DVN Celebrates 20th Anniversary throughout 2017!
Twenty years has flown by and so many things have happened. Back in 1997 a gallon of gas cost $1.22, Seinfeld was the top-rated TV show and the Domestic Violence Network obtained its 501 (c) 3!
There have been many changes in domestic violence laws as well. Victims can obtain a protective order at no cost to them; shelters now provide housing and services to men and to all people regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Twenty years ago, domestic violence was still viewed as a ‘family problem’ and one that should be handled behind closed doors. Today, we have numerous public service announcements, teach healthy relationship education to our youth and are slowly shifting the stigma from the victim to the perpetrator.
The Domestic Violence Network has grown as well. We recently launched our 4th community wide plan to end domestic violence: Intersections: Engage, Collaborate, Transform. We continue to host our monthly Advocates Group and offer trainings to community members as well. We have a focus on helping our kids develop healthy relationships and changing the culture that leads to domestic violence.
We will be celebrating DVN’s 20th anniversary throughout 2017 in a variety of ways, all with the goal of honoring those who were both pioneers and those who became part of the Network along the way. We are currently producing an awesome video to highlight the work of the community over the past two decades. Keep in touch with us through Facebook and our newsletter to view teasers of the video. In May, we will be hosting a 20th anniversary party where we will unveil the video for the first time and thank our Network for their awesome work over the past twenty years. The celebration will conclude this fall, so please save the date for October 27th as we celebrate our 4th annual Night with the Network and honor some great people from the past.
We wouldn’t be here without you! Thank you!
#YouAreTheNetwork!
Kelly McBride
Executive Director
Domestic Violence Network (DVN)