Summer 2018

Serving: East Windsor, Enfield, Somers, Stafford, Suffield, Windsor Locks

Summer 2018

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly,

The Network’s newsletter is now exclusively

available by email and on our website. Thank you

to everyone for helping us reduce paper waster.

www.thenetworkct.org

How to Recognize Emotional Abuse 19 questions that help identify this type of domestic violence

By domesticshelters.org

It’s a common and damaging myth—without bruises, cuts, broken bones, bandages or a black eye, it’s not really abuse. Yet being controlled, feeling scared or being forcefully isolated are just some of the markers of emotional abuse, a very real and prevalent type of intimate partner violence.

Emotional abusers prey on a victim’s self-esteem and emotional abuse is often a precursor to physical abuse. But, emotional abuse can also exist on its own, meaning you may be abused and never have a visible injury to show for it.

To identify if what you’re experiencing is emotional abuse, ask yourself the following questions: Does your partner …. … put you down, embarrass or shame you? … call you names? … ignore you? … demand to know where you are every minute? … treat you as inferior? … purposefully embarrass you, often times in front of others? … not allow you to make decisions? … rarely validate your opinions? … threaten you? … tell you that you’re crazy? … belittle your accomplishments, aspiration or plans? … forbid you from talking to or seeing you friends, family or coworkers? … keep you from sleeping? … accuse you of cheating or is possessively jealous? … cheat on you and then blame you for his or her behavior? … tell you that you will never find anyone better? … repeatedly point out your mistakes? … attempt to control what you wear? … threaten to hurt you, your children, your family or your pets?

Both men and women can be victims of emotional abuse. In a study by the National Institutes of Health, with 250 participants that ranged from age 18 to 61, researchers studied four aspects of emotional abuse in intimate partner relationships: isolation, sexual abuse, property damage and degradation.

Women experienced the highest rates of isolation (restricting a person’s contact with family and friends or physically confining a person) and property damage, which is considered symbolic violence as well as a tool of financial control and abuse.

The study also found that younger people were more likely to experience emotional abuse than older people, and men’s overall risk of emotional abuse may be increasing as a result of evolving gender roles, like men as homemakers and women as the breadwinner.

The Toll on Your Health Experts and advocates agree that emotional abuse does not magically go away over time and that people experiencing it should think about it in the same way as physical abuse. That is to say, it tends to get worse if left unaddressed and just like physical violence, the effects of emotional abuse can last a lifetime and impact your health. The effects you may notice on your health from living with emotional abuse can include: Feelings of worthlessness, low self-esteem Inability to trust Anxiety Depression Digestion issues Insomnia Chronic headaches Suicidal thoughts or attempts

If you’re experiencing emotional abuse, talk to someone today. You’re not alone. The Network’s hotline operates 24 hours a day at

860.763.4542.

Save-the-Date:

The Network’s premier fundraiser event will be held on Friday,

November 2nd at a NEW location, Maneeley’s in South

Windsor, CT. Cost to attend is $75.00 per person and includes a

wine and beer tasting provided by Joe’s Fine Wine & Spirits, an

array of fine foods and desserts, a champagne raffle with a chance

to win a hidden gem from Swede’s Jewelers as well as fabulous

silent and called auction items. Sponsor opportunities are

available. Visit our website for more information at

www.thenetworkct.org.

For a full listing of upcoming events, view our events calendar

on our website at www.thenetworkct.org

Back to School Program

The Network’s Back to School Program provides back to school supplies and clothing for our clients’ children ages 5 through 15. If you would like to sponsor a child, please contact Annalisa at 860.763.7430 ext. 305 or email Annalisa@thenetworkct.org. If you are unable to sponsor a child, you can still help by donating new school supplies. Donations can be dropped off in our office at

139 Hazard Avenue, Building 3 Monday-Friday.

Items Needed:

Pencils * Erasers * Backpacks * Crayons * Pens * Colored Pencils * Pencil Sharpeners * Rulers * Notebooks * Binders * Dividers * Lunch Boxes * Juice Boxes * Snacks * Loose Leaf Lined Paper * Construction Paper * Index Cards * Ice Packs * Book Covers * Hand Sanitizer * Markers * Poster Board * Water Bottles * Pocket Folders * Toothbrush/Toothpaste * Pocket Size Tissue Packs * NEW Clothing for Children ages 5 through 15 * NEW shoes or sneakers for Children ages 5 through 15

Page 2 Summer 2018

The journey between

who you once were

and who you are now

becoming is where the

dance of life really

takes place.

