On Thursday, students and faculty welcomed MetCouncil Family Violence and Social Services staff and clients to our school. This semester, the schoolís Hesed Semester Cause is domestic violence awareness and prevention, a topic generally not discussed in the school. While researching the topic and thinking about ways to educate our community, 10th Grade Hesed Representative Lily Applbaum found an article about a Jewish survivor of domestic abuse, who found help through MetCouncil services. Vaíadat Hesed reached out to MetCouncil and put yesterdayís program together. Students heard from Jen, a former MetCouncil client and domestic abuse survivor, about the patterns of domestic abuse and the many challenges she faced before ultimately leaving her partner and testifying against him in court.
Director of Met Council's Family Violence Department Shana Frydman then led an informative and interactive session about identifying signs of domestic abuse and the many obstacles to finding safety. Shana discussed the specific challenges facing Jewish victims and the many resources MetCouncil provides to women and men in need. Students and faculty learned shocking statistics ñ like the three months before and after a victim tries leaving the abuser is the most dangerous time, and that many victims show no physical signs, but feel isolated and without access to support. Students asked insightful and meaningful questions, such as how victims access MetCouncil resources if their abuser keeps such heavy control, and what we, as students, can do to end domestic violence in our society. We hope that this is just the beginning to our school discussing difficult topics, and work together to end domestic violence.
For more information, visit http://www.metcouncil.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Programs_Family_Violence.
