Get Involved

Learn More

• Gather as much information on domestic violence from the Battered Women’s Project.
• Educate yourself by attending conferences about domestic violence.
• Speak Out About Domestic Violence And Abuse
• Wear a purple ribbon.
• Display information about the Battered Women’s Project and domestic abuse in your workplace, church, library, or other community meeting places.
• If you see or hear a battering incident occurring, call 911 to involve law enforcement.
• When you see or hear signs of domestic abuse, sexism, racism, homophobia, ageism, talk to the person exhibiting the behaviors, if it is safe for you to do so. If you hear a comment or observe a behavior that concerns you, say "I don't appreciate that."
• Challenge the media. Write to music producers, movie companies, internet businesses, video-game producers, and TV stations to speak out about violence against women.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper describing the problem of domestic violence in your community and offer suggestion for how people can become part of the solution.
• Call or e-mail your local representatives. Encourage them to vote for domestic violence funding or special issues
• Tell Others About The Battered Women's Project Services.
• Invite the Battered Women's Project to speak to your school, church, community group or business.

Donate Money or Items to the Battered Women’s Project...
Money:
Did you know?

• $25 provides two hours of crisis intervention, advocacy and safety planning services for individuals affected by domestic violence
• $50 provides assistance in obtaining Protection from Abuse Orders at court for two individuals
• $100 provides a family of three with Emergency Shelter for one night.
• $250 provides six women or children with six weeks of Support Group services
• $500 provides 40 Hour Hotline Training for ten Volunteers.

What can I do?

• Contribute Services and Talents to the Battered Women's Project
• Encourage your workplace to “adopt” the local domestic violence project by donating money and allowing employees time off to volunteer.
• Victims/ Survivors benefit from the donation of professional services such as haircuts.
• Volunteer for your local domestic violence project.
We offer a 36-hour training course which will prepare you for a variety of volunteer
opportunities: Taking shifts on the hotline; Assisting with events, holiday programs, etc.
• If you are a man, join other men in helping to end men’s violence against women... Learn about the nature and extent of the problem, challenge traditional roles of masculinity, support your local domestic abuse shelter and rape crisis center, work towards long-term solutions, and organize with other men to speak out against sexism and homophobia. For more information contact Mainely Men Against Violence & Sexism or the National Organization for Men Against Sexism.
• Join the board at the Battered Women's Project... The Battered Women's Project is a nonprofit corporation and is governed by a Board of Directors made up of community volunteers. The Board meets monthly and is responsible for ensuring that the organization's activities are consistent with its mission and that the organization is fiscally sound. The Board needs members with varying skills and experiences.

Attend Events to Raise Awareness about Domestic Violence

• Recognize October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
• Attend an awareness event that has already been planned, or organize your own event.

Teach Children

• Educate children about positive ways to resolve conflict and healthy relationships.

Reach Out To Someone You Are Concerned About...

• If you have a friend, family member, or co-worker whom you think may be experiencing domestic violence or abuse. Approach that person in a non-judgmental way and let them know that you are concerned. Offer information about the Battered Women's Project. The most important thing is to listen, believe, and support a victim.

Some Ways to Approach a Victim
"I am afraid for your safety."
"I am afraid for the safety of your children and pets."
"This is not your fault."
"You don't deserve to be treated like this."
"How can I help?"

Seek Support For Yourself

• If you become frightened or frustrated by someone else's situation, consider calling the Battered Women's Project yourself. Advocates are trained and prepared to speak to anyone concerned about their own situation, or the situation of another.

Examine Your Own Life. Look at your behaviors and determine whether or not you are living a violence-free life.

Be an Example

• Make a commitment to the cause and let others know of your beliefs. Talk to your friends and neighbors when they belittle women or make a joke about violence.
? Help to hold abuser accountable by speaking out... If you see or hear a battering incident occurring, call 911 to involve law enforcement. When you see or hear signs of domestic abuse, sexism, racism, homophobia, ageism, talk to the person exhibiting the behaviors, if it is safe for you to do so. If you hear a comment or observe a behavior that concerns you, say "I don't appreciate that."

Some Things to Say to an Abuser
" Did you hit, slap, punch, _____ her/him?"
" Being violent is not okay."
" Do you yell, threaten, criticize, make jealous accusations, and act possessive about her/him?"
" These behaviors are controlling and drive people away."
" Anger and violence are not the same. It's okay to be angry, but not okay to be violent."
" Control does not equal love."
" What are some potential alternatives to using violence?"

• Religious leaders: Begin to speak out against violence against women in your houses of worship. Examine messages you give women about escaping abuse and messages about the relationship between men and women, husbands and wives or partner and partner. Bring in speakers from your local domestic violence programs for services. Start a donation drive for your local program.
• Business/workplace leaders: Examine your workplace to see if attitudes about violence against women are tolerated. Which is your policy on sexual harassment? Are jokes that trivialize/minimize violence against women and other forms of degradation of women the norm? Is your workplace hostile to women in other ways? Do you know? Have you asked women at your workplace? Are women in legitimate leadership roles within your business?
• Coaches: Discuss attitudes toward women and confront jokes and other behavior that is anti-woman. Take disciplinary action when you receive information that an athlete has been abusive toward women. Make harassment or violence against girls and women as unacceptable for all athletes as using illegal drugs.
• Fraternal and business organizations: Examine how much of your philanthropy is directed at eliminating violence against women. Have you contributed to the battered women’s programs in your community? Have you educated your membership on these issues?
• Educators: Implement curriculum that addresses the messages that kids learn on the street, in their homes, and from the media about violence against women. Implement family violence prevention curriculum in your school.
• Boy Scout leaders: Begin units on what being a man is about and what it means to respect women and girls. Teach that masculinity does not have to be equated with putting girls down or being abusive.
• Criminal justice system representatives: Examine your policies and practices regarding domestic violence. Are perpetrators arrested, charged, and convicted? Or is your system failing to treat these crimes as serious ones? Are you blaming the failure of your system on inaction by the victim? Have you received training on domestic violence? What is your arrest and/or prosecution rate for domestic violence crimes?
• College fraternities: Explore your group’s tolerance for violence against women in all forms, from sexual harassment to gang rape. How much bonding among members revolves around putting women down? What happens when members are confronted on the issue? What is your fraternity’s policy on members sexually harassing, physically or sexually assaulting women? What can your fraternity do to learn more about domestic/sexual violence and be a leader in speaking out against it on your campus? Contact your campus’ women’s center for assistance.
• Media professionals: Examine your coverage of domestic violence. Do you convey myths about the causes of these crimes? Do you attribute the killing of a woman to stress, chemical dependency, economic hardship, gambling, etc? Do you refer to the relationship of the victim and perpetrator as “troubled?” These are not causal factors of domestic violence.
• Advertisers and other purveyors of mass cultural forms: Examine the messages and images about women that you create or transmit. Decide to stop creating/transmitting those that objectify women. Donate time and services to battered women’s programs to develop media campaigns to reverse the tolerant attitude of violence against women that pervades our culture.
• Legislators and public officials: Support increased funding for battered women’s programs. Contact your community’s program to determine problems within the system that could be addressed through legislation.
• EVERYONE:
  If you know someone who you suspect is being abused by her partner, call the Battered Women's Project to find out what you can do help her find safety. Do not attempt to help her without finding out what is the safest and best way to do this. Remember that domestic violence IS your business!

Some information on this page was Adapted from the Minnesota Coalition to End Domestic Violence’s web-page