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By: Cheyenne Taylor  This past Thursday, we were given the opportunity to celebrate being selected as a finalist by the remarkable women of Impact 100 Indy. Our agency is so fortunate to have been a part of this experience. We were chosen out of many great organizations to be a finalist for the Impact 100 Change Maker Grant.
At Impact 100 Indy’s Rock the Boat event, we were able to hear about the other amazing organizations that were selected as finalists and from the grand prize winner of the grant, Neighborlink Indianapolis, and learn more about the Impact 100 Indy organization and their impact on our communities. To be in a room with so many people looking to make a positive impact on our community has left us in awe. We were also pleasantly surprised with a certificate as a finalist and were given the opportunity to share how we have been able to save even more pet and human lives thanks to Impact 100’s award to our agency. Thank you to the other finalists and the winner for inspiring us to continue in our endeavors and for being the change we wish to see in the world. Thank you, Impact 100, for giving us all the space to share our passions, our visions and positively impact our communities. With an organization like Impact 100 Indy in our community, we know that so many people’s lives will improve and so many lives will be positively impacted due to their work. We are grateful to be one of many organizations that have felt that positive impact. By: Cheyenne Taylor Purple Thursday is a cardinal day in Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Today we wear purple to help spread awareness about domestic violence and the free services available to survivors. By wearing purple, we stand in solidarity with victims of domestic violence. We are encouraging everyone to participate and help raise awareness! Post a photo wearing purple on October 21st and add #PurpleThurday to spread awareness and to show your support. Together we can show survivors they are not alone.
By: Kaylee Kriese  In the spirit of the cooler weather and the oncoming holiday season, we want to encourage everyone to practice some much-needed self-care. If you’re not feeling excited about self-care, this is for you. Oftentimes, the people who are opposed to the concept of self-care need it the most. We get it; you’re busy. Between the days getting shorter and your list of to-dos getting longer, we know that it’s all too easy not to schedule a time to take a moment and breathe. Below you will find some fall-themed self-care ideas just for you!
There are a million ways to practice self-care, especially in 2021; find what works for you. Some days, it will feel impossible to take even five minutes for yourself. Despite all this, keep pushing forward and working towards your goals. We know it’s hard to put yourself first but take the time to set some boundaries. Enjoy the coffee, put on a sweater, and maybe even do some deep breathing. We promise you’ll feel better for it. By: Kaylee Kriese  Complex PTSD is a condition that survivors of abuse might experience as they heal and recover from trauma. It is defined by the National Domestic Violence Hotline as “layers of psychological, emotional, verbal or physical abuse [that] compound, never allowing the mind to catch a break to properly process and heal the trauma from one traumatic event before there is another.”[1] This often happens with domestic violence victims because, as we’ve seen time and time again, abuse is often a repeated offense.
Those who are actively experiencing complex PTSD may respond to triggers of abuse in various ways, from ignoring the problem to becoming irritable without knowing why. They may even experience dissociation, panic attacks, all-consuming flashbacks, nightmares, or hypervigilance.[1] Beacon of Hope Crisis Center has focused much of our attention on helping survivors address these issues. We offer counseling and referrals for mental health needs. Speaking with a trained professional can truly make a difference in the healing process. We also encourage caring for your physical and mental needs. Our blog explores a variety of ways to practice self-care. Be kind to yourself. Unlock your creativity. Accept and acknowledge your feelings. The list goes on. While these are critical steps one must take in healing, we know that when you hear the same thing said in the same way too much, it gets repetitive. It loses its meaning. So, this October, we want to remind anyone reading this that we know your story is unique to you alone, and no one can understand what you’ve been through better than you. Still, we are here to help you through any trauma you may be experiencing, especially as topics of domestic violence surface to the forefront of our minds on social media this month. We’ve said it time and time again: healing is not one-size-fits-all. Healing is an individualistic process that takes time and effort, and it doesn’t start with us; it starts with you. At Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, we work alongside you to create a personalized map to understanding and working through feelings of self-doubt, anger, resentment, hopelessness, and heartbreak. If you or a loved one are seeking help, take the first step and call our confidential crisis line at (317) 731-6140 today. If you are in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1. [1] https://www.thehotline.org/resources/breaking-free-from-ptsd/ By: Lauren Frederick  While technology offers us a unique way to connect with our friends and family, it can also be used by abusers to maintain power and control. This is recognized as digital abuse and is a form of abuse that is often perpetrated online or with the use of electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, computers, security systems, etc.
