Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence Education For People with Disabilities and Agencies Who Assist Them

Untold Stories is TACID’s program for people who experience both a disability and domestic violence.  TACID plans with other agencies in Tacoma a workshop twice a year.  The next workshop will be in October.  In addition, the Domestic Violence Coordinator does staff trainings at least four times/year.  Agencies working together to plan and present this educational program for people with disabilities include the City of Tacoma Human Rights and Human Services, the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center Division of Developmental Disabilities, Goodwill Industries, Pierce County Aging and Long-Term Care, the Sexual Assault Center of Pierce County, Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities, the Washington Protection and Advocacy System, and the YWCA of Pierce County.

Untold Stories has been an event held at TACID, and funded by the City of Tacoma, since 2001.  It has been working with a minimal budget, including small donations in-kind from the organizations connected with planning the programs.  In each of the last 3 years, 4 staff trainings have been held.  These have been trainings in cooperation with the YWCA’s 30 hour training for people who are working with domestic violence issues.

In general, 2 or 3 educational workshops have been held during the year.  We try to reach people with all kinds of disability:  mobility, agility, hearing, vision, speech, mental health, cognitive, learning, developmental, and drug and alcohol dependence.  We have also tried to reach people in different age groups, including youth and the elderly.  Emphasis in these workshops has been on safety planning, and how to remove barriers to getting help.  Currently, the planning committee is putting the finishing touches on an Untold Stories workshop for May 17th, 2007, which will involve a presentation of “In Her Shoes” facilitated by the YWCA, and a Keynote address by Cathy Hoog. Cathy’s address will focus on the issues that make getting services tricky, and how to get the best support possible from the services that exist.  

The committee which plans these workshops consists of people with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence, and representatives from the City of Tacoma Human Rights and Human Services, the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, Goodwill Industries, Pierce County Aging and Long-Term Care, the Sexual Assault Center of Pierce County, the Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities, the Washington Protection and Advocacy System, and the YWCA of Pierce County.