Since October 2013, Hope House has joined with other domestic violence programs around the state by implementing the Lantern Project. For our part in this statewide project, we added to the lamppost in front of Hope House a purple wreath. We will turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We will post information online about the person(s) that was killed. If you drive by our building and see our lamppost on, please reflect on the deadly impact that domestic violence has on our communities. 

May 26th, 2018, Michael Neal, Age 40, Milwaukee, WI
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A 21-year-old man has been charged in connection to a fatal shooting that happened near 26th and Roosevelt Saturday, May 26.

Investigators say the shooting occurred during an altercation between Charles Richard and his ex-girlfriend's father, 41-year-old Michael Neal.

The victim's wife told investigators, Neal went to Richard's house to speak with him shortly after 10 p.m..
Officials spoke with Richard, who told investigators his sister told him that a car -- driven by Neal -- had done a U-turn and was parked outside their home near 26th and Roosevelt. Richard said he was scared so he "grabbed a black gun from the kitchen and went outside."

The complaint says Richard went outside and yelled, "What do you want?" or "What are you doing here?" To which Neal yelled back, "You said come over so we could talk."

According to a the criminal complaint, Neal was then shot in the head inside his vehicle.

Richard told investigators he was trying to scare Neal away by shooting the gun, but he "wasn't trying to hit the car or anyone inside."

After the shooting, Richard told investigators he gave the gun to his mother. He also wrote an apology letter to the victim's family.

Richard has been charged with first degree reckless homicide, use of a dangerous weapon.

Welcome to the June 2018 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!​

2017-2018 School Year Presentation Total
May 31 was the last day of school presentations for Hope House's education team. For the 2017-2018 school year, they facilitated 530 presentations to K-12 youth at 42 elementary, middle, and high schools in 19 school districts as well as to teens at the Boys & Girls Club in Baraboo, a group of Girls Scouts in Baraboo, the Sauk County Teens N Theater group, and to teens participating in a Shanty Town event in Lodi. Many thanks to our school and after-school partners in helping us reach so many students with presentation topics, such as respect, protective behaviors, healthy relationships, anti-bullying, internet safety, sexual harassment, consent and sexual assault, dating violence, childhood domestic violence, bystander intervention, gender roles and violence, media literacy, and more.

​If you'd like to learn more about or schedule Hope House's youth presentations for the school year or the summer or presentations offered to adults, please contact the Hope House Resource Center at 608-356-9123 or send us an email. 

Here are just a few quotes from high school students on their presentation evaluations:

• "I really liked the activity we did with the song lyrics. I didn't realize just how bad some of the lyrics are. It really opened my mind."
• "This really did help me understand what I should do as an individual to help others going through stuff like this if and when they come and talk to me."​
• "I liked how [the presenter] was very open with us and spoke at our age level."
• "I think that seeing the messages in songs was a really good way to show how the media portrays unhealthy relationships. I also think that talking about consent is really important and that [the presenter] did a really wonderful job on teaching about consent."
• "I thought the presentation was very helpful and it really made me feel comfortable to ask questions and to take in new information."
• "[The presenter] was an amazing person that showed me many things I never knew before like illegal things with sex and how you should help a friend, or just how to create a healthy relationship."
• ​"​thank you for this, as i've never been in a relationship this has given me a some tips and help to when that time does come around."

Hope House Donation Needs
Monetary donations are most needed.  Individuals have the option of donating ​online.  Please note that a portion of your online donation will go towards PayPal fees.  Donations can be mailed to Hope House, P.O. Box 557, Baraboo, WI 53913. We also appreciate gas cards, gift cards (Walmart, Kwik Trip, Walgreens, Kohl’s), taxi vouchers from Baraboo Taxi, and used cell phones, iPods and iPads.  Please note that we are not accepting used stuffed animals/plush toys, used toys, clothes (except for new sweatshirts and sweatpants), shoes, used books, furniture, TVs, bar soap, hats, scarves or travel-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, or body wash. Current needs include the following:

• Food: Juice Boxes, Bottled Water, Granola/Protein Bars, Canned Food (tuna, chicken, fruit), Single-Serving Snacks
• Cleaning Supplies: Disinfectant Spray
• Clothing: Women's Underwear (size 5 to 8, new in package), Men's Underwear (all sizes, new in package)
• Personal Care Items: Deodorant (for men), Hand sanitizer
• Program Supplies: Mosquito Repellent, Sunscreen, Bubbles, Tomato Plants and Soil

​Special Note about Travel-Size Items: We encourage those looking to donate travel-size items to donate them to the Backpack Project. The Backpack Project strives to provide Baraboo School District students who are financially challenged to enter the school doors on the first day ‘just like everyone else’ and to show these children the community supports and encourages them to learn and do their best. If interested in donating towards this project, please contact Becky Hovde at 608-963-8230 or Hivebiz65@gmail.com.

