The date for the big event is Tuesday October 25th from 5 to 8 PM at the Kingsford High School.  Price is $6 with children 5 and under free.  You won’t be sorry you attended.  On a serious note, the grants Caring House has been receiving have been cut dramatically.  Fundraisers and donations from people and businesses in the area may be what keeps the shelter from being closed.  Please help if you can.

But that’s not all.  If your partner calls you awful names, threatens you, humiliates you in public, or continually criticizes you, then that is abuse.  If your partner throws things at you, forces to do anything sexual that you don’t want to, won’t let you get proper medical care, destroys your property or won’t let you seek work, that’s abuse.  If your partner controls you financially, isolates you from people who are important to you, locks you out of or in your house, follows and spies on you, that’s abuse.

All abuse leaves scars, sometimes physical, sometimes mental and sometimes both.  All abuse forces you to live in fear.  

We at Caring House are not here to make you leave your partner.  We are here to give you tools to use in your life to help you make the decisions that are right for you, not for us, and not for your friends.  Our services are free and confidential.  If you just want to talk, we are here.  Give us a call.

   EVENTS THIS MONTH:

   MONDAY OCTOBER 18TH:   

   BREAK THE SILENCE, STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE                                                                                                                                              

  We have arranged an event at noon on October 18th, 2010.  A procession composed of law enforcement department vehicles and concerned citizens vehicles will leave the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department led by a Sheriff ‘s department vehicle.  The procession will end at Caring House.  Lights will be flashing, horns will be blaring and hopefully church bells will be ringing.  We ask you to join us in the procession if you would like and even if you are not able to do that,  please blast those horns at noon.  Make some noise to show your support of an end to domestic violence in our community.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 28, 2010  

 CELEBRITY WAITERS DINNER & SILENT AUCTION

 Come and join us for a yummy spaghetti dinner with all the trimmings.  It will be from 5 PM to 8PM at the Kingsford High School Cafeteria.  Adults $5.00, ages 5-12 $3.00,  under 5 free.  This will be a fun family night.  There will be door prizes, raffles, a 50/50 raffle, a children’s poster contest.    Some of the Silent Auction items include hotel stays, tools, jewelry, and gift certificates.  Come as you are or dress up in your most amazing Halloween costume.  Let our “celebrities” entertain you  with their quick wit, amazing voices and smooth moves as they compete to earn your tips.

IF YOU ARE BEING

ABUSED, YOU MIGHT…

➤ Believe it’s your fault.

➤ Feel angry, sad, lonely, depressed, or confused.

➤ Feel helpless to stop the abuse.

➤ Feel threatened, humiliated, or ashamed.

➤ Feel anxious, trapped, or lonely.

➤ Worry about what might happen next.

➤ Feel like you can’t talk to family or friends.

➤ Be afraid of getting hurt.

➤ Feel protective of your boyfriend or girlfriend.

➤ Feel bad about yourself because the abuser says

you are stupid, lazy, ugly, worthless, helpless, crazy,

or things like that.

These are normal reactions

to being abused.

You are not alone.

IF SOMEONE YOU

KNOW IS BEING ABUSED,

YOU CAN HELP

➤ Listen. Show support. Don’t blame the victim for

the crime. Tell your friend that you’re worried about

them. Ask how you can help.

➤ Encourage your friend to seek help; give them

information about victim service providers.

➤ Avoid confronting the abuser. It could be dangerous.

➤ Instead of deciding what’s best for your friend,

help your friend make their own decisions.

➤ Find someone you can talk to about your feelings

about the situation.

• An average 233,986 Americans age 12 and older are sexually assaulted each year.
•  Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.

Who Are the Victims:

 Gender:

•  1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.
• Among all victims, about nine out of ten are female.
•  1 out of every 33 American men has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in his lifetime.
•   About 10% of all victims are male.

   Age:

• Age of sexual assault victims: 15% are under age 12.
• 29% are age 12-17 o
• 44% are under age 18 o 80% are under age 30
•  Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years
•  Girls ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of sexual assault.

 Race:  Estimated persons raped in lifetime by gender and race:

 Women 

• 17.7% of white women
• 18.8% of African-American women
•  6.8% of Asian / Pacific Islander women
•  34.1% of American Indian / Alaskan Native women
•  24.4% mixed race women
•  14.6% of Hispanic women

Men

•  2.8% of white men
•  3.3% of African-American men
•  4.4% of mixed race men
•  The sample size was too small to estimate for Asian/ Pacific Islander and American Indian / Alaskan Native men

Effects of Rape:

 Physical Injuries:

• occur in 100% of completed rapes
• occur in  39% of attempted rapes
• 17% sexual assaults against females result in injured victims
• 33% of victims sustain minor (bruises and chipped teeth) physical injuries
• 5% of victims sustain major (broken bones and gunshot wounds) injuries
• 61% of victims sustain undetermined injuries
•  Only around 36% of injured victims receive medical care.

 Mental Health Victims of sexual assault are:

•  3 times more likely to suffer from depression.
•  6 times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
• 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol.
•  26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
•  4 times more likely to contemplate suicide.

Economic:

• About 1 in 11 sexual assault victims reported that they suffered some economic loss as a consequence of the crime.
• The average economic loss (in 1997) was about $200
• Nearly 7% of victims reported losing time from work.

Caring House has a sexual assault advocate who wants to assist anyone who has experienced  sexual assault.

Amongst the small garden patio made of bricks are memorial bricks honoring contributors, family members, friends, etc.  If you are interested in purchasing a brick to show your support to victims or if you would like to purchase a brick in memory of someone, please talk to a Caring House staff person.

• October Cross Dedication at the Midtown Mall
• October 14th Ceremony & Cross Dedication at Iron County Courthouse
• October 20th from 11 AM to 1:30 PM Luncheon and Cross Dedication at Caring House.  Ceremony will start at 12:15.  Join us to learn about the activities of Caring House.  During the ceremony, hear the voices of survivors of domestic violence as well as presentations from community dignitaries. There is no cost for the luncheon.
• October 29th Caring House will be having it’s annual Celebrity Waiter’s Dinner and Silent Auction.  This will be held at the Kingsford High School Gym from 5 to 8 PM.  It will be a spaghetti dinner with the cost at $5 per adult, $3 children 6-12, and children under 6 free. Come join us for an evening of great food, fun, and prizes.  Some of the auction & raffle items include hotel stays, Packer autographed football, Lions autographed football, camp stove, bird feeder, jewelry and so much more.

Physical, verbal, or emotional-domestic violence is all about power and control.

If you would like a copy of the Power & Control wheel, please stop by Caring House and we would be happy to give you one.

Our child/teen advocate, Tara, is busy working with youth and we are so happy she is with us.  She’s brought a new and fresh perspective to the position.   Even if you aren’t sure about your child coming in to see her, you are welcome to bring your concerns to her.  Call 906-774-1337.