Save The Date: It's Time to Talk Day 2014

More information to come!  In the meantime, visit www.itstimetotalkday.org. And get ready to "take a moment to talk" about dating abuse.

It's Time to Talk: See Something - Say Something - Get Involved

Have you ever watched John Quinones and ABC’s What Would You Do? 

If you haven’t,  it is a show where people are put in situations they think are real (but they are staged) and the show is watching to see “what they would do” when they think they see a child being abused, a bike being stolen, and pregnant woman drinking alcohol, etc.  You often see the very best in people when they step forward and “say something” and get involved in situations involving complete strangers because they believe it is not right to “just stand by.”
 
On October 2, Central Illinois will "take a moment to talk" about domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and elder abuse. The community will talk together about the fact that "trauma lasts a lifetime" and that there are impacts of trauma across the lifespan – including witnessing abuse as a child.
 
The community will emphasize the importance of bystander involvement and highlight the effects of trauma over a lifetime –including the impacts mentally, physically, socially of unaddressed trauma and the costs to community. The community will also include outreach to those who have not addressed trauma in the past to reach out for help.

 
We believe the community can make a difference.

We were thinking about John Quinones and “What Would You Do” and those involved came up with the idea:

 “It’s Time to Talk: See Something – Say Something – Get Involved”

 By the way, we tweeted our idea to Mr. Quinones and he gave us a “thumbs up” :-)

Events during the day include a conference on Trauma- informed care.  Trauma does not always evidence itself as we might imagine.  This conference will examine the unique needs of trauma survivors with a focus on education and training for professionals who provide care to this special population.  Conference participants will gain a greater understanding of the many facets of trauma through:

• a greater awareness of the causes of trauma
• recognizing the impact on the brain
• examining the physical, emotional and psychological impact
• exploration of the role of trauma in addiction

 (If you live in the Central Illinois area, and are interested, conference information is available at http://traumainformed-eorg.eventbrite.com. )

We’ll also be wearing purple as part of an initiative through a local community (the Town of Normal) and its police department. 

 We’ll have a lunch event for downtown business people/parents sponsored by our local Soroptimists:

We’ll even have “Care Crows” being decorated at a local pumpkin farm so families and children can learn about healthy relationships.

 

 

 

We also have resolutions from our local units of government and universities proclaiming October 2 as “It’s Time to Talk Day” and October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Here’s an example:

 

 

It is never easy to open doors to talk about these issues – but we think that the idea of “What Would You Do?” is a pretty good place to start. 

We hope wherever you are on October 2, you will join us in taking a moment to talk – and getting involved. 

 

To learn more, visit https://www.facebook.com/CorporateAlliancetoEndPartnerViolence/events#!/CorporateAlliancetoEndPartnerViolence/events

LIZ CLAIBORNE’S 8th ANNUAL “IT’S TIME TO TALK DAY” TAKES PLACE DECEMBER 8, 2011

What are you doing on December 8, 2011?  Around here at CAEPV – and across the country – people are “taking a moment to talk.”

CAEPV Member Liz Claiborne Inc. and it’s partners have been joining forces for It's Time to Talk Day annually (for eight years now) as a way to encourage greater public dialogue about domestic violence. The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is proud to be one of those partners.

Around the country, talk radio, government officials, domestic violence advocates, businesses, schools and the public-at-large take a moment - or more - to talk openly about an issue that affects nearly one in three women at some point in their lifetime. In fact, millions of talk radio listeners around the country were reached with the message since the inception of It’s Time to Talk Day in 2004.

 Liz Claiborne is continuing their very successful partnership with Talk Radio News Service by sponsoring their annual “Talk Radio Row on Domestic Violence” at Liz Claiborne Inc. headquarters in New York City.  Leading national and local talk radio hosts will be conducting back-to-back interviews with guests on various domestic violence issues throughout the entire day. 

This year’s participants include Alan Colmes of Fox News Radio; Dr. Joy Browne of WOR Radio Network; Mark Riley of WWRL, New York; Curtis Sliwa of WNYM (The Apple), New York; Roberta Facinelli of “Doug Stephan’s Good Day;” John Fugelsang of “The Stephanie Miller Show;” Kevin McCullough of “The Kevin McCullough Show” and “Baldwin/McCullough;” Maria Bailey of “Mom Talk Radio;” Gary Baumgarten of Paltalk; Lionel of WPIX-TV, New York Channel 11 and LionelMedia.com; Barry Farber of Talk Radio Network and CRN Digital Talk Radio; Lisa Wexler of “The Lisa Wexler Show;” Ken Pittman of WBSM, New Bedford, MA/Providence, RI; Dr. Renee Kohanski of PodJockey; Dan Patterson of KoPoint and Ellen Ratner and Geoff Holtzman of Talk Radio News Service who will be broadcasting throughout the day to several hundred of the news service’s affiliates.

