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Past Trainings

Child Protective Services, best practices in working with Domestic Violence cases.

Location:     SC Department of Archives and History:        8301 Parklane RD. Columbia SC 29223
Date:            Monday March 20th 2017
Time:            9 am: Until 4 pm:
Course Credit Hours: 3.50 Course #: 3376

This training will allow the participants to walk in a domestic violence victims shoes, experience the extremely difficult decision making process that victims have to make on a daily basis and experience the reality of these decisions.  After processing through this exercise the participants will learn about the power and control that exits within these relationships and gain an understanding of how batterers maintain their control over their victims.  Participants will also learn how working with local domestic violence victim advocates and other community advocates can assist in supporting the victims throughout the Child Protective Services process and they will gain knowledge on how using these resources can assist in keeping the child/ren and victim safe.   The case management portion of the training will allow participants to work in small groups to review cases and implement the tools they have learned during this training.  The participants will be able to demonstrate how using the tools they have learned can strengthen batterer accountability and child safety.    ​

Engaging Men in the Conversation to End Domestic Violence

An Engaging and interactive Conversation presented by Project Unity USA and REALMAD (REAL Men against Domestic Violence and Abuse), Addressing the issue of interpersonal violence against woman; and discussing the male role in eliminating that violence. Working To Re-think and Re-shape the way men view the Topic of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and to Accept Responsibility and accountability to end violence against women. Our ultimate goal is to build a community at large to help shift social norms that define manhood in our culture, and produce a national movement of men committed to ending violence against all.

Marlvis (Butch) Kennedy - Is currently employed as a Systems Engineer at SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation), where he provides design and engineering support for the Combat Operations Center for the United States Marine Corps. He also serves as director of Project Unity USA a non-profit organization that works with local law enforcement, clergy, local businesses, community leaders, media and residents to assist with reducing crime. He is also a member at large of the CCSG (Charleston Community Service Group) an organization that supports needy families in the tri-county area. Mr. Kennedy is as an executive board member of the (DVCC) Tri-County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council and a member of the statewide domestic violence task force and the founder of REALMAD (REAL Men against Domestic Violence/abuse), whose primary focus is to mentor and educate men and children about Domestic Violence. Their motto is "REAL Men don’t hit women" Our main goal is to get more men to stand up and speak out about the number one crime in South Carolina, domestic violence.

Reaching Out to Victims of Domestic Violence Through the Faith Community

This interactive workshop presented by the Tri-County Faith Community Alliance Against Domestic Violence, which is part of the Tri-County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council, will help participant’s understand what domestic violence is, the impact on society (including the church), the needs of victims and children, and how the faith community can assist both the victims and perpetrators. Participants will receive important resources and materials to assist them in sharing with their individual congregations.

The Tri-County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council: Marlvis (Butch) Kennedy, Elmire Raven, Latasha R. Rivers, and Clarissa W. Whaley

Marlvis (Butch) Kennedy – Systems Engineer, SAIC (Science Applications International Corporation); Director of Project Unity (USA), a non-profit organization work-ing with local law enforcement, clergy and community leaders to assist with reducing crime; Member of Charleston Community Services Group; and Founder of REALMAD (REAL Men Against Domestic Vio-lence/abuse).

Elmire Raven, MA – Current Executive Director and previous Director of Volunteers and Public Relations - My Sister’s House, Inc., a domestic violence organization serving the needs of women and children in the Tri-County area; prior Allocations Director of Trident United Way and former Police Sergeant-Georgia State University. Latasha R. Rivers, LISW-CP-Outreach Program Manager and Coun-selor - National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center- Medical University of South Carolina. She helps to manage a grant providing community-based evidence-supported psychological treatment for Hispanic women. Recipient of 2013 Breaking the Silence Zonta International (Charleston Chapter) Award for Best Professional in victim services.

Clarissa W. Whaley – Ruling Elder (St. James PCUSA); Director of Victim/Witness Services – U.S. Department of Justice- U.S. Attorney’s Office-S.C.; Instructor- National Advocacy Center, Columbia, S.C.; Certified Victim Services Professional-State of S.C.; and the National Office for Victims of Crime; Board Member- My Sister’s House, Inc. She has been awarded the Depart-ment of Justice’s Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Victim Services.