The Center For Family Safety And Healing Unveils Where's The Line?, A First of Its Kind Bystander Campaign To Combat Family Violence
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center For Family Safety And Healing today announced a first of its kind public education campaign to raise awareness about family violence and increase bystander reporting.
The Where's The Line? campaign is part of The Center for Family Safety and Healing's effort to end family violence including but not limited to child abuse, teen dating abuse and domestic violence. Where's The Line? focuses on the power a bystander can have in helping people in need.
"We have all seen abusive or questionable behavior and many of us don't know what to do when witnessing that. We second-guess what we saw or are afraid of what others might think if we intervene," said Karen S. Days, president of The Center for Family Safety and Healing. "Where's The Line? empowers bystanders with supportive answers and advice. Family violence happens everywhere, and ending it is everyone's responsibility."
Days said the campaign offers a multi-faceted approach to empowering Ohioans to stop family violence. At the heart of Where's The Line? is a newly created anonymous, confidential resource line and other social media options for concerned bystanders. The resources are available to answer questions, educate callers, and triage requests to appropriate services.
"The resource line does not replace 9-1-1 in the case of an emergency," Days said. "What it will do is help anyone understand where the line is when it comes to family violence and where they can find resources to help."
Bystanders can call 844-234-LINE, text 87028 or send an instant message via www.familysafetyandhealing.org. All calls, texts and instant messages are anonymous and completely confidential. Days says The Center for Family Safety and Healing will track call volume, with the goal of gauging the impact the campaign is having on bystanders and in turn understand the impact bystanders can have in the community.
The campaign will also feature a commercial on air, online and throughout the city that encourages Columbus residents to know the signs of family violence and resist the urge to look the other away.
"It can be tough to determine the difference between things like discipline and abuse and love or control; Where's The Line? is here to help you figure it out," Days said. "We're asking you to become advocates for the campaign. Spreading the word can help us reach our goal of ending family violence."
About The Center for Family Safety And Healing:
The Center for Family Safety and Healing fully addresses all aspects of family violence, including child abuse and neglect, teen dating abuse, domestic violence and elder abuse. Our multidisciplinary team approach includes a one-stop, coordinated response to family violence for individuals and families through partnerships with law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution and a wide range of community resources along with an expanded forum for education, advocacy and ongoing research. Partners include CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, the Columbus Division of Police Special Victims Bureau, Franklin County Children Services, the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, Nationwide Children's Behavioral Health Services and Nationwide Children's Division of Child and Family Advocacy. Please visit http://familysafetyandhealing.org or https://www.facebook.com/familysafetyandhealing to learn more.
Contact: Sarah Irvin Clark, 614.296.4057
Dan Farkas, 614.668.8921
SOURCE The Center For Family Safety And Healing
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