The Charleston Job Corps Center (CJCC) operating under Horizons Youth Services (HYS) recognized Domestic Violence Awareness month with a guest speaker on October 5, 2015 during Monday Business Meeting. Students and staff received a presentation by Alyssa Sthay-Young, Teen Dating Violence Specialist/Youth Services Coordinator, YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program.

Young told students and staff, “Domestic Violence is widespread. A woman is assaulted every 9 seconds in the U.S.” There are various forms of domestic violence including elder abuse, financial abuse which includes withholding access to funds, digital abuse, physical, emotional and verbal abuse that affects individuals on a daily basis. Also, she informed the audience of warning signs of domestic violence and how to get help.

According to its website, www.ywcacharleston.org “YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program offers 24/7 shelter, a crisis hotline and emergency intervention for victims of domestic violence. Providing services for the entire family in Kanawha, Clay and Boone counties, YWCA Resolve also offers case management, court advocacy, counseling, support groups, safety planning, monitored parent-child visitation/exchange, parenting sessions, and programs for children, teen dating safety and batterers intervention/prevention.”

Charleston Job Corps Center will also sponsor a Go Purple Day during the month and wreath hanging in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please contact the YWCA crisis hotline (304) 340-3549. Speak Up, Speak Out, Stop Domestic Violence!

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. Job Corps is in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The Charleston Job Corps Center is overseen by the Philadelphia Regional Office of Job Corps and is operated by Horizons Youth Services.