Lantern Project: 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. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.

We are not aware of an obituary at this time. If we become made aware of one, we will add it here. 

News Story: "A West Allis woman was charged with homicide Tuesday in the fatal shooting of her live-in boyfriend at their house last week.Investigators said Brittany S. Baier, 28, admitted to fatally shooting Terrance J. Tucker, 27, following an argument. Baier initially lied about the shooting, telling investigators that an intruder killed Tucker and tied her up, police said. She later said Tucker, the father of her 1-year-old son, had beaten her shortly before the shooting.

Police initially responded to the couple's house near S. 88th St. and W. Arthur Ave. after Tucker's mother reported her son missing. Before police arrived at the house to check on Tucker, Baier also reported him missing"...Read more

News Story: "MILWAUKEE COUNTY -- 18-year-old Alex Dixon, one of two men charged in connection with the murder of 15-year-old Melanie Johnson was in court Tuesday, December 27th for his preliminary hearing...According to the criminal complaint, police were called to a home near 35th and Silver Spring shortly before 6:00 p.m. on December 12th. They found the victim, Melanie Johnson, 'laying in the hallway.' She was pronounced deceased within a half-hour.

Relatives say Johnson, a student at Marshall High School was standing in her kitchen when bullets came in through the window and hit her. A relative said Johnson went into the kitchen to get her infant nephew when the shots were fired.

The medical examiner performed an autopsy -- and indicated Johnson suffered two gunshot wounds 'fired from an indeterminate range.'
​
The complaint goes on to say a cousin of Johnson stated that Johnson's brother had 'been having a 'beef' with another group of guys from 34th and Silver Spring. This group goes by the name 'Slutty Boyz.' The cousin said 'the problem started when (Johnson's brother) started dating a girl that has a child with a 'Slutty Boy' named Alex'"...Read more

Lantern Project: 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. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.

We are unaware of an obituary for Anthony Sanders at this time. If we become aware of one, we will post it here.

News Story: "A Milwaukee woman was charged with killing her half-brother, Anthony Sanders, on December 10. Aquino Boyd was charged with second degree reckless homicide. According to the criminal complaint, Boyd told police her and Tony were drinking vodka the night of his death. Her and Tony argued and he yelled at her to leave the apartment. He grabbed her wrist, and she allegedly told police she remembered hitting Tony in the left side of the head with a vodka bottle. According to the criminal complaint, Aquino allegedly told police she didn’t intend to kill him. She then ran to the neighbor and told them to call 911 because Tony was not breathing. CBS 58 viewers might remember Anthony Sanders from a special Christmas party held last year. It was hosted by folks who adopted a homeless person and secured a hotel stay for them over the holiday. Anthony was the life of the party with Reindeer ears and a bright green shirt. He was never one to feel sorry for himself. He wanted to make sure everybody was having a good time. The following month, CBS 58 cameras were rolling when Anthony was evicted from his makeshift living quarters under a bridge in downtown Milwaukee. Even then Anthony thought of others, saying he just hoped others would not face his same fate. In recent months, Anthony had secured housing"...Read more

Obituary: "James T. Bacon, age 49, of Cameron, WI died Thursday, December 15, 2016 in Cameron. Jim was born on February 14, 1967 in Appleton, WI to Robert and Betty Bacon.  He attended Southwest High School in Green Bay, WI and entered the United States Army and was honorably discharged. Jim was married to Lisa Monson on May 22, 2002 in Sturgeon Bay, WI. He liked to hike, kayak, and fish, builds things and participated in survivalist activities"...Read more

News Story: "A rural Cameron man apparently killed himself after a standoff with Barron County authorities on Thursday. James Bacon, 49, died during the incident east of Cameron, according to the Barron County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities were called to a motor home at 4:43 p.m. after a complaint from Bacon’s wife, who said she was held against her will by her husband, who had a handgun, for several hours Wednesday night. Deputies responded to 2165 U.S. 8 where Bacon informed officers by phone that he had a handgun and was not going to go to jail. He also made threats to blow up the motor home he had been staying in"...Read more

Lantern Project: 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. We know the list of stories we post here is incomplete. We strive to learn about and share these stories but know that there are some that we and the media miss. If you see a news story of a death in WI related to domestic violence and don't see it posted here, please feel free to let us know about it here. Thank you.

There is no obituary at this time. If we become aware of one, we will post it here.

