LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force has received full funding from the state Department of Health for fiscal year 2010, beginning July 1, according to minutes from the group’s March meeting. The multi-agency, volunteer group meets once
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force has received full funding from the state Department of Health for fiscal year 2010, beginning July 1, according to minutes from the group’s March meeting.
The multi-agency, volunteer group meets once a month, with goals of raising awareness of the problems of domestic violence and, as the name indicates, preventing domestic violence.
Linda Pizzitola of the YWCA of Kaua‘i is the task-force coordinator.
The task force also has a new logo, and at last month’s meeting there was much discussion on how to get men to talk about domestic violence on the island, according to the meeting minutes provided by Pizzitola.
On the March meeting agenda topic of engaging men, committee members suggested personal contact, the need to go to them, in collaboration with existing groups.
Men don’t necessarily want to come to meetings to discuss domestic violence, but may be more interested in knowing what to do about the problem, committee members said.
A possible project discussed at the meeting is a program to coach boys into men, and training church group leaders.
There was also discussion about existing mentoring programs on the island, and a suggestion that there are many hidden mentors in the community who deserve credit for their low-key, one-to-one work against domestic violence.
Dennis Mendonca of the YWCA shared that the Alternatives to Violence Ali‘i Club is to have its first meeting this month, with a goal to turn successfully rehabilitated clients into allies.
After two organizational meetings, a Koke‘e retreat is planned, perhaps an informational booth at the county fair, and eventually taking on the project of coaching boys into men, he said.
Most ATV participants have a history of domestic violence, and are mandated by state court judges to attend ATV sessions.
Mendonca said he is exploring various ways of taking the ATV program to areas outside Lihu‘e, which he hopes will eventually lead to growth of the program in other communities. Intakes, one-to-one sessions and weekly groups are envisioned.
In other matters, the committee learned partial funding, $5,000, has been awarded for a training session in faith-based domestic violence awareness and response.
The Rev. Al Miles, author of “Domestic Violence — What Every Pastor Should Know,” is speaker for the July 23 session at the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort & Beach Club in Nawiliwili.
The committee also discussed teen-dating violence, character education and bullying, with the Aloha Peace Project’s character-education and anti-bullying curriculum for elementary schools seeing increased demand from the schools.
This year the DOH Health Needs Assessment is focused on two areas related to the committee’s work: bullying and childhood abuse and neglect.
Melissa Nitta of Wilcox Memorial Hospital shared that DOH funding has been extended for safety issues, and funding has been secured for the Shattered Dreams program, a graphic depiction of a fatal car crash and impacts on survivors, loved ones, witnesses, emergency responders and the community.
The following parenting classes are offered by the state Department of Education: Parent Project: Choosing Success/Choosing Life (middle and high school students); Guiding Good Choices (upper elementary and middle school); and Loving Solutions and Motheread/Fatheread/Story Exploring for preschool- and elementary-aged students.
For more information on the Kaua‘i Domestic Violence Prevention Task Force, contact Pizzitola, linda@ywcakauai.org, or 245-5959, ext. 244.
