Tag Archives: Abuse

“The Hunting Ground” Movie Screening Oct 20th: Time To Shine a Light On the Prevalence of Campus Sexual Assaults

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It’s difficult to think or speak about. It sends chills down our spines when the thought of it crosses our minds, but the fact is that college sexual assault—and protection from it—is something that we need to address. To help raise awareness and shine a light on a “Yes Means Yes” legislation bill, the JFCS Project SARAH Domestic Abuse Program will host a screening of the movie “The Hunting Ground” on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. at the Carmike Theaters in Voorhees.sexaul assault

“The Hunting Ground” documentary film is a startling—but necessary—expose of sexual violence on US college campuses, the institutional cover-ups, and the student survivors leading a movement for change. The screening of the film is scheduled as the “Yes Means Yes” bill, sponsored by Sen. James Beach, moves through the New Jersey Senate. The “Yes Means Yes” legislation seeks to replace the often-cited “No Means No” slogan which has been used in campaigns for sexual assault prevention, and that advocates say placed the burden on victims to prove they resisted. The bill will require higher education institutions to adopt an affirmative consent standard and numerous other policies regarding sexual assault in order to receive state funds for student assistance programs.

“This approach shifts the way sexual assault cases are investigated, and will change the way that rape is discussed and treated on college campuses,” said Beach (D-Camden). “It will create a more supportive environment and get rid of the notion that victims must have verbally protested or physically resisted in order to have suffered a sexual assault. This is about better protecting young people and changing the culture at our colleges and universities.”

Under the bill, in order to receive state funds for student assistance programs, the governing board of each institution of higher education must adopt a policy concerning sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking involving a student, both on and off campus. The institutions must also implement comprehensive prevention and outreach programs regarding the same issues.

“Rape culture is a real and palpable issue within every college— no one is immune. Not only do we have the responsibility to keep our daughters safe; we need to educate our sons to be leaders in the ‘no means no’ movement,” said Hilary Platt, coordinator for the JFCS Project SARAH Domestic Abuse Program. “Whether our children are in high school or college, parents can start the conversation; this documentary will give us the skills to do so.”

In a joint statement, The Hunting Ground screening event Co-chairs Heather Leibowitz and Hope Morgan said, “With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are striving to bring critical awareness to our community. Last year’s event featuring Tanya Brown showed how adult women faced domestic violence issues. This important film shows another aspect of the disturbing trend on college campuses that our young people must face, and it is one that both male and female students need to understand.”

The must-see screening of “The Hunting Ground” (www.thehuntinggroundfilm.com; PG-13) on Oct. 20 is open to the public for a donation of $15 for adults and $10 for students, and includes soda and popcorn. Tickets to be purchased in advance, here: www.jfcssnj.org/huntingground  All proceeds support the JFCS Project SARAH Domestic Abuse Program. A special address by Sen. Beach will take place at the beginning of the screening, and attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a Q&A segment after the film.

Lara Barrett

Director of Communications & Marketing, JFCS – Cherry Hill

856-424-1333, xt 1165

lbarrett@jfedsnj.org

JFCS Presents October 20th Screening of “The Hunting Ground” on Prevalence of College Sexual Assault

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mp5Mzl1lThe JFCS Project SARAH Domestic Abuse Program Presents:

“The Hunting Ground” A Documentary Film Screening to Shine a Light on the Prevalence of College Sexual Assault

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Carmike Cinemas – Ritz 16, Haddonfield-Berlin Road, Voorhees

20 percent of women who enroll in college are sexually assaulted while there, but,  45% of schools report ZERO incidence of sexual assault.   It’s time to shed a light on college sexual assault and prepare our male and female students for the reality.

This must see screening of the The Hunting Ground documentary will help to erase stigma, enlighten our  young people, and address a new “Yes Means Yes” Affirmative Consent legislation, introduced by NJ State Senator Jim Beach, to help protect students at higher education institutions.

Tickets are available for a donation of $15 for adults / $10 for students, and includes popcorn and soda.  All proceeds support the JFCS Project SARAH Domestic Abuse Program.   Special address by Senator James Beach and an after-viewing Q & A session are scheduled. To watch a trailer, visit: www.thehuntinggroundfilm.com. This film is PG-13.

TO GET YOUR TICKETS NOW, CLICK HERE.

JFCS Spreads Awareness on Domestic Violence

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It is hard to say how long Lynn* waited, scared alone in her room. Just waiting for the hum of the motor in the driveway, so she could breathe a sigh of relief knowing her husband was leaving. What had started out as a dinner with her husband and two children had ended in another brutal attack. Lynn can’t remember what had sparked her spouse’s temper on this given night, and provoked the hair pulling and beating, as the kids were upstairs readying for bed. Truthfully, there were too many nights like this to count, and they all started to blur together. She knew the children had heard this fight, and the screams, and she knew she would have to leave as soon as the coast was clear. Deep down, she had wished she had seen the warning signs and the pattern of abuse that started this – so she could have stopped it before it involved her children. Lynn is just one of hundreds of individuals – men and women – who seek help from the JFCS Project SARAH anti-abuse program to find safety and a life free from abuse. And, JFCS is here waiting for the call, waiting to aid those in such crisis.

In fact, over the next few months, JFCS will be taking further measures to raise awareness of domestic abuse in our community of Southern New Jersey, to promote prevention of violent situations, and to inform the community of the many services and resources available.

