Blog 18: 2 Hour Meeting Answer 3

1.     What is the best awareness tool that can be use to reduce the risk of being abused in an intimate partner relationship?

2.     One of the best awareness tools that can reduce you risk of being abused is to set healthy boundaries with your partner.

3.      “Healthy boundaries means knowing and understanding what your limits are.” This summarizes what healthy boundaries doin a relationship and why they are important. “ When you set healthy boundaries, you are naming your limits.” Right from the beginning of the relationship you are able to tell your partner what is and is not okay. You know how far you want to go and what you are ready for. “When you have healthy boundaries, you make self-care a priority” This means that you put yourself and you feeling first. You are aware of your emotions and can set time aside for yourself

4.     10 Ways to Build and Preserve Better Boundaries by Margarita Tartakovsky

5.     I hope to talk to case managers and psychologists at House of Ruth to get their insight on what healthy boundaries can do in a relationship and how not having them can lead to abuse. 

Blog 17: Fourth Interview Questions

1. What is the best awareness tool that can be used to reduce the risk of being abused in an intimate partner relationship?
2. How does communication play a role in an unhealthy, abusive relationship?
3. Why don't victims say "no" or stick up for themselves in the beginning stages of abuse?
4. If my first answer to my EQ was 'knowing warning signs' and my potential second answer is 'communication' what would another risk reducing factor be?
5. How can the cycle of violence be broken before entering a relationship?
6. In what ways can a victim or potential victim help their partner with getting help before abuse starts?
7. What is the difference between a healthy and unhealthy relationship?
8. What is one thing a healthy relationship has that an abusive one doesn't?
9. Besides any sort of abuse, what is one thing an unhealthy relationship has that a healthy one doesn't have?
10. What are the dangers of confronting your partner about their abusive behavior?
11. How can we make people realize how big of an issue domestic violence is within our communities?
12. How can we get girls/ (guys) to understand this is not okay?
13. How does someones insecurity affect the chance of them being abused?
14. How can self esteem in victims be raised?
15. How can talking about past relationships with your new partner help to try and prevent past issues?
16. If someone told their new partner they used to be abusive but have received help, should the partner stay and give them a chance or leave right away?
17. What are some healthy boundaries a couple could set when getting into a relationship?
18. If you do stay with someone who used to be an abuser but has gotten help, what is a sign that they are going back to their old ways?
19. What are some mental emotions you see with victims in abusive relationships?
20. Why is domestic violence so underrated?

Blog 16: 2-Hour Meeting Answer #2

1.     What is the best awareness tool that can be used to reduce the risk of being abused in an intimate partner relationship?

2.     The second answer to my essential question is having good communication.

3.     Good communication can help in preventing the different types of abuse because when a couple has good communication they can tell each other when something is bothering one another and try to figure out a way to fix it. With good communication, both partners feel equal because they can express themselves for who they are and how they feel without the other being angry, or one person feeling superior. Also, with good communication, a couple feels comfortable with telling each other what they feel comfortable with or things they are not okay with doing. Talking positively about issues can help prevent fights from escalating, which in abusive relationships, lead to danger.

4.     Wiley, Angela. "Connecting as a Couple: Communication Skills for Healthy Relationships." NCSU. The Forum for Family and Consumer Issues, 2007. Web. 31 Jan. 2013. <http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2007/v12-n1-2007-spring/wiley/fa-11-12

5.     I plan to continue my study for answer 2 by doing more research on communication and healthy couples. I think this is a good answer because a lot of characteristics abusers have, have to do with power and control and by having good communication, each partner in the relationship feels equal and each partners feelings matter. No one is more important. 

Independent Component 2 Approval

1.       Write a description of what you plan on doing for you independent study component.

I am going to continue my service learning and do an extra 30 hours for just the independent component. I will need a lot of good information about risk reducing and prevention when figuring out what my next answers to my EQ will be. My mentor is perfect for this because her position at House of Ruth is prevention coordinator. 

2.       Describe in detail how you think your plan will meet the 30 hours work requirement.

Well since I am just continuing my service learning, I will be doing the same thing I do now. Making copies, filing, being involved in events and fundraisers put together by House of Ruth  and helping my mentor with anything else she needs. I will meet the 30 hours by going to her office more times in a week and staying for longer so I can get the component finished.

3.       How does your independent study component relate to your working eq?

My mentor always gives me plenty of information and answers any questions I have about my senior topic so since I will be working with her a lot for these hours she can help me with answering my eq and giving me more ideas on what my second answer could be.