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What Your Community is Doing

DELTA and Prevention | What Your Community is Doing | Resources

Below you will see a list of all known existing CCRs in ND. Get involved! Help prevent intimate partner violence in your community.

In December 2003, NDCAWS selected 6 task forces in the state as DELTA grantees. Below you will a description of the communities funded, the task forces history, and their plans for implementing the DELTA project in their community. MAP of CCRs in North Dakota.

Rural Communities

Mountrail County Community Coordinated Response Task Force

Fiscal Sponsor- Domestic Violence Program NW, ND

Stanley, ND

701-628-3233

Summer has remained a positive time for our DELTA program.

A weekly essay contest has been held throughout the summer. Students are encouraged to voice their opinions on bullying, dating violence or domestic violence. We have had a good response and the winning essays are printed in at least three area newspapers. I have heard a lot of good response from adults in the communities that they look forward to reading what the students think. Winners receive gift certificates from area ice cream parlors.

Also held weekly is a drawing contest for kids 12-years of age and younger. They are asked to draw a picture of "why it is bad to bully". The winners are displayed in a frame on the counter at the Tasty Treats so they are viewed by many. The winners also receive gift certificates from local ice cream parlors.

A group of five girls participated in making a float that was used in Parshall earlier this summer and will be used again in New Town next weekend. They threw out candies that they placed labels which included facts about violence.

Our DELTA program was also represented at Mountrail County Acheivement Days and the ND State Fair. 4-H students had entered displays on Bullying, Dating Violence, and School Safety. Entries also included PowerPoint presentions on Internet Safety, School Violence and Dating Violence. These projects will be distributed to counselors at area schools.

The display on Dating Violence earned a merit awards at the North Dakota State Fair.

I have developed two surveys that I hope to get into area schools this fall. They are created to be easier to read and have more open-ended answers. A Student Survey About Bullying addresses issues to younger students and A Student Survey About Harassment is geared toward high school students.

Area kids hosted a toy boat race down rain gutters during a summer celebration. Winners received candy bars tat had domestic violence prevention information on them.

I attended a full day of Mary Kay Mueller’s training on "The 8 Steps". She is an excellent speaker. I would like to be trained to teach her program. I also am participating in the 4-part series working with Men and Boys.

Our CCR is looking to purchase rubber bracelets that can be sold at area high schools’ athletic events. We have to buy each school’s colors and have a unique message on each. So far the ones we have found have been too expensive.

As far as cirriculum we have not selected anything yet. We also plan to host a guest speaker on internet safety this fall.

Tri-County (Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger) Task Force on Domestic Violence

Fiscal Sponsor- Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center (DVRCC)

Dickinson, ND

701-225-4506

Results of the a Rural Domestic Violence Survey that was distributed to service providers in the tri-county region revealed that addressing the prevention of domestic violence at the community level would require more than volunteer time and expertise. Although a task force has only been formed in Dunn County, representatives from Hettinger and Golden Valley counties have expressed the need for a task force to initiate activities to prevent domestic violence. Based upon survey results, identified problems, and community leaders expressed needs, the Tri-County task force plans to:

· increase awareness of prevention in Dunn County by ascertaining community impediments to peaceful families.

· identify priority populations on which to focus prevention enhancements.

· widen the scope of prevention activities by facilitating the formation of broad based community task forces in Hettinger and Golden Valley counties.

· increase the focus on prevention by facilitating 8-10 meetings annually with each task force.

Traill County Coordinated Community Response (CCR) Task Force on Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault

Fiscal Sponsor- Rape and Abuse Crisis Center (RACC)

Fargo, ND

701-788-4691 or 701-293-7273

Over the past year and a half, we have implemented the use of the domestic violence education program “I Wish the Hitting Would Stop” (more info. about this program can be viewed at www.redflaggreenflag.com) This program was presented last school year (2004-2005) to all 4^th grade students in Hatton, Central Valley, and Mayville. This year, we hope to add Hillsboro to the list. Additionally, PSAs aired last November on ABC and on the radio…challenging men to teach boys about respect and how to treat women. Also, Red Flag/Green Flag People was presented to 3^rd grade classes in each of those communities, including Hillsboro. RFGF focuses upon personal safety skills for children and teaches them to identify “good (green flag) touches” and “bad (red flag) touches.” More info. on this program can be viewed on the previously mentioned website. Finally, “Power Plays” were presented to 8^th and 10^th grade students at MayPort-C-G…focusing on the dynamics of healthy/unhealthy relationships and how to identify warning signs of an abusive relationship. This was a tremendous success because it was the first year the program was allowed in the school.

Urban Communities

Grand Forks Domestic Violence Task Force and CCR Project

Fiscal Sponsor- Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC)

Grand Forks, ND

701-746-0405

The Grand Forks DELTA Committee presently has 16 members representing a cross-section of our community, including schools, military, social services, family court, CVIC, human services and the University of North Dakota. This committee has actively been involved in the strategic prevention planning and implementation, as well as determining the priority population that is our focus. Our purpose is to prevent first-time interpersonal violence in our community. We intend to increase understanding among our target population of the qualities of healthy relationships and to increase the knowledge of area violence prevention services and resources. Our target population is to reach men and women ages 18-24, and we may expand to younger ages as the project continues.

The project is reaching out to individuals that are new recruits at our local military base and we are also accessing individuals through classes at the local university. The curriculum that is being used in our outreach effort is titled "How to Avoid Dating a Jerk(ette)". Dr. John Van Epp is the author of the curriculum that we are using. This program identifies five dynamics that create attachment (Knowledge, Trust, Reliance, Commitment and Sex), and the five crucial areas to explore in a premarital relationship (Family Background, Conscience, Compatibility Potential, Relationship Skills/Communication, Past Relationship Patterns). Additional information about this curriculum can be found on the following website – www.nojerks.com.

Cass County Family Violence and Sexual Assault Committee

Fiscal Sponsor- Rape and Abuse Crisis Center (RACC)

Fargo, ND

701-293-7273

The Cass County Family Violence and Sexual Assault Committee has existed in some form for many years. The mission of the committee has been to ensure the safety of victims and to protect their rights while holding offenders accountable as they progress through the system. It is their intention to work with young people (both male and female) to help them understand the dynamics of intimate partner violence so that they can make more healthy relationship choices. They intend to work with elementary school children, junior high, high school and college students. They will also focus their efforts on youth from refugee populations that have moved into the Cass County area. They intend to deliver messages to the general population about healthy relationships. They expect that the outcomes of our efforts will be increased knowledge of intimate partner violence, what to look for in a healthy relationship, and attitudinal changes regarding women. The Committee is conducting surveys to identify attitudes, knowledge and/or beliefs that lead to intimate partner violence and will design programming to alter those attitudes.

Bismarck- Mandan Domestic Violence Subcommittee

Fiscal Sponsor- Abused Adult Resource Center (AARC)

Bismarck, ND

701-222-8370

Efforts will be focused on marketing and launching the Positive Action curriculum in two Bismarck elementary schools. Positive Action includes a comprehensive, multi-level approach to build a climate that includes school, family and community, designed to actively promote healthy, non-violent relationships.

This primary prevention focus will produce increased awareness and knowledge of intimate partner violence and will seek to reduce the overall likelihood that anyone will become a victim or a perpetrator. The climate will create conditions that make it less likely that intimate partner violence ever occurs.