Joining the lineup this year will be representatives of college talk radio with WRHU, Hempstead of Hofstra University; WLIU, Brooklyn of Long Island University and WNEK, Springfield, MA of Western New England University in attendance. Included among those who will be taking live and recorded feeds from the event are Thom Hartmann of “The Thom Hartmann Show;” Dom Giordano of WPHT, Philadelphia; and Carole Marks of “A Touch of Grey” with several more to be announced.

TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison states, “‘It’s Time to Talk Day’ is certainly one of our most important annual events. It raises consciousness about a societal problem that impacts a frighteningly large segment of the population and it cuts across all gender, ethnic and demographic boundaries. There isn’t a spoken-word format that doesn’t find the topic of domestic violence applicable to its audience and extremely compelling. Most importantly, we get feedback each year that this radio row, upon reaching millions of talk radio listeners, really does make a huge difference in the lives of real people. It doesn’t get better than that. We are grateful to Liz Claiborne, Inc. for their public-mindedness in supporting such a valuable project.” Talkers.com will provide full coverage of the event.

You can make a difference by hosting an "It's Time to Talk Day" event in your community. For the past several years cities and organizations from around the country held various programs to raise awareness of the issue. Programs and events have ranged from big, organized efforts such as press conferences, walks and vigils, to creative projects such as plays, and lastly educational efforts were made to devote this day to teaching the curriculum at local schools. For event ideas for your community, click here.

We are proud to be part of this effort as ask you to “take a moment to talk” on December 8.  As our electronic billboards say,  perhaps you can start the conversation with co-workers, chat over coffee with friends, talk with your family over dinner, or simply talk with your children about healthy relationships.

Not sure where to start?  Liz Claiborne has great tips in their downloadable booklets on their Love Is Not Abuse website.  You can check them out here.

Join us in taking a moment to talk on December 8.  You may change – or save – a life.

It's Time to Talk: (un)Healthy Relationships. (un)Recognized.

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, Radio Bloomington and other community organizations throughout Central Illinois are co-sponsoring "It's Time to Talk Day" to bring awareness to the important issue of domestic violence. This year's theme is: "It's Time to Talk: (un)Healthy Relationships. (un)Recognized."

Events focus on the truth that anyone of any background can find herself or himself in an (un)healthy relationship and it is important that we recognize what an (un)healthy relationship looks like. Statistics show that domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and elder abuse occur in every demographic.

Local CAEPV members and community partners will participate in "It's Time to Talk Day" in the following ways:

·         Local governments, universities, colleges and workplaces will issue proclamations of "It's Time to Talk Day" and encourage citizens to take a moment to talk about domestic violence.

·         A news conference to announce "It's Time to Talk Day" will be held at 12:00 Noon October 4 at Second Presbyterian Church in Downtown Bloomington, Illinois.

·         The 11th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council presents "It's Time to Talk: Compassion Fatigue. (un)Recognized." at Second Presbyterian Church in Downtown Bloomington.

·         The Town of Normal is asking employees and citizens to be a part of the second annual "Purple Tie Initiative" and wear a purple tie (or any item of purple clothing) to support victims and survivors of domestic violence in our community and to raise awareness that domestic violence is "everybody's business."

·         Soroptimist of Bloomington-Normal is hosting a Lunch & Learn training for parents at Lancaster's Fine Dining in Downtown Bloomington.

·         Verizon Wireless Midwest Region and community partners are holding a HopeLine cell phone drive throughout Bloomington-Normal to collect no longer used cell phones, batteries and accessories. The donations will be used to support victims of domestic violence.

Other "It's Time to Talk Day" projects and events include:

·         Distributing educational materials in workplaces

·         Distributing domestic violence awareness brochures to clients

·         Holding seminars for employees

·         Providing information to employees via the Internet and Intranet

·         Writing informational articles for employee newsletters

·         Working with local schools to share the message about safety and wellness

·         Providing Public Service Announcements and radio interviews on Radio Bloomington stations and television interviews on WMBD-TV31 “LIVING WELL” with Meg Marshall

·         AND MORE!

