PHILADELPHIA -- Lutheran Settlement House's Bilingual Domestic Violence Program (BDVP) turns over armloads of handmade teddy bears, outfitted with important lavender ribbons, to Philadelphia Police, kicking off the "Buddy Bears Campaign," aimed to protect child witnesses of domestic violence (DV).
Police officers citywide will comfort children by providing them with the teddy bears when responding to DV calls. The lavender ribbons carry BDVP's bilingual hotline numbers - in English, in Spanish -- and together with information for adults help foster a supportive and holistic intervention method between DV victims and police officers on the front line of that intervention.
"Initiatives like the Buddy Bears Campaign help us create important partnerships across various social infrastructures to tackle DV at its root," said Ana Lisa Yoder, BDVP director. "We're launching the campaign now because we tend to see an increase in calls to the BDVP hotline from Thanksgiving through Super Bowl Sunday."
DV is emotional, physical, verbal, sexual, or any other type of abuse between intimate partners, including spouses, individuals who are dating, and individuals in gay or lesbian relationships. It is a widespread problem effecting everyone in society, crossing all socio-economic, religious, gender, and ethnic boundaries.
An estimated 3 million children witness acts of violence in their homes every year. The effects of having witnessed violence can be just as emotionally harmful as if the children had been abused. In fact, these children are at increased risk of being physically abused or neglected themselves.
To raise public awareness levels about this issue, BDVP will host the "Keep Kids Safe Skate," Saturday, Dec. 13, , (rain date: Dec. 14) from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Blue Cross RiverRink at Penn's Landing, with free kids activities with a positive anti-violence message. Proceeds benefit BDVP.
Yoder asks the public to contribute new teddy bears to BDVP, which will tie the message ribbons on the bears and turn them over to Philadelphia Police, so that this important campaign continues throughout the year. Bears will be collected at the Keep Kids Safe Skate.
Besides the hotlines, BDVP offers counseling, advocacy, and intervention services to provide immediate crisis intervention and safety planning for adult victims.
For information about Lutheran Settlement House and its programs, including BDVP, visit www.lutheransettlement.org.
Source: Lutheran Settlement House
