We hope you have a wonderful summer!
The first domestic violence homicide of 2016 in America happened in Wisconsin. As of May 24 this year, the death toll of domestic violence in Wisconsin alone rests at 20 victims and 5 abusers, for a total of 25 lives lost. That is a life lost every 5.8 days. A quarter of victims were age 18 or under. If the trend continues, that will be at least 63 lives lost in our state this year due to domestic violence. As some of you know 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 a purple wreath to the lamppost in front of Hope House. We turn on the light for a week every time there is a death related to domestic violence in Wisconsin. We 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.
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
- Bathrooms: Toilet bowl cleaner, Toilet paper, Deodorant, Disposable razors, Body spray and makeup, Small garbage cans with bags, Nail clippers, Cleaning supplies such as Lysol disinfecting spray and floor cleaner, Clorox wipes, Hairspray, Bleach, Bathroom rugs and bath mats
- Kitchen: Paper towels, Ziploc bags, Strainer/Colander, Silverware, Tupperware, Small mason jars, Dishwasher soap, 13-Gallon garbage bags, Brush for cleaning bottles, Sip cups, Saran wrap, Aluminum foil
- Food and Beverages: Meat, Fresh fruit and vegetables, Yogurt, Cheese, Canned soup, Snack items (crackers, granola bars, etc.), Fruit juice, Milk
- Laundry: Laundry detergent, Dryer sheets, Fabric softener sheets
- Clothing for Women and Kids: Socks, Women’s underwear, Medium-Large size pajamas, New sweatshirts and sweatpants
- Misc: New pillows, Diapers (especially sizes 4-6) and pull-ups, DVD or BluRay player, Vacuum, New white full/twin bed sheets, Double stroller, Baby wipes, Band-Aids, Pocket-sized calendars, Baby bottles, Umbrellas, Hangers, Weather radio, Journals, Exercise balls, Yoga/exercise DVDs, 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.
News and Research
Sexual Assault
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Domestic Violence
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- Woodstock’s Girls-Only Dress Code Assembly Prompts Backlash: “According to Taylor, a teacher ‘explained to the school’s girls that when they don’t comply with the school’s dress code, they are distracting the boys from being able to learn. She said that when they wear short skirts, the boys hide under the stairs to look up them.’ That’s a damaging message, Taylor said, because it blames girls for wearing outfits that distract their male peers, rather than holding boys accountable for their behavior”…Read more
- Why Public Health Scholars Should Study Pornography: “We also found that adolescent dating abuse victimization was associated with more frequent pornography use, viewing pornography in the company of others and being asked to perform a sexual act that a partner saw in pornography. Approximately 50 percent of dating abuse victims and 32 percent of nonvictims reported that they had been asked to engage in a sexual act that their partner saw in pornography, and 58 percent of all youth who were asked did not feel happy to have been asked”…Read more
Miscellaneous News
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- Timothy Christensen, 37, of Portage, is being held on a $10,000 cash bond after a new criminal charge violating probation and rules of the sex offender registry…Read more
- Heather Mead, 33, of New Lisbon, faces one count of physical abuse of a child – intentionally cause bodily harm…Read more
- Derrick Milton, 45, of Reedsburg, faces four counts of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl on multiple occasions in 2006…Read more
- Jeremy Clark, 32, of Union Center, is charged with physical abuse of a infant – repeater…Read more
- John Henning, 43, of Endeavor, reached a deal with prosecutors Tuesday in which he will spend the next two years on probation for making sexual advances and requesting explicit photos of a girl, even after she told him she was 15…Read more
- Adam Walsh, 32, of Portage, scheduled to go on trial for repeated sexual assault of a child, denied bond reduction…Read more
- Raymond Crowe, 26, of Portage, charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, two counts of child enticement and one count of child sexual exploitation, has been sentenced to 23 years in the Wisconsin prison system…Read more
- Kenneth Olson, 26, of Wisconsin Dells, has been charged with one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, along with a separate count of exposing a child to harmful material after sending nude photos to a minor…Read more
- Jermayne Webley, 27, of Baraboo, has been charged with four felony counts of child pornography possession…Read more
- Zachary Dempsey, 31, of Wonewoc, has been charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography…Read more
- Timothy McCracken II, 24, of Mauston, faces charges of strangulation and suffocation domestic abuse, misdemeanor battery domestic abuse repeater and disorderly conduct domestic abuse repeater…Read more
- When Kids are Bullied, What Can Parents Do?: “When kids make it home after school, don’t limit the conversation to academics and classmates. ‘Ask how it’s going on social media, not just ‘how’s school,’ Koss advises. ‘If parents are proactive, it’s easier to respond when bullying happens,’ she added. Pre-emption also means modeling civil behavior and sound relationships, so that kids don’t accept rudeness and aggression as acceptable social conduct”…Read more
- This Text Line is Helping Teens Talk about Mental Health without Saying a Word: “That text was the catalyst for Crisis Text Line, a mental health-based text messaging support line geared toward teens in the U.S., founded in August 2013. Over the past three years, users of the text line have exchanged nearly 7.5 million text messages with volunteer Crisis Text Line counselors”…Read more
- White House Sends Schools Guidance On Transgender Access To Bathrooms: “The Obama administration issued guidance to schools Friday, saying they must allow transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity. The administration acknowledges this is ‘new terrain’ for some people and says it wants to help school districts avoid running afoul of civil rights laws…In practical terms, there are a variety of different obligations that school districts have, including responding promptly and effectively if a transgender student is harassed, safeguarding transgender students' privacy and using proper pronouns. The main question seems to be about bathrooms or locker rooms”…Read more
Webinar: Guiding Principles for Working with Older Victims of Abuse: In commemoration of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (observed annually on June 15), the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence is hosting a webinar on June 10 from 2-3:30pm to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect experienced by older persons and the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect. This webinar will highlight National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life’s guiding principles to help victim service providers better serve older adults victims of abuse. To learn more and to register, click here.