For more information, visit http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=69 or CAEPV’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CorporateAlliancetoEndPartnerViolence .

For information on Liz Claiborne’s National “It’s Time to Talk Day” taking place December 8, 2011, visit the http://loveisnotabuse.com/web/guest/annualevent .

DECEMBER 8 IS 7TH ANNUAL "IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY" - TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is participating in Liz Claiborne Inc’s 7th annual It’s Time to Talk Day, a day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up about a subject that most people simply prefer not to discuss — domestic violence.  On December 8^th Kim Wells will be on “Radio Row” talking about domestic violence at Liz Claiborne headquarters in New York City. For more information visit www.loveisnotabuse.com.

As Liz Claiborne CEO Bill McComb said during the kick off of It's Time to Talk Day at a special screening of "Telling Amy's Story" on December 7, just take a moment to talk to someone about domestic violence/dating violence and share something you've learned.  You could save a life.

Let's talk on December 8 - and keep on talking!

LIZ CLAIBORNE'S "IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY" TAKES PLACE DECEMBER 8, 2010

CAEPV Member Liz Claiborne Inc. and it’s partners have been joining forces for It's Time to Talk Day annually as a way to encourage greater public dialogue about domestic violence. The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence is proud to be one of those partners.

Liz Claiborne Inc. created It’s Time to Talk Day to draw major national attention to the importance of talking about domestic violence, teen dating violence and intimate partner abuse.

This year, they are continuing their very successful partnership with Talk Radio News Service by sponsoring their annual “Talk Radio Row on Domestic Violence” at Liz Claiborne Inc. headquarters in New York City.

Around the country, talk radio, government officials, domestic violence advocates, businesses, schools and the public-at-large take a moment - or more - to talk openly about an issue that affects nearly one in three women at some point in their lifetime. In fact, millions of talk radio listeners around the country were reached with the message since the inception of It’s Time to Talk Day in 2004.

Leading national and local talk radio hosts will once again conduct back-to-back interviews with guests on various domestic violence issues throughout the entire day.

Partners for 2010 include Seventeen, the National Foundation for Women Legislators (NFWL), MTV’s digital abuse campaign “A Thin Line,” Love is Louder, Verizon Foundation and Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation -- joining domestic violence advocates and experts, attorneys general, local, state and federal legislators, celebrities, corporate and government leaders, parents and teens on air to talk about what we can do to end domestic violence and teen dating abuse, how we can get involved in prevention, and how and where victims can get help.

Radio Row will begin at morning drive time, 5 a.m., and will end about 7 p.m. EST. Every hour, a group of different featured guests will be interviewed by the talk radio hosts on the air at that time.

You can make a difference by hosting an It's Time to Talk Day event in your community. For the past several years cities and organizations from around the country held various programs to raise awareness of the issue. Programs and events have ranged from big, organized efforts such as press conferences, walks and vigils, to creative projects such as plays, and lastly educational efforts were made to devote this day to teaching the curriculum at local schools. For event ideas for your community, click here.

It's Time to Talk in Central Illinois on October 5 - Log On, Look Up, Speak Out

Did you know that 1 in 5 relationships now start online? 

On Tuesday, October 5, 2010, the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, Radio Bloomington and other community organizations throughout Central Illinois are co-sponsoring "It's Time to Talk Day" to bring awareness to the important issue of domestic violence. This year the theme is "It's Time to Talk: Dating Safety & Technology - Log On, Look Up, Speak Out."

Event topics will focus on the role technology now has in our dating relationships--for tweens and adults--including staying safe online, sexting, cyberstalking, and the legal issues surrounding these topics.

Local CAEPV members and community partners will participate in "It's Time to Talk Day" in the following ways:

Local governments, universities & colleges will issue proclamations of "It's Time to Talk Day" and encourage citizens to take a moment to talk about healthy and unhealthy relationships. 

A news conference to announce "It's Time to Talk Day" will be held at 8:00AM on October 5 at Young Main Lounge in Illinois Wesleyan University's Memorial Center. 

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence and the 11th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council are co-sponsoring a FREE conference at Young Main Lounge in Illinois Wesleyan University's Memorial Center. This conference, "Dating Safety & Technology - Log On, Look Up, Speak Out" will look at how various technologies play a role in our dating relationships--and what we can do to stay safe and keep our relationships healthy. 

Soroptimist of Bloomington-Normal is hosting a Lunch & Learn "I'm Your Mother, Not Your Friend....Except on Facebook" for parents at Lancaster's Fine Dining in Downtown Bloomington. 

