November 5th for DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS IN UTAH COUNTY!

My advocacy for Domestic Violence is not where I want it to be because I'm a working GIRL and I'm crazy busy!! However---I attended a Chainbreakers event this past week in Orem Utah and was so quickly reminded about the women and men who have been committed to this cause for decades!  I became passionate about improving the facilities and services here in Utah County a couple years ago when I realized how many lives were at risk due to the issue of domestic violence being completely buried.

SOOOOO--in preparing for this event and narrowing down our goal and purpose, it really just comes down to what do we want to accomplish--what do we want?? Here's a start~

AWARENESS, STUFF, AN AMAZING NEW FACILITY--with a HUGE COMMERCIAL KITCHEN, TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNITY SUPPORT; COMMUNITY MONEY AND SPONSORSHIP, ACCESS TO ALL SERVICES FOR ALL ABUSE VICTIMS ANYTIME WITHOUT PASSING BISHOP INTERVIEWS, FAMILY INTERVENTION TRAINING, KINDNESS, LOVE, CARING, EDUCATION, JOB TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT, EATING OUT AT RESTAURANTS!!!, LUNCH DATES, DINNER DATES, NOT HAVING TO SUFFER TO PROVE YOU ARE BUDGETING MONEY PROPERLY TO EARN YOUR NEXT WHATEVER!! DIGNITY AND RESPECT FOR THE ROLE WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN THIS ECONOMY---LITERAL BACK BREAKING THANKLESS JOBS THAT JUST MAGICALLY GET DONE DAY IN AND DAY OUT BECAUSE WOMEN ARE AWESOME AND GET IT DONE LIKE BAD A's---AND did I mention A NEW FACILITY THAT IS LOCATED IN NORTH UTAH COUNTY that is more like a SPA than it is a shelter!! This would include workout facility, massage, beauty--you name it, we want it!!  Because honestly--if you knew about the conditions for those currently seeking help for DV, it might sort of keep you up at night.  Unless you're heartless, then maybe it wouldn't.  (I'm trying to be nice, but this topic turns me into a different human--just ask anyone who has seen the dark cloud form within seconds of me talking about it----super sorry, but not really:(( )


Now--why a county that has 1 out of every 3 women experiencing domestic violence would not be adequately funded and serviced (reality is the conditions are rooted in negligence--consider the population of Utah County that is suppose to be covered--500,00+ under current budget allotments )---is just bizarre.  Its weird.  The national rate of DV occurrence is 1 in 4 women--but Utah County is 1 in 3---so that alone should flag as an outlier that clearly needs extra resources and funding.  Because of this oddity, we are making some noise with our STAND event. We aren't even being real uptight and nervous about it because just HAVING THIS CONVERSATION is already a win for us. 

Not only that, but there is talk that we will have access to another large furniture donation and we want to put it somewhere!! Last year, Marriott donated their entire 2nd floor of furniture from 13 suites.  I didn't have anywhere to store it so the Center for Women and Children in Crisis let us use that space until items could be moved to homes and families.  THIS YEAR--we want a SPACE for any and all donations coming through and we want that space to symbolize a new future for Domestic Abuse victims here in Utah County.  We want to turn this story around and show how utterly generous and kind our UTAH COUNTY community can be to those who suffer and are in need.  Some ideas--

okay--this one requires a beach so I'm not sure how we could work that out (but there has to be a way please.)

Okay--I'll write more throughout the weekend about our content of show!!