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Love is Respect
By Mary Haggerty, Outreach Coordinator
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month which is a great time to reflect on what influences young people’s perceptions of healthy relationships. Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year (loveisrespect.org). This high prevalence of unhealthy and abusive relationships tells us that many young people aren’t being taught what love really is. Family, friends and school all play into young people’s perspectives, but there is another overarching factor that is widely ignored, yet extremely important to examine. That is what popular culture is teaching about healthy relationships. Popular culture is digested through various forms of media and there is nothing wrong with enjoying it. However, it should be examined critically and not allowed to form our subconscious or the subconscious of our youth.
Popular songs such as Blurred Lines, Animals and Jealous all frame being possessive, coercive, and exhibiting stalker like behavior as normal ways to pursue a relationship. In turn, these attitudes are looked at as desirable and “showing you care” rather than the warning signs of abuse.
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2017 PSA Contest Winners!
 The WCA is pleased to officially announce the winners of the 2017 WCA PSA Contest: 1st Place: Claire Bonnet, Boise High School
2nd Place: Connor Melvin, Boise High School
3rd Place (two-way tie): Curtis Bohlscheid and Andrew Gerber, Boise High School
Congratulations to our winners and thank you to everyone who participated! All the entries this year were extremely impressive can be viewed here.
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Colette Raptosh and Nora Harren
Colette and Nora are the amazing high school students who organized the local Women’s March in January. They donated the remaining funds they had collected to the Women’s and Children’s Alliance- thank you so much!
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Thank you to Mayer Stear and the City of Kuna
Mayor Stear encouraged Kuna businesses to display shoe cards at their establishments to spread awareness about domestic abuse and Women’s and Children’s Alliance services. We greatly appreciate him taking the initiative to help spread these resources!
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Donor Spotlight: Bonnie Hopper
In a beautiful show of selflessness Bonnie Hopper dropped off 10 Scentsy buddies for the WCA child care. The Scentsy buddies are stuffed animals with a soothing smell inside of them to help calm even the fussiest child. For Bonnie’s 70th birthday she asked her Jazzercize class to donate money instead of gifts so she could buy the buddies for us. Thank you so much Bonnie!
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Nagel Foundation Funds Shelter And Services For Domestic Abuse Victims
The WCA has been awarded a grant for $38,000 from the John F. Nagel Foundation to support emergency shelter and program services for women and children fleeing domestic and/or sexual violence.
The grant for $38,000 will be used to provide comprehensive services for 18 women and children through the WCA’s 120-day residential shelter program. In addition to safe, secure shelter – this program also includes access to the WCA’s counseling, court advocacy, case management, life skills, financial literacy and child care programs.
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Staff Spotlight: Tracy Darling-DeMarcus
What is your full name?
Tracy Anne Darling-DeMarcus
What is your preferred name?
Just Tracy is fine!
What is your job title at the WCA?
Community Engagement Specialist
What do you do in your job at the WCA?
In a nutshell, I will be working with the community to develop and implement outreach and prevention strategies that fulfill the mission and vision of the WCA.
How long have you been with the WCA?
Almost three whole days
Where did you work prior to joining the WCA team?
Prior to working with the WCA, I worked for a small domestic violence/sexual assault agency in Wyoming called Crook County Family Violence & Sexual Assault Services.
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Corporate Pillar Spotlight: Saint Alphonsus
 Here at the WCA, we are so grateful for all of our amazing Corporate Pillars. Our work relies upon community support and having so many local businesses and organizations choose to join us on the road to providing safety, healing and freedom is awe-inspiring.
One Corporate Pillar that amazes us is Saint Alphonsus Health System. Josh Schlaich, Public Relations, Digital Communications Manager with Saint Alphonsus, had this to say about the WCA’s partnership with the hospital:
“Saint Alphonsus and the WCA have many things in common. We both care for the underserved and vulnerable. We give shelter to those in need. We save lives. Together, Saint Alphonsus and the WCA have sparked immeasurable positive change in our community for those that need it most. Through collaboration with nurses, physicians, social workers, and others in the clinical environment, the WCA provides a vital resource to free patients of domestic abuse and sexual assault situations.”
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Our lists of needed items are updated as needed and always available on our website. New items from this list below can be dropped off at the WCA lobby at 720 W Washington St. M-F from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Baby Playpens- 2 boys, 2 girls needed
- Baby Wipes
- Board games- 5 needed
- Gift cards (Home Depot, Walmart, Thriftway Lumber, Any $ amount)
- Gift cards, $20 and up (i.e. Winco, Target, Shopko, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, etc.)
- Gift cards, $20 and up for any gas station
- Journals
- Roller Skates- 5 girls, 5 boys needed
- Twin Size Sheets
- Vinyl & zippered twin-size mattresses covers – 20 needed
- 2017 Day Planner
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Bea Black,
What does respect mean to you?
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Bev La Chance, Deputy Director
Oh, those teenage years – new experiences, new feelings, getting to know yourself and, sometimes, flat out bewilderment as you try to fit in to this crazy world. Making friends and establishing relationships can be a tricky prospect – so knowing what to look out for in order to keep that relationship healthy is important. The following elements should be kept in mind when teens, or any one of us, find ourselves feeling swept off of our feet. Take off the rose-colored glasses, toss the blinders and take a look at the following.
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Diana Burrell, Philanthropy Manager
As I was preparing to write this piece, I was asked to participate in #ChalkAboutLove as part of #LoveIsRespect campaign during Teen Dating Violence Month (#TeenDVMonth). My 5th and 6th grade English teacher responded to my social media post with a quote from Francesco Petrarca, “Love accomplishes all things.” That got me thinking about all of the things the love of humanity (philanthropy) expressed by donors and supporters make possible for our clients and staff.
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Emily Fascilla, Events Coordinator
One of the best ways we can maximize our compassion for others is by taking care of ourselves. Boundaries are a crucial component of self-care and this month we are starting with a topic that generations before us did not have to worry about: boundaries with technology.
Excellent self-care can be a challenge, especially in these highly technological times.
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Upcoming Events
February 16, 2017
6:00 p.m.- 7 p.m.
720 W. Washington St.
Boise, ID
February 17, 2017
7:00 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Boise Center
850 W Front St
Boise, ID
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