The Shoemaker Bugle

By Leslie Cardenas

To recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October, Margaret’s Place and its Peer Leaders conducted a school-wide campaign at JGHS this week, which included activities that were designed to empower students to get involved in ending the cycle of violence and promoting healthy relationships.

Each day, Margaret’s Place and its Peer Leaders hosted many activities during lunch time. On Monday, Margaret’s Place Peer Leaders tabled in the quad during lunch to encourage students to participate in our interactive mural. The interactive mural consists of responses to prompts on how to stand up, speak out, and make a change against domestic violence.

On Tuesday, Peer Leaders tabled in the quad once again, this time passing out tip cards and information on DV. On Wednesday, a trivia game was hosted inside Margaret’s Place (room 303). The trivia game helped students learn more about DV and how to get help. Students were invited to come to Margaret’s Place on Thursday to create art and writing around DV awareness and healthy relationships. This art may be submitted to be on a Margaret’s Place zine that will be distributed electronically to all Margaret’s Places in L.A. and NYC. Finally on Friday, students were encouraged to wear purple to honor domestic violence awareness.

Margaret’s Place offers individual and group therapy with our counselor Mrs. Lara. Margaret’s Place is a safe space for anyone and everyone to join. Room 303 is open during snack or lunch. Every Monday, Mrs. Lara hosts “Mindful Mondays” where students can learn about being mindful.

Domestic Violence affects an estimated 10 million people every year in the United States alone. As many as one in four women and one in nine men are victims of domestic violence.

Physical abuse is often the first thing people think of when they hear domestic violence, although that is not always the case. Abuse by immigration status, emotional, sexual, technological, and financial abuse are all types of abuse that are often used in abusive relationships. Many abusers hold power and control over their victims.

Power and control is when an abusive partner uses abusive tactics to keep their partner in a relationship. For example, if person A in a relationship is an undocumented immigrant, person B may use that to control the person by threatening to call immigration officials if person A makes an attempt at leaving the relationship. This is just one of the many ways an abuser might hold power and control over someone.

If you or anyone you know need support of any kind or think you are currently in an abusive relationship, speak to our Margaret’s Place counselor Mrs. Lara in room 303. If you prefer to call or text someone please use the resources provided below.

Hotlines:

National DV – (800) 799-SAFE(7233)

National Suicide Prevention – (800) 273-8255

Love Is Respect – (866) 331-9474

Chat lines:

National DV chat line – Text “Start” to 88788

Love Is Respect – Text “Loveis” to 22522