FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 5, 2006  

Conference to Raise Awareness About Domestic Violence  

Miami—Over 180 concerned community members will learn how to respond to a client, co-worker or family member who may be a victim of domestic volence on Friday, October 6 at a conference organized by the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council of Greater Miami (DVSAC), Women's Fund of Miami-Dade and Advocate Center for Training and Treatment (ACTT).   

Member organizations of DVSAC are taking the lead to convene Miami-Dade service agencies, non-profit organizations, community centers, schools and health care providers—groups who, in the course of their work, come in contact with victims of domestic violence and have little access to vital information. The conference will heighten their ability to directly respond and make referrals when a victim discloses that she or he has experienced domestic violence. 

“The response from the community has been tremendous,” explained Claudia Kitchens, Executive Director of Women's Fund of Miami-Dade and DVSAC Chair. “There is clearly a vital need to inform the community about how to recognize the warning signs of domestic violence and then offer the correct referral.”  

The conference, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Florida International University’s Graham Center, 11200 SW 8th Street, from 8:30am - 12:00pm on Friday October 6. For more information, call Women's Fund of Miami-Dade at (305) 441-0506. 

The Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council of Greater Miami  is a multi-disciplinary community council who are working collaboratively to improve the coordination and delivery of services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The Council operates under shared core values of collaboration, information sharing, networking, participation and finding solutions. 

Throughout Women’s Fund’s 13 year history of grant making, the organization has supported more than 150 unique projects across the county. Recognizing that grant making alone does not address systemic inequities, Women’s Fund has organized numerous trainings and conferences to address the root causes of gender inequality.

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