Women’s Crisis Center received a SAAMy Innovative Program award from the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Program at its 12th Annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month Awards dinner.
This event honors exceptional contributions to Kentucky’s movement against sexual victimization. WCC received this award for the collaboration between the WCC prevention program Green Dot and the Maysville Faith Community.
Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) is fully committed to violence prevention with the goal of inspiring more and more people to become active bystanders through the Green Dot Strategy.
WCC wanted to expand their reach beyond the halls of high school communities, which led them to faith leaders and the Limestone Ministerial Association (LMA) in Maysville. The purpose of launching Green Dot in the faith-based communities was to utilize compassion, service, and spiritual leadership to reduce power-based personal violence in Mason County.
Chaplain Kay Miller, a member of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity said, “Green Dot matters for our community, for Maysville. It demonstrates that we care about one another and that our community has less violence because of this concern for each other and the practical knowledge and experience of how to make this happen.”
The faith-based community is a natural partner in the reduction of violence. LMA in Mason County provides foundational pieces of support to the community by recognizing the suffering and struggles of people, by opening the church doors as a safe and welcoming space, and by donating, or creating services for people in need. It is known that Green Dot spreads more rapidly when modeled by influential leaders and LMA members are prominent leaders in Mason County. In addition, many of the spiritual tenets align with the Green Dot Strategy, such as service, taking care of each other, being a light of hope, taking action to create safe communities and helping those who are suffering. Green Dot is truly about living one’s faith.
Recently at First Christian Church in Maysville Rev. David Massey-Brown said during his Gospel message. “If you are looking for an epiphany today, an “ah ha” moment- Green Dot is that epiphany.”
As a result of this partnership, WCC and LMA have held two faith-based Green Dot bystander trainings in which more than 40 church leaders and elders where in attendance. They have also reached over 2000 church members through bulletin inserts and Green Dot overview speeches, appeared on a radio show with a local pastor, and presented Green Dot at five church services. WCC delivered the message at the annual Ecumenical Celebration of Christian Unity and Green Dot banners and signs were displayed at multiple churches throughout Maysville.
WCC has become an honorary member of the LMA attending monthly meetings and is given time to strategize and talk about violence prevention every month. As Pastor Jim Dougans from First Presbyterian Church said, “A recent newspaper had a sobering headline, “Abuse numbers bleak for Kentucky’s children.”
In Mason County 310 calls were made last year to report child abuse, involving 479 children. Green Dot matters to Maysville and to the Limestone Area Ministerial Association because it is a proven way to reduce child abuse.” Additionally, First Christian Church has donated $2000 to WCC for Green Dot!
LMA is committed to making Maysville a Green Dot city and it is believed that with their support this can happen.
Chaplain Kay Miller said, “My faith tells me that I have a responsibility to care for God’s creation. This care takes many forms. One is that of reducing violence whenever possible. Green Dot bystander training demonstrates tangible ways that I can reduce violence. Green Dot is a clear extension of my faith.”
Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit social service agency committed to leading our community in the social change needed to end domestic violence, rape, and sexual abuse. Services are provided confidentially and at no cost to our clients.
Green Dot is a nationally recognized strategy focused on preventing power-based personal violence – sexual violence, partner violence, child abuse, elder abuse, bullying, and stalking. The strategy is based around the belief that each one of us holds power as bystanders to actively prevent violence and shape our community norms.