Domestic Violence

• Four Women Accuse New York’s Attorney General of Physical Abuse: “As his prominence as a voice against sexual misconduct has risen, so, too, has the distress of four women with whom he has had romantic relationships or encounters. They accuse Schneiderman of having subjected them to nonconsensual physical violence. All have been reluctant to speak out, fearing reprisal. But two of the women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, have talked to The New Yorker on the record, because they feel that doing so could protect other women. They allege that he repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent. Manning Barish and Selvaratnam categorize the abuse he inflicted on them as ‘assault.’ They did not report their allegations to the police at the time, but both say that they eventually sought medical attention after having been slapped hard across the ear and face, and also choked. Selvaratnam says that Schneiderman warned her he could have her followed and her phones tapped, and both say that he threatened to kill them if they broke up with him”…Read more
• Hundreds of Apps Can Empower Stalkers to Track Their Victims: “Digital monitoring of a spouse or partner can constitute illegal stalking, wiretapping or hacking. But laws and law enforcement have struggled to keep up with technological changes, even though stalking is a top warning sign for attempted homicide in domestic violence cases”…Read more

Children & Youth

• Texas school shooter killed girl who turned down his advances and embarrassed him in class, her mother says: “One of Pagourtzis' classmates who died in the attack, Shana Fisher, ‘had 4 months of problems from this boy,’ her mother, Sadie Rodriguez, wrote in a private message to the Los Angeles Times on Facebook. ‘He kept making advances on her and she repeatedly told him no.’ Pagourtzis continued to get more aggressive, and she finally stood up to him and embarrassed him in class, Rodriguez said. ‘A week later he opens fire on everyone he didn't like,’ she wrote”…Read more

Parents' & Youth Service Providers' Section

• New, Free NSVRC E-Learning Course: One Caring Adult: "Trauma impacts how students learn and how they interact with adults and peers. However, when educators understand how to care for these students, they can help minimize the impact of trauma and foster resiliency. Our new e-learning course, One Caring Adult, trains educators on how to do just that. This three-part course consists of seven videos featuring experts such as a trauma specialist, teacher, psychologist, and sexual assault advocate. The goal of the course is to help teachers learn how to make their classrooms a safe and comforting space for all students. We know that youth who experience sexual violence are more likely to be revictimized in adulthood, which is why it's critical advocates share this course with educators they work with. The course is free and just requires you create an account our online campus. Learn more about the course and find additional resources on children and trauma here. 
• 10 Conversations to Have with Your Teens After "13 Reasons Why" (Season 2): “The second season of 13 Reasons Why is nearly as packed with controversial content as its popular first season. As the Liberty High kids cope with life in the aftermath of Hannah Baker's suicide, they also have a lot coming up in their future: a major trial, a potential school shooting, hard-drug abuse, and more blackmail, drama, and mystery. (Parents can also be aware that Netflix account holders are able to set a PIN code to this or any show that will be required before others can view.) Teens and parents who watch the show together can talk about any number of issues the show addresses; here are some questions to help get the conversation started”…Read more
• The Future of Healing: Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement: "A healing centered approach to addressing trauma requires a different question that moves beyond 'what happened to you' to 'what’s right with you' and views those exposed to trauma as agents in the creation of their own well-being rather than victims of traumatic events"...Read more
• 'Show Dogs' removes 2 scenes thought to portray sexual abuse after backlash: “The National Center for Sexual Exploitation called for the movie to halt distribution on its website. ‘Children’s movies must be held to a higher standard, and must teach children bodily autonomy, the ability to say ‘no’ and safety, not confusing messages endorsing unwanted genital touching,’”…Read more