Community helps fight domestic violence

To the editor,

October was an especially significant month for Alaskans. It was National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, when community groups present events and activities to help improve our understanding of how intimate partner violence and sexual assault negatively affects individuals, families and communities. Ancient beliefs in unequal human value and rights lay the foundation for domestic violence. Fortunately, community partners are working to develop a culture that widely rejects those beliefs.

Stopping violence against women is a key mission for the National Organization for Women (NOW). Alaska NOW volunteers make it their business to help raise awareness of the issue every October and we rely on Alaska’s Choose Respect program as an important resource.

Through two administrations, the program continues to provide useful data, critical funding, and high-quality online resources for community use. This year, we were privileged to work with many agencies, businesses, and organizations on various Domestic Violence Awareness Month projects in the Juneau, Fairbanks, and Mat-Su Valley areas.

In Wasilla, Mat-Su NOW, the Houston High School welding class, and the City of Wasilla partnered to create and exhibit a new, purple-lighted, Choose Respect display at the Wasilla Lake Park in October. We are especially thankful to Houston High School’s welding instructor, Ben Parker, and his team of students for their enthusiastic support and the perfect steel frames they fabricated for the display. Mr. Parker reported, “It’s been wonderful to see kids jump up and want to help with a community project for an organization intent on fighting for such a great cause.”

The City of Wasilla and its Public Works Department staff provided very kind and generous support for the project as well and we are very grateful to them for that.

For the second year, the Mat-Su Borough’s Brett Memorial Ice Arena, Mat-Su NOW, and Alaska NOW partnered to present a public skating event at the arena on Halloween. In the context of a safe, fun, and family-friendly event, attendees at the arena’s Ice Spooktacular Boo Bash welcomed information about forming and maintaining healthy relationships. We especially thank R&R Entertainment, Alaska Family Services, the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, and the Mat-Su Public Health Center for their support for the event.

As Margaret Mead wisely said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Partnerships between individuals, grassroots organizations, community agencies and businesses are growing in number across the state to raise awareness and, someday, end our epidemic of violence against women. Here, we know that at least one of every two women and their families are counting on all of us to work together and achieve that goal.

Barbara McDaniel, president

Alaska NOW