Other "It's Time to Talk Day" projects and events include:

•  Distributing educational materials in workplaces
•  Distributing domestic violence awareness brochures to clients
• Holding seminars for employees
• Providing information to employees via the Internet and Intranet
• Writing informational articles for employee newsletters
•  Working with local schools to share the message about safety and wellness
• Providing Public Service Announcements and radio interviews on Radio Bloomington stations
• Viral text and Facebook messages promoting respectful texting
• Electronic billboard messages
•  AND MORE!

 You can learn more by clicking here.   

"It's Time to Talk Day" - December 3, 2009

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (CAEPV) is participating in Liz Claiborne Inc.’s sixth annual It’s Time to Talk Day -- a day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up about a subject that most people simply prefer not to discuss — domestic violence. We are proud to have been involved in this event since the beginning!

It’s Time to Talk Day events will be held nationwide, including at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC with Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

CAEPV will be participating in a “Talk Radio Row” on domestic violence at Liz Claiborne headquarters in New York. Major partners for this year’s event include The Department of Justice, CBS Evening News, REDBOOK, Seventeen, DoSomething.org, one, MTV, the Joyful Heart Foundation, Talkers Magazine and Talk Radio News Service. For more information visit http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/.

And don't forget to take a moment to talk in your life!

December 3rd Marks Liz Claiborne Inc. 6th Annual National "It's Time to Talk Day"

Thursday, December 3, 2009 marks Liz Claiborne Inc.’s sixth annual It’s Time to Talk Day, a day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up about a subject that most people simply prefer not to discuss — domestic violence.

This year Liz Claiborne Inc. continues their very successful partnership with Talk Radio News Service by sponsoring their annual Domestic Violence Talk Radio Row at Liz Claiborne headquarters in New York City. Leading national and local talk radio hosts will once again conduct back-to-back interviews with guests on various domestic violence issues throughout the entire day.

CAEPV has been proud to be involved in It’s Time to Talk Day since its inception and looks forward to participating this year. It’s Time to Talk Day events will be held nationwide, including at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC with Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

I will be participating in a “Talk Radio Row” on domestic violence at Liz Claiborne headquarters in New York. Major partners for this year’s event include The Department of Justice, CBS Evening News, REDBOOK, Seventeen, DoSomething.org, one, MTV, the Joyful Heart Foundation, Talkers Magazine and Talk Radio News Service.

For more information visit http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/

(And don't forget to "take a moment to talk" in your life!)

October 6 - A Time to Talk About Domestic Violence in Central Illinois

October 6th has been designated as “It’s Time to Talk Day” throughout Central Illinois. Thanks to our CAEPV members located in this area for their partnership with local agencies and organizations involved in this effort! It is amazing!

Wouldn’t it be great to have a single day where we turn to one another and actually talk about an issue that you may not realize is more common than breast cancer? An issue that by its nature makes people uncomfortable -- domestic violence.

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, in partnership with 28 other local organizations and Liz Claiborne Inc., has designated October 6, 2009, as “It’s Time to Talk Day” in Central Illinois, hoping to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault and get people talking about these pervasive social issues.

This year’s theme for “It’s Time to Talk Day” is Healthy Children, Healthy Families— highlighting the impact of domestic violence on children throughout the lifespan. Participating community organizations hope to educate the community about the impact of domestic violence on children – not just as victims but as witnesses – and how this affects them through their lives. In addition, solutions will be discussed to help the community understand what local resources are available for victims, survivors and their families.

Among the highlighted events happening throughout “It’s Time to Talk Day” is a free conference featuring experts discussing the impact of domestic violence through the different stages of the lifespan. The conference, “It’s Not Child’s Play: Trauma Lasts A Lifetime” will be held at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Memorial Center on October 6.

Honorable Paul Lawrence, Associate Judge and Chair of the 11th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council said, “This conference, along with all of the day’s events, are important to help educate the community in understanding the life-long impact of domestic violence on our community. If we can stop it early, we can make a difference.”

McLean County State’s Attorney Bill Yoder said “The devastating and long lasting impact of domestic violence on the smallest members of our community cannot be overstated or ignored. The more we do to help now, the more we take a step toward healthier children, healthier families and a healthier violence free community.”

Verizon will conduct a HopeLine drive for no longer used cell phones during “It’s Time to Talk Day.” HopeLine is Verizon Wireless’ signature program which turns no longer used wireless phones into support for victims of domestic violence. The collected phones are either refurbished or sold, with the proceeds used to purchase newer wireless phones for domestic violence victims and to support domestic violence shelters and organizations.

