Building Supportive Communities
Domestic violence is rooted in power imbalances, this is what allows this violence to occur and persist. The more we, as a society, talk about it, learn about it, and challenge these dynamics and imbalances, the closer we will be to ending the violence. Here are some ways each individual can be part of the goal of creating supportive communities for survivors and one where violence does not occur:
Start by believing and supporting survivors.
Learn more about trauma and share it with your community. Volare has a Trauma-Informed Education Project and we can support you in bringing this to your community.
Legal Professionals
Medical Professionals
Teachers
Members of the Media
Anyone else (bring us to your community recreation center, school, place of worship, etc.)
If you are someone who works with survivors of domestic violence or other forms of trauma, you can request a Vicarious Trauma training. Knowing how to take care of ourselves is crucial when building supportive communities.
Challenge when you see abusive behaviors in the media or in real life. This can be done in a variety of ways. Bystander intervention can be as direct or creative as you want/need it to be.
Some Reminders
At times, media can depict domestic violence in certain ways that may not always be accurate and can potentially cause harm. Here are some reminders that may have come up during the show:
Alcohol does not cause abuse. While folks who abuse and cause harm can drink alcohol, and alcohol can exacerbate circumstances, it is not a cause or an excuse. People are still accountable for their actions.
Animal abuse can sometimes be used as emotional abuse, manipulation and intimidation toward another person (when Marlena cares about animals, August hurting the animals can further the abuse toward her).
Mental illness does not cause abuse. We know that folks experiencing mental illness are more vulnerable to experiencing violence themselves.
When weapons are present, lethality does increase for folks experiencing violence. This should be taken seriously.
