The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
10/3/2014 1:00:00 PM - Behavioral Health

Local Area Football and Volleyball teams are doing their part are you?  Thanks to the coordination of our Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault program in our Behavioral Health department, local area sports teams will be wearing purple socks in honor of Domestic Violence month. This is the first time in area sports history that local teams will be wearing them and you can see below what teams and what dates they will be donning them. More importantly is the message behind the movement of wearing “purple socks” and the opportunity that they will have sharing the message with the school community, family, and friends that attend the games.  We hope that you will share your support by attending all of the October events in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (please see calendar attached and post in your departments, lobby, and staff lounge) and also taking a leadership role in educating your staffs, family and children.  We as coaches in the community also have a great opportunity and a responsibility to share with our athletes what are healthy acceptable values and norms in our society.

Please read the information below.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

        Domestic and dating violence is a pattern of destructive behaviors used to gain power and control over an intimate/dating partner or spouse. The severity of intimate partner violence is often greater in cases where the pattern of abuse was established in adolescence. In fact, 1 in 3 adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.

        Nami Migizi Nangwiihgan, Domestic Violence Services of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian would like to increase awareness in our community about domestic violence and its effects on youth, as well as support those that are being victimized. Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence -- almost triple the national average.

Nami Migizi Nangwiihgan has provided three High school football teams: Mt. Pleasant, Shepherd, and Beal City with Purple socks to wear during a game in the month of October.  Mount Pleasant’s volleyball teams will also be participating.

Mt. Pleasant                             October 10, 2014                     7:00pm

Beal City High School              October 10, 2014                     7:00pm

Mt. Pleasant (Volleyball)         October 14, 2014                     5:30pm

Shepherd High School              October 17, 2014                     7:00pm

The color purple signifies their support to raise awareness to the issue of domestic and dating violence.  It is only through the support of others that we can help victims speak out and that we as a community can help end this violence. Only 33% of teens who were in a violent relationship ever told anyone about the abuse. It is time that we open the door for those victims to get the help they need. By raising awareness, we take the power and control away from the batterer and put it in the hands of the community to say enough is enough.  Please join us in our efforts to stop domestic and dating violence in our community and being a voice for a victim who may be unable to speak. 

Migwech!!!