News Story: "JUNEAU — Three people from Fox Lake face charges related to the death of Sesalie Dixon, 27. Laverne Ware Jr., 36, was charged Tuesday with hiding a corpse; while Marjorie L. Jones, 64, and Vernon L. Mickey, 59, were charged with harboring/aiding a felony. District Attorney Kurt Klomberg said that additional charges will be filed against Ware"...Read more

Welcome to the December 2016 edition of Hope House's Community Education E-bulletin!

Free Screening of The Mask You Live In on Monday in Baraboo
How do stereotypes about masculinity affect not only boys and men in America, but also our society at large, and what actions can we all take to promote healthy masculinity? Join us to discuss this powerful question through a free screening of The Mask You Live In, a documentary by The Representation Project, sponsored by Hope House and the UW-Baraboo/Sauk County PRIDE Club. The trailer for the film can be viewed below. The screening and post-film discussion will be held Monday, December 5th from 4-6pm in the RG Brown Theater on the UW-Baraboo/Sauk County campus. All are welcome, but please note that the film contains mature topics (such as sex, violence, drugs, and alcohol). Common Sense Media recommends the film for ages 15 and older. 
One lucky attendee will receive a $10 KwikTrip card! Questions can be directed to Nola Pastor at Hope House at 608-356-9123 or preventcoord@hopehousescw.org. We hope to see you there! 

​Holiday Giving
Around the holidays, people often ask what gift items they can donate to Hope House for the people we work with. Here is our holiday wish list:

• -For Children and Teens: board games, arts and craft supplies, pajamas, slippers, jewelry, candy or chocolate, sports balls, winter outdoor toys and activities, gloves or mittens, socks, family-friendly DVDs and toys
• -For Adults: area spa certificates, Walmart gift cards, gas cards, bathrobes, slippers, bath products, manicure/pedicure sets, coffee or tea, calendars or weekly planners, journals, gloves or mittens, socks and underwear 

​Please note that all items should be donated unwrapped. You may donate wrapping paper if you would like parents to be able to wrap the presents for their children.

New Support Group Starting in Portage
Has domestic violence or sexual abuse touched your life in some way? Do you seek connections with supportive individuals who have similar life experiences as you? Please join Hope House advocate Katie on the first and third Friday of the month for support group from 1-2pm at the Portage Library. For more information, call Hope House at 608-356-7500 or 1-800-584-6790.

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 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; our most needed items are bolded:

• Bathrooms: Liquid hand soap, Full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner, Full-size toothpaste and toothbrushes, Full-size bottles of body wash and shaving cream, Toilet bowl cleaner, Toilet paper, Deodorant, Disposable razors, Small garbage cans with bags, Nail clippers, Cleaning supplies such as Lysol disinfecting spray, Windex, and floor cleaner, Clorox wipes, Hairspray, Bleach, Bathroom rugs
• Kitchen: Paper towels, Ziploc bags, 13-Gallon garbage bags, Coffee, Blender, Strainer/Colander, Silverware, Tupperware, Dishwasher soap, Brush for cleaning bottles, Sip cups, Saran wrap, Aluminum foil
• Food and Beverages: Cereal, Fruit juice, Meat, Fresh fruit and vegetables, Yogurt, Cheese, Canned soup, Snack items (crackers, granola bars, etc.), Eggs, Milk, Coffee
• Laundry: Laundry detergent
• Clothing for Women and Kids: New socks, especially sizes 2T-4T, New women’s underwear, New medium-large size pajamas, New pajamas and clothes for kids 9-12 months, New sweatshirts and sweatpants
• Misc: Markers and glue sticks, Alarm clock, D batteries, Swiffer mop, New pillows, New full-sized fitted white sheets, Diapers (especially size 5) and pull-ups, Journals, Vacuum, Double stroller, Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Pocket-sized calendars, Baby bottles, Umbrellas, Exercise balls, Relaxation CDs, Baby thermometer, CD players, Regular light bulbs

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 hivebiz@centurytel.net.

Domestic Violence

• 10 Tips to Have an Informed Conversation about Domestic Violence:  Check out the 10 tips from National Network to End Domestic Violence here.
  