“The phones donated to HopeLine do more than just provide emergency communications,” said Kim Wells, Executive Director of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. “The phones give victims the courage to venture beyond the safety of their homes, to go to work, or to go shopping and take their children to school, knowing that, if they are threatened, help is just a phone call away.”

You can make a difference on October 6! Talk to someone in your life about the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. If you are not sure how to get the conversation started please see Liz Claiborne’s educational handbooks, which are designed to give you practical and easy advice on ways to begin to talk about the issue. The handbooks are available at http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/.

For a complete list of events, visit: http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=45

It's Time To Talk Day - December 2, 2008

Liz Claiborne Inc. and its partners (the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, loveisrespect.org, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Redbook magazine, and Seventeen magazine) join forces for It's Time to Talk Day on December 2, 2008 as a way to encourage greater public dialogue about domestic violence.

Around the country, talk radio, government officials, domestic violence advocates, businesses, schools and the public-at-large will take a moment - or more - to talk openly about an issue that affects nearly one in three women at some point in their lifetime. In fact, millions of talk radio listeners around the country were reached with the message since the inception of It’s Time To Talk Day in 2004.

Take a moment to talk about domestic violence:

- At work, ask your employer to address this issue and help employees who are in need by putting domestic violence hotline numbers in common spaces (i.e. lunch rooms, bathrooms, bulletin boards).

- Ask at your local school to see if the issue of dating violence is being addressed and urge them to adopt the Love Is Not Abuse curriculum to prevent teen dating violence.

- Contact your local domestic violence organization to find out what they need – beyond money, they might need household goods, toys, cloths and other things you might be able to provide.

Click here for more ideas on how you can get involved.

A Day of Heroes

I met a lot of heroes yesterday.

One of them is a survivor. She left her batterer before he killed her. She just bought her first house. She is making a new, good life for her children. She is speaking out – even though it is hard – because she believes that the more you speak out, the more you heal. And she wants to help someone else know they can make it, too. Because she did.

One of them was a 911 dispatch officer. He takes domestic violence and sexual assault calls on a regular basis. But never becomes jaded. And is always worried about what happens to the people afterwards.

One of them is a police detective who investigates child abuse. He makes sure everyone knows that the most important thing is not what the police need or what the state’s attorney needs or what child protective services needs. . . but what the child needs. Someone asked him how he copes with his job. . .he said he cannot watch the “child drama” movies on t.v.

One of them was a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Nurse. She was so compassionate and kind and passionate in her presentation, and so wonderful in explaining to people who have never considered a rape kit – or what happens when a victim of sexual assault comes into the hospital. She cares deeply for the hurting women that she helps. She tells every woman who comes into the ER to see her how incredibly brave she is.

One of them is an assistant state’s attorney. She often has to prosecute domestic violence cases when a victim does not want her to. But she understands why. . .who would want to testify against someone sitting 10 feet away from you who has just beaten you up . . .and can do it again? She did a wonderful job explaining this to people during a “mock trial” – a trial with a jury pulled from the audience so people could see what happens in a real case . . . and why domestic violence cases can be so hard.

One of them is a survivor. At the end of the day, she read a beautiful poem in honor of a woman in our community who was recently killed in a domestic violence situation. Her poem was amazing. . . and so was she.

I met many more heroes yesterday – men and women from all over Central Illinois doing amazing things to help families know that “Once You Phone, You’re Not Alone.” People in the media who took time to do stories, to be there, to help, to make a difference. People in organizations who spent hours making this possible. And people who just cared.

And at the end of it all I know this. I know there are people who will no longer feel alone as a result of something they heard or saw yesterday – all because of these heroes.

To see more about yesterday, visit http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=39

October 15 - A Time to Talk About Domestic Violence in Central Illinois

October 15 has been designated as “It’s Time to Talk Day” throughout Central Illinois. Thanks to our CAEPV members located in this area for their partnership with local agencies and organizations involved in this effort! It is amazing!

Wouldn’t it be great to have a single day where we turn to one another and actually talk about two issues that you may not realize are more common than breast cancer? These issues, by their nature, make people uncomfortable – domestic violence and SEXUAL ASSAULT.

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, in partnership with 30 other local organizations and Liz Claiborne Inc., as designated October 15, 2008, as “It’s Time to Talk Day” in Central Illinois, hoping to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault and get people talking about these pervasive social issues.