In the last year, Project SARAH coordinators have been busy increasing partnerships with local hospitals, police and fire departments, and emergency aid organizations to help train and educate service providers on issues pertaining to abuse. Additionally, Project SARAH professionals have been presenting the Building Healthy Relationships program, which has helped to educate over 400 teens to date, in high schools, Hebrew Highs, churches and youth organizations. This aspect of the program helps teens to identify potential abusers, and recognize early precursors to violence in a relationship – in an effort to stop the cycle of violence before it starts. Project SARAH also offers mental health counseling, legal and financial resources, food pantry support, and assists with gaining access to safe shelter.

It is up to us to spread the word about these services, and raise awareness to help those who need us. Most victims suffer in silence – not knowing there is a way out of the darkness.

For many, the silence is deafening. Silence… while 1 in 4 women are abused each minute, 1 in 7 men are abused, and 3 million children witness domestic abuse in their homes each year. Silence… while survivors of domestic violence face high rates of depression, sleep disturbances, anxiety, flashbacks, and other emotional distress. Silence… while emotional, financial, digital abuse and control tactics are utilized to make a person feel weak and scared. Sadly, many victims don’t realize the subtle ways someone is controlling them until it’s too late.

We hope you’ll join us during Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October – to rise to the challenge in spreading awareness, educating our youth, protecting others from violence – and empowering all to take a stand against abuse. This October, JFCS will give a voice to those who are in need, as we fortify the public with knowledge and resources on this issue. JFCS will be raising awareness during Shabbat services at area synagogues, sharing information on domestic violence, support services, and ways that the community can get involved. If your organization, synagogue, school, or church would like to invite JFCS to make a Project SARAH presentation, please call 856-424-1333. And, if you, or someone you know needs our domestic abuse services, please call and ask for SARAH. We are here to help the community and those affected by violence and provide a sense of safety, love and compassion to those entangled in domestic abuse.

JFCS took to the streets during the Month of October, giving speeches and information out to local synagogues, churches and area organizations. We know we’re not done yet – but we won’t stop until the cycle of violence is ended for good.

*name has been changed to protect confidentiality

Project S.A.R.A.H. Helps Domestic Abuse Victims in South Jersey

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It was a night, just like all other nights. Leslie* did her homework, played with her brother, and watched her favorite show. She got dressed for bed, and dreamed little girl dreams. Then, at about 3 AM, she awoke to what she thought was just a loud, scary movie that someone had left on in the family room downstairs. She sat up in the darkness, trying to make sense of what she was hearing.

Leslie realized that it wasn’t some horror flick, made-up by Hollywood directors and masked evil. It was real. The screams were coming from inside the house, but they were coming from her mother. The terrifying part was the antagonist wasn’t a green, two-headed monster; it was her stepfather.

Leslie was only eight years old.

Leslie was frozen in her bed. Do I help mommy? Should I try to save her? She got up enough courage to carefully walk down the hallway to her parents’ room, being cautiously quiet, fearing that she would get her mother in more trouble if she made a noise. Leslie put her tiny hand on the doorknob, only to find that the door was locked, screams and violence just on the other side.

She asked her mom to please come out, to get away, to run. “Just go away – you can’t help me…” was all she heard. And, she listened, as she always did, to her mother. Leslie sat in the hallway, for two more hours, as her mother endured abuse. Finally, when the sun was coming up, her stepfather passed out, and her mother was set free. But the night, and the monster, had already had their way. The damage had been done.

Leslie’s mother suffered a broken jaw, three broken teeth, and bruised eye socket, and two fractured ribs. Leslie, the silent witness, would go on to have severe trust issues, relationship problems with men, and would be in counseling for much of her adult life. Leslie, now almost 40 years old, never stopped reliving that night, and unfortunately the many more that would come throughout her adolescent and teen years. Leslie developed severe panic and anxiety, from the helplessness and violence she experienced.

I’d like to tell you this is a story of fiction. However, it is not. I’d like to tell you that it is “just the way things were 30 years ago” and that it doesn’t happen anymore. Sadly, that’s not true either. Yes, some people are better at hiding those bruises, those cuts, those horror stories behind bedroom doors, those feelings of helplessness – but the masquerade is only a flimsy cover of the truth. Domestic violence happens. And, it happens to more people than you may think. It happens in all faiths, to men and women, in every social status and financial circumstance. Domestic abuse cares not about who you are, and domestic abuse thrives when fed silence.

The problem with silence is that it perpetuates the violence. Saying nothing and doing nothing, results in nothing. Not just for the victim who will suffer physically, but just as in Leslie’s case, for the bystander – for that child in second grade who didn’t ask to be a witness or a protector or a mediator. If you are being abused, or know someone who is, there is help. You don’t have to let an instance, or even years of violence, define who you are.

The Facts:
• Domestic abuse cuts across all racial, religious, socioeconomic, and gender lines
• Every 9 seconds a woman is assaulted by a boyfriend or husband
• As many as 75% of children who see their fathers battering their mothers have behavioral problems
• The rate of partner abuse is 1000% higher for men who observed domestic violence in their childhood than for men who came from families without violence

If you need help, please call 856-424-1333, and ask for Sarah. S.A.R.A.H., a long-standing anti-domestic abuse program by JFCS, can help you out of the darkness and bring light and love.

While it’s true that October is domestic violence awareness month, awareness should be every month. No one deserves to be abused. And, everyone deserves to live without fear of those they trust…

* name has been changed