MAHONING VALLEY Summit studies family crime

Prevention was the topic at a local domestic violence summit.
By ROSA MERCADO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Domestic violence is a crime that should be taken seriously, says Andrea Mistovich, director of Tri-County Child Advocacy Center.
Mistovich was summing up the sentiments expressed Tuesday at the Family Violence Prevention Coalition Summit at the Holiday Inn here.
Local social service and domestic violence workers discussed statistics of family violence occurring in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties.
The summit was funded by a two-year planning grant from the Anthem Foundation of Ohio. Work groups from each county collected data on family violence, then analyzed their findings and addressed prevention at the summit.
Dorothy Miller, the coalition's project coordinator, said this is the first time Anthem has funded a domestic violence prevention initiative.
"Ours is the only tri-county grant, and ours is the only grant in the Northeast, so this is a pretty phenomenal project," Miller said.
The work groups listed several goals that they will work toward achieving through the initiative, including community awareness of domestic violence.
Several attendees said many people can't define domestic abuse.
"Many women don't realize they are in a domestically violent situation until they are educated," said Anna Marie Barksdale, housing development director of Youngstown's YWCA. "Once they become educated, they realize they were victims."
Other advice
The Rev. Alfred D. Coward, a member of the Mayor's Task Force on Crime and Violence Prevention in Mahoning County, said even if a woman is not physically abused, she may be in a domestically violent situation.
He added that it's important for domestic violence workers to be properly trained to handle complicated situations involving domestic violence.
"You don't want to tell a woman, 'You're a fool for not leaving,'" the Rev. Mr. Coward said. "You have no idea what kind of situation she's in."
Miller said work groups will meet in the future to discuss each goal.
"Although Anthem is a new initiative for family violence prevention, collaboration is not new to this region," she said. "We're beginning to find out if we work together, we can make a difference."
rmercado@vindy.com