This year’s theme for “It’s Time to Talk Day” is Once You Phone, You’re Not Alone—encouraging individuals and families impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault to pick up the phone and reach out for assistance. Participating community organizations hope to educate the community on local resources available for victims, survivors and their families while also removing questions about what happens after a call to 911, a crisis hotline or a report to the hospital following abuse.

Among the highlighted events happening throughout “It’s Time to Talk Day” is a free conference featuring experts discussing the impact of domestic violence and sexual assault on individuals at different stages of the lifespan. The conference, “Once You Phone, You’re Not Alone: Reporting and Responding to Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault” will be held at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Memorial Center on October 15 and will introduce attendees to local first responders.

McLean County State’s Attorney Bill Yoder said “This conference along with all of the day’s events are important to help educate the community in understanding the working relationships among emergency responders, the police, prosecutors, and community agencies who work together to assist victims of domestic abuse in our community at the most vulnerable time in their lives. When a victim phones, we all work together to ensure she is not alone.”

The McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office is hosting “People vs. Perry – A Mock Trial” at the McLean County Museum of History in Downtown Bloomington at 6:00PM on October 15. This event, also free and open to the public, illustrates a case of domestic violence and sexual assault. Immediately following the mock trial, Mid Central Community Action’s Countering Domestic Violence Program will hold a candlelight vigil to remember victims and honor survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Verizon will conduct a HopeLine drive for no longer used cell phones during the week of October 13 through October 17, donating an additional $3 for each phone collected during that period. HopeLine is Verizon Wireless’ signature program which turns no longer used wireless phones into support for victims of domestic violence. The collected phones are either refurbished or sold, with the proceeds used to purchase newer wireless phones for domestic violence victims and to support domestic violence shelters and organizations.

“The phones donated to HopeLine do more than just provide emergency communications,” said Kim Wells, Executive Director of the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. “The phones give victims the courage to venture beyond the safety of their homes, to go to work, or to go shopping and take their children to school, knowing that, if they are threatened, help is just a phone call away.” Collection bins will be situated at the following locations:

· Heartland Community College
· Illinois State University (Bone Student Center – Leadership & Service Office and University Program Board Office; Minority Student Academic Center; Student Counseling Services; Diversity Advocacy Office)
· Illinois State University Police Department
· Lincoln College - Normal
· Radio Bloomington
· State Farm Insurance Companies (Corporate Headquarters Atrium; Corporate South H-1 Atrium,; Corporate South P-1 Lobby)
· Town of Normal Police Department
· YWCA McLean County
· Illinois Wesleyan University Memorial Center’s Young Main Lounge (on October 15th only)
· McLean County Museum of History (On October 15 only)

Working together, our community can assure that on this day, everyone will be taking a moment to talk about the fact that 25 percent of women and eleven percent of men in the United States will be abused by someone they love in their lifetime.

You can make a difference on October 15! Talk to someone in your life about the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships. If you are not sure how to get the conversation started please see Liz Claiborne’s educational handbooks, which are designed to give you practical and easy advice on ways to begin to talk about the issue. The handbooks are available at http://www.loveisnotabuse.com/.

For a complete list of events, visit: http://www.caepv.org/about/program_detail.php?refID=39

Verizon Wireless Trains Almost 3,000 Managers Using SafeWork Certified Training Model

This is really cool! Since CAEPV Member Verizon Wireless implemented the SafeWork Certified Trainer model, 2,927 managers throughout the country have been trained at 181 trainings! Trainings were completed by the end of April for managers at Verizon Wireless’ 26 call centers across the country. Now Verizon Wireless will roll out the trainings to retail managers in 19 regions beginning at a conference this July.

Our partner Safe Horizon and CAEPV premiered this SafeWork training program during It’s Time to Talk Day in 2007. This “train the trainer” model is designed to create SafeWork Certified Trainers in partnering companies, including executives and senior HR staff who have completed a comprehensive curriculum customized to their company’s policies and procedures.

Just imagine the difference it can make for employees when a manager is trained to really recognize what is going on in the workplace and how to help in a compassionate, caring and professional way without compromising a person's privacy. And imagine getting that person to the resources needed quickly and efficiently. That is always important -- but vitally so in cases of domestic violence.

Note: Verizon Wireless is the first company to implement the SafeWork Certified Trainer program created by CAEPV Member Safe Horizon in partnership with the Corporate Alliance. If you are interested in learning more about this training, contact Melissa Madzel at mmadzel@safehorizon.org.

The Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, Liz Claiborne, and Safe Horizon Release Results of CEO and Employee Survey on Domestic Violence

On “It’s Time to Talk Day,” the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence, Liz Claiborne Inc., and Safe Horizon unveiled key findings from two new parallel research studies entitled “Corporate Leaders and America’s Workforce on Domestic Violence,” as part of a CEO Roundtable and Media Briefing. The first measures business leaders' attitudes toward domestic violence, benchmarking the results against those of prior studies conducted by Liz Claiborne in 1994 and 2002. The second survey benchmarks the Corporate Alliance 2005 survey of employee attitudes toward the issue. A complete executive summary is available, but a few key findings include:

1) Increasing numbers of CEO's realize domestic violence impacts the bottom line, but differ significantly with employees on the business role in addressing domestic violence
CEO's underestimate numbers of victims in their own companies: on average, CEO's believe only 6% of their full time employees are victims; this is in sharp contrast to reality --

2) More than 1 in 4 women (26%) in the workplace admit to being a victim and 1 in 4 (24%) know a coworker who is a victim.

3) 90% of employees think companies representatives should be trained in recognizing the warning signs of domestic violence

What does this mean? Clearly employees see domestic violence impacting the workplace 'on the ground' and CEOs are in a different position. It is clear that employees want and need the kind of training offered by SafeWork -- a program launched by Safe Horizon in partnership with the Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence. For an overview of the new surveys, click here on the CAEPV website.

I think that it is not that top executives don't care -- they just don't SEE it the way that managers and co-workers do on a day to day basis. And CEOs also said overwhelmingly that if their employees asked them for these kinds of programs, they would implement them.

It will be interesting to see what happens as the information in these two surveys starts to be more widely disseminated.

It's Time to Talk Day, SafeWork, and Stories

Next Tuesday is the fourth annual It’s Time to Talk Day – a day for people throughout the US to talk about domestic violence. In Central Illinois, we have 23 organizations – businesses, the media, community agencies, units of government, universities, law enforcement, the judiciary, service organizations, student groups – all coming together to do all sorts of really cool things to draw attention to domestic violence.

In New York, we will be celebrating the “Day” by kicking off the National Launch of SafeWork 2010 – a challenge to CEOs across the country to get 200 of them to sign a pledge to address domestic violence proactively within their workplaces by 2010. We are doing this in conjunction with our members Safe Horizon. CEOs that have already signed on include Tom Wilson from Allstate, Andrea Jung from Avon, Bill McComb from Liz Claiborne, Andrea Wong from Lifetime Entertainment Services, David Holl from Mary Kay Inc., Andrew R. Urban from Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo P.C., Dr. Robert Pearl from Kaiser Permanente, Emanuel Chirico from Phillips-Van Heusen and David Eslick from USI Holdings. That is a great start!

Here is what we have going on:

CEO Roundtable and Media Briefing
Q&A Session with CEO Panel and questions from the media, including screening of (Un)Safe film and launch of SafeWork 2010
CAEPV, Liz Claiborne, and Safe Horizon will release results of new surveys about the impact of domestic violence in the workplace in conjunction with the launch of SafeWork 2010

SafeWork Education and Training Event
Facilitated training and discussion regarding the impact of domestic violence on the workplace, using (Un)Safe film

(Un)Safe Film premiere
Screening of (Un)Safe at the Museum of Modern Art.
VIP Reception and Cocktail party hosted by Mariska Hargitay, Safe Horizon Board Member and star of NBC’s Law & Order: SVU

It is going to be a great day – but domestic violence is always closer than you think.

I was at an event two days ago talking with two professional gentlemen from Verizon. They were there because their company has a long-term commitment to this issue. However, it was not long before both of them were sharing their stories about domestic violence -- friends they knew who they thought were nice guys but who turned out to be abusive. A family member who was abusive and so they were raised a different way. It was just so close to them.

If you "take a moment" to look around, to learn, and to listen, you may find out that domestic violence is closer than you think. And if you do, I hope you will take the time to ask if someone is safe, and to let them know you care.

What Are You Doing For Domestic Violence Awareness Month? (Or -- Where Is All The Purple?)

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I realize it is also a month to recognize a lot of other really important health and other issues -- most notably breast cancer.

But while you see a lot of "pink" around, do you see a lot of "purple"? (Purple is the color that represents domestic violence awareness like pink represents breast cancer awareness.) I have seen pink mixers, pink bras, pink baseball bats, pink shoes. . . you name it.

But why not purple? I have some guesses.

