KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source | Ground broken on domestic violence center expansion

Ground broken on domestic violence center expansion

by Leyla Santiago
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- There's a lot to be done when it comes to the fight against domestic and sexual abuse in Alaska.

The Southcentral Foundation says it's committed to ending the abuse in this generation, and a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday morning for its Family Wellness Warriors Initiative puts it one step closer to the ultimate goal.

Sometimes it takes the universal language of music to tell a story. But many of the stories told here are dark tales of the past.

"There would be times I had bruises on my face, a black eye and I would have to make up a lie about what happened," child abuse survivor Rick McCafferty said.

He is still healing from a childhood filled with sexual and physical abuse.

"He would beat her in front me and then he would turn to me and say, ‘It's your fault, if you didn't come out, I wouldn't beat your mom,' and so I would feel it was my fault that mom would get beaten and I would hold her and say, ‘Mom it's OK, don't cry," McCafferty said.

But it's still hard to hold back his tears. He shares what was once a secret with the Southcentral Foundation's Family Wellness Warriors Initiative.

"A faith-based program that provides intensive education and training and we use old story-telling methods," said Bobbi Donadio, the program administrator.

The program is expanding a Midtown facility to provide culturally sensitive training and reduce abuse rates in Alaska.

And according to the staff, the statistics demonstrate the need for such a facility.

"We know that 1 in every 6 boys and 1 in every 4 girls will be sexually abused in their lifetime," Donadio said.

The wait for treatment here is three to four months.

"We go to the root of the problem -- it deals with anger, rage, alcohol, drug abuse, and even suicide," McCafferty said.

So the demand is growing and so are the program's needs -- a program with high expectations.

"The goal is to end domestic violence in this generation," McCafferty said. "Do I think it's possible? Yes, I think it's possible. Because this works"

But many stories will need to be shared in order to do away with violence, and silence the shame.

Construction for the building expansion is expected to be done in September, but there's more work to be done.

There are buildings on both sides of the offices that will also be used by the Family Wellness Warriors Initiative for training and support groups.

Contact Leyla Santiago at lsantiago@ktuu.com