Domestic Violence program on Oct. 15 to celebrate awareness month

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Emery County Domestic Violence Coalition sponsors 10th annual program
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is the 10th year the Emery County Domestic Violence Coalition is sponsoring an awareness and educational program for the community. The program will be held on Oct. 15 from 12-1 p.m. at the old courthouse in Castle Dale. Lunch will be provided by the Coalition and door prizes will be given away. There is no cost to attend.
The guest speaker is Jacci Graham. Jacci received her Master’s of Social Work from the University of Utah and a BA from Weber State University. She is a licensed clinical social worker. Jacci is an experienced crime victim’s advocate and she has extensive knowledge of the criminal justice system.
Currently, Jacci is an Information Management Specialist at the Children’s Service Society of Utah. She works extensively facilitating successful kinship placements with families. Jacci will describe how violence affects children, families and communities. She will spend much of her time teaching strategies and techniques to promote healing for those touched by family violence.
According to the latest report issued by the Utah Governor’s Violence Against Women and Families Council, domestic violence is one of the fastest growing and most serious violent crimes in Utah today.
The report further states that the frequency and intensity of this abuse has increased as countless victims endure more severe beatings and life threatening situations than those in past years. This violence is characterized as a systematic pattern of physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abusive behaviors by one partner to control another.
Rather than a series of independent attacks, it is a process in which the perpetrator maintains control and domination over the victim. Domestic violence encompasses all races, ethnic groups, educational levels, social and economic classes, sexual orientations, religions, gender, and physical and mental abilities.
People often don’t speak of family violence and it is hidden and rarely discussed in public. Many individuals don’t recognize domestic violence as a public issue that significantly impacts communities, families, and individuals. Children can be traumatized by witnessing violence in their homes creating the same impact as if they had been physically abused. Families become broken and communities pay millions in services and lost productivity of their citizens. The Emery County Domestic Violence Coalition works throughout the year to coordinate services to combat family violence.
Come join the coalition on Oct. 15 to learn more about the problem of domestic violence in our community and how we all can be a part of the solution.