What exactly is digital abuse? According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, “digital abuse is the use of technology and the Internet to bully, harass, stalk, intimidate, or control a partner.” They also describe it as “a form of verbal or emotional abuse conducted online.” This can be conducted on any social media platform and through texts, calls, and emails. It can envelop your life as digital abuse gives abusers a platform to conduct abuse any time of the day, especially when considering the fact that 79% of Americans spend an average of more than three hours on their phone daily. What does digital abuse look like? Digital abuse comes in many forms. It can include limiting or monitoring a victim’s online activity, including who they follow, message, the posts and content they engage with, and location tracking. It can also involve unwanted messages or posts that are “negative, insulting, or threatening.” Threats might also be made online where the abuser is “sending, requesting, or pressuring you to send unwanted explicit photos,” videos, or sexts. This can lead to blackmailing, which is meant to harm a victim’s reputation, employment options, etc. In some cases, the abuser will create fake social media profiles to impersonate or harass a victim. Another aspect of digital abuse is cyberstalking, a form of stalking in which the abuser uses electronic devices, online activity, and location monitoring to make a victim feel fearful. Abusers might find information about location on apps like Snapchat or “Find My Phone.” They can also find this information through apps with poor security, GPS trackers, cameras, speakers, microphones, and spyware. This behavior is threatening and can make a victim feel like there is no escape. Cyberstalking is intrusive and can impact every area of a victim’s life. What should I do if I am experiencing digital abuse? One of the first steps you should take when experiencing digital abuse is securing all your social media accounts by changing your passwords and utilizing two-factor authorization. Next, investigate your settings and clean up the clutter. You can turn off location sharing on your device, disable Bluetooth when you are not using it, and delete any apps or programs that are not being used. To learn more, speak with a Victim Advocate to complete a personalized safety plan. If you or someone you know is experiencing digital abuse and you would like to talk to an advocate at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, call our free and confidential crisis line at (317) 731-6140. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. By: Kaylee Kriese  If you’ve been on social media lately, we are hopeful that you have seen plenty of posts about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Perhaps you’ve been acquainted with domestic violence before. Many people have. In general, if you or a loved one haven’t experienced abuse in a relationship, you know someone who has.
There’s a reason you see #WeStandTogether on our social media so often. For us, it’s more than a hashtag. It continues to exceed beyond a trend or another social media bandwagon to hop onto. For survivors, abuse is incredibly isolating. It leaves them feeling separated from their loved ones and spiraling in guilt, fear, and self-hatred. One of the most common tactics of abusers is to perpetuate the “us vs. them” fallacy, and for a while, it may feel to the victims that their abusers are the only person they have for companionship. Even so, we know that in toxic relationships, this feeling never lasts. Victims of abuse are somehow always the ones left feeling powerless, wanting, and alone. When our advocates champion #WeStandTogether, it is because we never want survivors to feel alone. Our goal is that from this point on, you will forever know that you have a team offering support without judgement. With the dedication of the entire month to domestic violence awareness, we hope that this is especially apparent, not just from our advocates but from other nonprofits, groups, or individuals out there who stand with survivors. Today, on Purple Thursday, we wear purple, a color of peace, courage, survival, and honor, as one unified front.[1] We post because we know that only when we stand together can we all work to help survivors break free from the grip of domestic violence. With the help of our community, we will continue to save lives. Thank you to everyone who stands as an ally to survivors. [1]https://mmcenter.org/stay-informed/domestic-violence-awareness-month#:~:text=The%20color%20purple%20is%20a,end%20the%20cycle%20of%20violence. By: Savannah Tipton  The Board supports the work of Beacon of Hope Crisis Center and provides mission-based leadership and strategic governance. Each board member also makes annual personal donations, helps bring additional funding from outside donors and supports various fundraising events. We would love to add powerhouse fundraisers, HR experts, and individuals with experiences in financial governance. If you believe in the mission and vision of Beacon of Hope Crisis Center and would like to contribute your skills and talents to the growth of our agency, we have a chair for you on our Board of Directors. What's involved in being a board member?
Benefits of Being a Board Member
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About this blog
This blog is about our domestic and sexual violence crisis center, Beacon of Hope. We hope you find it full of helpful information, motivation, creativity, serious facts and positivity. We hope that it will help you know what is happening in our center, in our community and with our events. We hope you follow our blog in support of our organization and our mission. Archives
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