Mark Baumann will be the key note speaker at the October 20, 2010, Clallam County Domestic Violence vigil, hosted by Healthy Families of Port Angeles.
His topic will be the importance and difficulty of listening to and respecting victims of abuse. Domestic violence comes in many forms and can physical and/or emotional and can be perpetrated by men or women. Victims are often in an emotional place where they have been beaten down by their abuser and they often have a difficult time seeing their options and feeling their worth –they feel helpless. Compassionate listening is what victims need first. Only until they feel heard can they start to understand the reality of their situation. This can lead to an ability for abuse victims to start to gain a sense of mastery over their lives.