire on June 18th.

The WINGS property located at 756 E Northwest Hwy in Palatine Illinois is looking for a new home. Agency director is looking to move the resale shop to temporary location in downtown Palatine.

WINGS is also a member of the Northwest Suburban Alliance. More information on how to support WINGS should become available soon.

To follow all the details, link to:

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=388896

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7507245

Daily Herald reported on 6/18/10....

The storm ignited a fire that destroyed a Palatine resale shop dedicated to victims of domestic violence, in what authorities believe was caused when lightning struck a transformer on a utility pole on the corner of the building.

Officials with the charity group, Women In Need Growing Stronger, or WINGS, talked Saturday of rebuilding and finding a temporary place to continue.