Choosing Peace Program
Marion Star – January 21, 2015
MARION – “Choosing Peace” is the theme of a new program introduced to the state’s largest female-only prison by Marion County’s domestic violence shelter.
Turning Point, in conjunction with the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, has launched a new program titled “Choosing Peace,” which covers the dynamics of intimate partner violence and the effects of trauma.
“This program is necessary for survivors of domestic violence, especially those in the prison environment,” said Paula Roller, Turning Point executive director, in a news release.
“The officials at ORW let us know that every woman incarcerated there either committed a crime to a man, with a man or because of a man. To me, that speaks volumes about the effects of domestic violence in society.”
The program is funded by the state and is specifically for incarcerated women. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, the vast majority of women in prison have been victims of violence prior to their incarceration including domestic violence, rape, sexual assault and child abuse.
Participants in the “Choosing Peace” program examine the violence they have experienced and their own use of force. Different techniques and methods are utilized to teach students how to identify trauma triggers and develop skills to make peaceful decisions. Topics include the effects of trauma, self-talk, boundaries and accountability.
The Ohio Reformatory for Women contains the state’s largest female population with more than 2,500 inmates, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
Turning Point is a United Way agency with support from the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. The facility offers shelter, food, clothing, transportation, community education, victims’ rights advocacy, volunteering and a 24 hour crisis line to victims in Crawford, Delaware, Marion, Morrow, Union and Wyandot counties. For information, call 740-382-8988 or 1-800-232-6505, or visit turningpoint6.org.