Yesterday, I took part in something special.

The Women’s Fund is an organization that fund different projects and organizations that support domestic violence programs here in the greater Birmingham area as well as the state. Yesterday, they partnered with NBC 13 HD to sponsor a “blog-a-thon”. They made an open call to bloggers in the area to come in and talk to those on the front lines fighting domestic violence. Judges, survivors, officers, directors and fundraisers all gathered together not only to raise funds for the Women’s Fund but to raise awareness about Domestic Violence.

Having all these resources together in one place was a great because you could trace the progression of domestic violence as it escalates through the system. From disputes to investigations, judges to rehabilitation, survival to prevention, there were many stories told in the NBC 13 conference room. Here are just a few that I was able to capture…

Officers Kareem Easley and Coleecia Cainion – These officers are just a couple of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day. Domestic Violence accounts for over 70% of all police calls, which are the most dangerous calls that are received. Why? Sometimes, remorse turns to reaction and causes the accuser to lash out. Going into a strange environment, officers must be aware of hidden weapons and bring no less that 2 officers to any of theses calls. If the dispute has escalated to bodily harm, the aggressor is arrested and is held for a minimum of 12 hours. This is enough time for the victim to gather enough belongings and leave the scene. Once charges are pressed, they cannot be dropped. These officers prepare a “docket”, consisting of incident reports, photos, and a body chart describing the physical harm that is turned over to…

Investigators Kenneth Walton, Kieron Floyd, and Chris Lampley – past and present members of the Birmingham Domestic Violence Unit – These investigators do the followup interviewing the witnesses and getting warrants for both misdemeanor and felony cases. Each individual see over 90 cases of domestic violence a year. The work that they do is the groundwork for…

Judge Locke Donaldson, Jefferson County Family Court – Judge Locke is just one of the many judges in the Birmingham area that deal with domestic violence cases. While he deals exclusively with cases involving children, he has the ability to issue PFAs and restraining orders, which he never orders without actually meeting with the victim. He reads the body language and the physical look of the victim. He recalled one woman who asked for help and followed through, saying that she looked 2,000% better from when they first met. She simply said to him, “I feel safe”.

Wes Goodenough, Gateway Family and Child Services – Some offenders are ordered by the court to seek help. Gateway provides a program called the Violence Intervention Program. This program is designed to hold offenders accountable for their actions, not just the abuse. Depending on the type and severity of the abuse, there are programs ranging from weekly meetings to on-site rehabilitation.

Tahiera Brown, survivor – I don’t want to speak too much for Tahiera because I promise you her words are much more moving than mine. The fact that she is alive is living proof that there is hope for those who feel like helpless victims of Domestic Violence.

Joan Sulzman, Alabama Coalition against Domestic Violence – Having worked in just about every facet of advocacy for Domestic Violence for the last 25 years, Joan is currently working to inform employers and their employees about domestic violence in the workplace. It’s esitmated that employeers across the country lose about 3-5 billion in revenue each year because of absences, medical costs, and distractions during hours. Building a culture of safety at work is just the right thing to do.

Please head over to NBC 13 and read more from the other local bloggers about domestic violence and consider making a donation to The Women’s Fund.