Barbara DeAngelis

Ways to give Our mission is made possible by the

generosity of individuals, businesses and

foundations. The following are ways you

can help us continue to strive toward a

violence free society:

● Send a check or make an online credit card

donation at www.thenetworkct.org.

● Inquire at your employment about a

matching gift program.

● Participate in our monthly wish list

program by dropping off new and unused

items for Julie’s Safe House.

● Sponsor or attend one or more of our

fundraising events.

● Name The Network in your will or

memorial donations.

● Drop off used clothing in the Charities of

Hope collection bin at Asnuntuck Community

College and we receive a check.

● Shop for all your Amazon products from

Amazon Smile and they send us a donation.

Use the following link to select The Network as

your charity. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/22

-2670688

● Donate through your employment. Many

employers offer donor designation programs.

Select The Network as your charity of choice.

● Drop off old cell phones and small

electronics in the Cellular Recycler box outside

of our main office and they send us a

donation.

Thank you to Girl Scout Troop #10725 from Ellington, CT for the donation of delicious Girl Scout cookies. Pictured are Katie, Fiona and Laurel with the iconic cookies. Thank you to Girl Scout Troop #10768 from Enfield, CT for sponsoring a donation drive. We are very grateful for all the wonderful supplies you collected for Julie’s safe house. Pictured are Payten, Ashley, Lauren, Alexa, Abby and Jenna.

Thank you to Liberty Mutual employees Linda, Kathleen and Jeffrey, who volunteered through the Serve with Liberty campaign. Serve with Liberty is Liberty Mutual Insurance’s annual enterprise-wide day of community service program held during the first two weeks of May. Linda, Kathleen and Jeffrey spent a day mowing, raking, sweeping and performing other general yardwork tasks. The grounds at Julie’s safe house look great thanks to their hard work.

Page 3 Summer 2018

We’re here to help

Free and confidential services for individuals of domestic violence and their families include:

15 bed emergency safe house ● Support Groups

Counseling for adults and children ● Community Youth Educator

Advocacy in Enfield and Rockville Courts ● 24/7 crisis hotline 860.763.4542

The annual Dancing Thru the Decades

event to benefit The Network was held

on April 28th at the Knights of

Columbus in Enfield, CT. Pictured is

Robin Cormier, Event Organizer,

presenting Kathy Barron, CEO of The

Network with a check for $2,210.00

Thank You Robin, you and your

planning committee continue to do a

GREAT job.

AUM Aesthetics in Enfield, CT

chooses a local non-profit each month

to donate 10% of their services to.

The Network was their choice for

April. Thank you AUM Aethestics

for your generosity and commitment

to helping support local non-profit

organizations. We are very grateful.

Aetna Foundation * Aetna Employees * Kathy Anderson * Paula Anderson * Terry Antrum *

AUM Aesthetics Medical Spa * Susan Baibak * Big Y Foods Employees * Karin Buus * Charities of Hope *

Angelique Colby in Honor of her mother, Tammy Colby * Ron & Bobbi Collyer * Leslie Cunningham *

Mirella D’Antonio * Dancing Thru The Decades * Gina Marie Dewey * Marina Dubovyy * Ellington Women’s

Club * Enfield Food Shelf * Joanne Fealy * First Church of Christ Congregational * Girl Scout Troop

#10725 * Girl Scout Troop #10768 * Deb Gish * David & Gretchen Goyette * Greater Hartford

Association of Realtors * Margaret Guyette * Andrew Hall * Diane Hamm * Atty. Bonnie Kumiega * Jeff

LaFrance * Laureate Theta Beta Sigma Phi * Michael Lessard in Memory of Colin Murphy * Deborah Matusko

* Linda McCabe * Jeannie Newman * North Central District of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs of

Connecticut * Linda Redinger * Carol Robinson * Greg Schoorens in Honor of his mother, Cathy Schoorens

* Smith Brothers Insurance * Somers Women’s Club * St. Marianne Cope Parish * St. Peter’s Episcopal

Church * Elsie Stolle * Suffield High School Giraffe Club * Suffield Woman’s Club * Victoria’s Secret, Enfield

Location * XL Caitlin * Eydie Zive

If we neglected to mention your name or organization we apologize!

Thank you!

Recent Cash and In-Kind Donations

Thank you!

Recent Foundation and Grant Donations

Amiel P. Zak

Public Service Fund

Hartford Foundation

for Public Giving

Anonymous No. 46

Fund