• Conference Examines Role of Restorative Justice in Domestic Violence: “When it comes to using it in domestic violence cases, supporters say the practice provides direct victim-survivor involvement, accountability to a perpetrator and an alternative to the unilateral position that a woman in an abusive relationship should always leave. Critics say it could downplay the hurt and harm experienced by the victim and possibly re-victimize”…Read more​
• Domestic Abuse Killings Climb as Murders Drop, Frustrating New York Officials
• National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women Helps Free Ramona Brant: “Ramona Brant will never forget what injustice means because she lived it by serving 21 years in prison. In 1995, after Ramona was arrested with her abusive boyfriend, a drug dealer, she was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Even though there were a series of police reports that documented and there were family members who could testify about the violent abuse Ramona suffered from her boyfriend, the jury never heard a word about the abuse she endured, how she feared him, and how she was one of his victims, not a co-conspirator…NCDBW staff reached out to Ramona’s most recent attorneys and asked if they would work on her clemency petition. Working pro bono, they did an incredible job on her behalf that resulted in Ramona having her sentence commuted by President Obama”…Read more​​
• FIU's Jonnu Smith Out for Season after Suffering Multiple Burns: “Florida International senior tight end Jonnu Smith will miss the remainder of the season after police say his girlfriend poured boiling water on him, causing burns to multiple parts of his body. According to an arrest affidavit, Smith, an NFL draft prospect, suffered severe burns on his head, neck, back, a shoulder and an arm. Mary Gaspar has been charged with felony aggravated battery”…Read more​

Miscellaneous

• Gender-Based Violence: Not Just About Gender: “This month, you will likely hear that 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence, but you may not hear that over 92 percent of homeless mothers have experienced severe physical and/or sexual abuse. You might hear that 1 in 5 women will become a victim of rape, but you may not hear that for women with disabilities, the risk is much higher — that 80 percent of women with disabilities have been sexually assaulted. You might hear about campus sexual assault, but you may not hear that lesbian, gay and bisexual students are three times more likely than their heterosexual peers to be sexually assaulted. You might hear that abusers often leverage immigration status against their victims, but you may not hear that 48 percent of Latinas report that their partners’ violence against them actually escalated after they came to the United States”…Read more
  
• Harvard Men's Soccer Season Canceled for Lewd 'Scouting Report': “Athletic director Robert L. Scalise wrote in an email to Harvard student-athletes that he decided to cancel the rest of the team's season because the practice, in which women were rated on their perceived sexual appeal and physical appearance, appeared ‘to be more widespread across the team and has continued beyond 2012, including in 2016’”…Read more
• Columbia Suspends Wrestling Team Over Lewd Texts: NYT: “Columbia made its decision after BWOG, a student news website, published several text messages last week dating back to 2014 between teammates that contained jokes about rape and the use of homophobic, racist and sexist slurs and comments”…Read more
• ​Hairdressers in Illinois Will Be Trained to Recognize Signs of Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault: “Illinois has become the first state to pass a law requiring that licensed hairdressers receive training to recognize in their clients any evidence of domestic and sexual violence, according to a local news channel, WQAD. The law, which was signed by Governor Bruce Rauner in August and takes effect on Jan. 1, 2017, is unprecedented in the salon industry”…Read more​

Local News

• Jeffrey M. Denman, 39, of Baraboo, charged with eight counts of possessing child pornography, pleaded no contest to one of those charges. The other seven were dismissed…Read more
• Heather B. Mead, 33, of New Lisbon, received two class A misdemeanors for neglecting a child after pleading no contest to both counts. Mead will receive two years probation and a fine of $465 for each offense…Read more​
• Isaac J. Thomas, 32, of St. Paul, Minnesota, charged with felony second-degree sexual assault of an unconscious victim at a Wisconsin Dells campground…Read more​
• Mistrial Granted in [Kevin] Kroener Sexual Assault of a Child Case​

​Parents' and Youth Service Providers' Section

Faith Communities' Section

Resources

• NSVRC’s Free Primary Prevention Primer (15 minutes): “This interactive learning tool introduces primary prevention through a set of activities to enhance knowledge about primary prevention. Information covered includes the Moving Upstream story, the Social Ecological Model, and an exploration of the differences between Risk Reduction and Primary Prevention”…Learn more
• The Blue Campaign: Combating Human Trafficking: "The Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign works to combat the heinous crime of human trafficking by raising awareness around the country. Created in 2010, the Blue Campaign works with law enforcement, government, non-government and private organizations to protect the basic right of freedom and bring those who exploit human lives to justice. The Blue Campaign provides free resources to educate and train professionals and the general public to recognize and report human trafficking. If you would like more information, click here."