RAISE AWARENESS OF LIFE LONG EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE on children

Well I’ve been trying this – through contacts met on my course, on placement at a childrens’ centre, online on domestic violence forum, now about to ask if can volunteer at a DV office. Spoken to social workers, support workers etc. We’ll see.

Just recorded CD entry for a charity working to raise awareness of effects of parental alcoholism on kids (& adults). Although not specifically about Domestic Violence I was able to share part of that and although it’s been edited down to a little short piece it’s still worthwhile. 3 others have also recorded some of their experiences and little excerpts are being played on radio stations. The charity’s campaign is to raise awareness by using personal testimonies both on CD and in booklet form. I think the aim is to present these eventually to Tony Blair. It’s a tiny bit but it’s something in the right direction.

Been asked to do some sort of interview for a charity who are trying to raise awareness of the long term effects on children / adults of parental alcohol abuse/misuse.

Although my personal issues are re that with violence it’s something I really want to do, yet I’m scared, cos the subject is so vast I feel I can’t do it justice, and I’m a bit afraid that I’ll miss a great opportunity by going on about some aspects & missing others. Got to try. Have already emailed my MP asking him to support the campaign and had a very nice reply. Who knows, maybe I can give something here. Hope so.

I so want to do this but other than talking about it when the issue comes up what the hell good am I GOING TO DO?? (Caps untintended there but maybe Freudian slip ?)

met a lady who facilitates survivors workshops / creative writing / drama etc to raise awareness and aid recovery / esteem issues re this. Will explore this a little with her.

MAY 2006

I want to publicise the link between Domestic violence and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
I want to counsel, coach, raise awareness & stop people who have suffered it having to go through all the secondary traumas cos nobody believes them or thinks they can just ‘get over it’as if they’re living in the past.

I want people to realise that domestic violence is much much more than punching or kicking & that kids are often witnessing systematic torture for years and feeling helpless against it.

Even when it stops there are huge problems in families and how individuals feel because of the flashbacks, the pain, the things they’ve had to do to cope.

And society doesn’t recognise this. So if you seek help you are victimised again and again.

Yep, I want to work somehow or other with this.

had a free life coaching session today. The lady is still studying but I still found it very helpful in clarifying what I want to do career wise.

i filled in a questionnaire to help me define what i want to do then filled in a cv & action plan of what i need to do to get there. it was extremely useful. i have some goals and targets to meet. i feel more optimistic.

I made a collage of lots of things / people / carrer things I want in my life.

It already feels great as a focus tool for clarifying & reminding me of goals. I intend to look at it daily and really think about what i need to do to achieve these goals.