The DadTalk blog features insights from dads and Responsible Fatherhood practitioners from around the country. Its goal is to start conversations about important issues surrounding fatherhood and programs for fathers today.
Ed. Note: This is a repost from the ACF Family Room Blog on November 18, 2015. View the original post.
Early in their relationship, Robin and Kelly…
“If no one in your group is talking about it [domestic violence], you’re not addressing it.” – Lisa Nitch, House of Ruth, Maryland
For parents of teenagers and programs working with young fathers, knowing and recognizing the warning signs of unhealthy dating behaviors that can lead to teen dating violence is crucial. This is especially true in the context of a recent national survey in which 1 in 10 teens reported being hit or physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend at least once in the last 12 months. What’s more, during the 12 months prior to the survey, 1 in 10…
Ed note: This post originally appeared in the ACF Family Room Blog. View the original post here.
Domestic violence is a national public health challenge that crosses racial, cultural, and geographic boundaries. On average, 20 people per minute are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States — that’s about twelve million people each year.
We know the numbers of those experiencing such violence are far too high. We know that children and youth who witness domestic…
Nearly 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have suffered from domestic violence at the hands of an intimate partner.1 Although some of us may have heard this shocking statistic before, it still bears repeating. Domestic violence is an issue of national importance, and it falls on each of us to make a promise to ensure that every victim of domestic violence knows they have a supportive community to which they can turn. It is in light of this need for action that the White House declared October to be National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Government agencies including the Department of Justice…
“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” – Elie Wiesel
Domestic Violence is a violation to a person at the core of their being. It betrays love, destroys trust, inflicts irrevocable damage, and often leaves a jaded perception of love in its wake. Many individuals that have been harmed by an intimate partner feel afraid, embarrassed, blame themselves, and believe they are unable to reveal their…
Most men who have been victimized by an intimate partner feel as if they are forced to live a life of secrecy. These men remain silent because of a variety of reasons, including stigma, fear, isolation, and what may appear to be a lack of supportive services.
Domestic violence includes a mental component that makes it shrouded in deception, shame, and humiliation; making it extremely difficult to detect, accept, and even more challenging to seek assistance after victimization. Some perceptions of masculinity suggest men cannot be victims, vulnerable, or should not have a…
Ed. Note: This is a repost from the ACF Family Room Blog. View the original post.
Recently, I had the privilege of visiting Family and Youth Services Bureau grantee Futures without Violence in San Francisco. For more than 30 years, “FUTURES" has been providing groundbreaking programs, policies, and campaigns for the community. Its work targets individuals and organizations working to end violence against women and children around the world.
Future’s…
Domestic violence is a serious challenge affecting families and communities. One in five women, and a growing number of men, experience domestic violence sometime in their lives [1], and an estimated 3.3 to 10 million children suffer the trauma of witnessing domestic violence each year [2]. The April 2014 NRFC webinar (Addressing Domestic Violence: The Role of Fatherhood Programs,…
Ed. Note: This article originally appeared on the ACF Family Room Blog. Read the original post here.
As director of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program (FVPSA), a program of the Family and Youth Services Bureau in the Administration for Children and Families, I am pleased to share with you the launch of a new campaign that invites men to play a part in the movement to end domestic violence.
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Here at the end of Domestic Violence Awareness month for 2011, it’s a good time to reflect on ways in which responsible fatherhood programs can help fathers change attitudes and behavior in their families and communities. Four of the 33 webinars provided by the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse for federal fatherhood grantees have focused on ways to address domestic violence as a part of fatherhood work. Most recently Tony…