A long time ago, no one talked about breast cancer -- they kept it a secret, and somehow it was a "shame" and was their fault. But that has changed, and we no longer blame breast cancer victims. We call them survivors.

Now -- with domestic violence, we are not exactly there. We are uncomfortable with it because we are not really sure what "causes" it, whose "fault" it is, what we should do about it, or how to even say something to someone. I don't know all the reasons. I just know this -- it is highly uncomfortable for us.

But put all that aside for a moment. I think we can all agree that the one place everyone should be safe and secure is in their own homes where they should feel loved and cherished. And I think we can all learn a bit about how to be healthier in our own relationships (which is also a source of discomfort for us, I think) and also learn how to recognize if someone is in a relationship that is perhaps not as healthy or safe as it could be.

I am not sure it "matters" that I "get" everything about someone else's relationship-- I am really clear that no one deserves to be hit. Or slapped. Or to have things thrown at them. Or to be intimidated. Or for their children to be afraid.

Maybe for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it would be good if we could all do what Liz Claiborne is asking people to do for "It's Time to Talk Day" and just learn to talk about this -- not argue about it, not decide if it is a "men's thing" or a "women's thing" but just realize it is a thing that impacts everyone. Don't we want everyone to be better and live safely?

Spread the purple!!!!

How Do You Ask "Are you a victim of domestic violence?"

I was taping a local television spot earlier this week to discuss It’s Time to Talk Day activities in our community and talk about domestic violence and healthy relationships in general. The host of the show asked a very good question -- about the awkwardness of asking someone you care about if they are a victim of domestic violence. He was wondering exactly how you get that conversation started, anyway?

I know I have written about that before in this blog, but because he found our discussion so helpful, I thought I should write about it again.

For me, it really helps to say something like this: "You know I really care about you, and I would rather be wrong than ever have anything bad happen to you. I have noticed lately that you are keeping to yourself more than usual, you seem to be afraid of your partner, you seem to have a lot of injuries which don't make a lot of sense when you explain them, _________________ (whatever the things are you have noticed that you are concerned about). So --because I care, I just need to check in with you and ask you -- are you safe in your relationship?"

I think the "keys" for me are the fact that:

1) I WOULD rather be wrong than have something bad happen to someone I care about. I would rather be embarrassed and say the wrong thing than not say anything.

2) I am asking if the person is safe -- I am not making a judgement about the person they are in a relationship with --


So -- what if my friend says "Are you crazy? I am fine!" I end up saying something like this: "I am so glad you are fine. But if things are ever not fine, I want you to know you can come to me. And I hope that if the situation was reversed and you had concerns for me in my relationship, you would ask me if I was safe because I know you care that much about me."

And -- if you friend ends up saying you are right and he or she is NOT safe? Then offer to help them find the resources in the community that can assist. Do not feel you have to take the burden on yourself -- that is not your job. Support and caring as a friend IS your job-- but helping a person deal with the specifics of a domestic violence relationship (especially if they are choosing to leave) is really best done by those in the field with a lot of experience.

It is also REALLY important to understand there is a difference between being safe and leaving a situation. Sometimes it is not safe to leave. Please do not try to make those decisions for your friend.

You can always call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) for information about services in your area.

If you just read this, thank you. If you ever decide to use what you read, thank you even more.

Kim

SAFEWORK NATIONAL LAUNCH ON IT'S TIME TO TALK DAY

I am really excited about CAEPV Member Safe Horizon's planned national launch of SafeWork, an initiative to help corporate leaders keep their employees safe and protect their bottom line.

We have been a national partners in the SafeWork initiative since 2005, and we will be joining Safe Horizon on September 25th for a day full of exciting events.

The launch corresponds with CAEPV Member Liz Claiborne’s annual It’s Time to Talk Day, and Liz Claiborne, Safe Horizon, CAEPV and other partners are planning activities including a CEO roundtable, a training session and a film premiere.

If you don't know what "It's Time to Talk Day" is all about, it is a day set aside to "take a moment to talk" about an issue that is really pretty hard for people to know how to address -- domestic violence. However, there are lots of ways to "talk" about it -- in terms of healthy relationships and all the areas those matter -- the home, the workplace, the community, our faith communities, our dating relationships, online, etc. By opening the door and just asking people to "take a moment to talk" we hope they can take some small steps toward educating themselves about the issue, or perhaps helping someone else.

If you are interested in learning more, visit the It’s Time to Talk Day page on our Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence (www.caepv.org) website for the latest information.