One of our memorable workshops held in 2023 was our 411 on Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence Workshop. We were joined by Dr. Mary Beth Gallagher of the Woman Against Abuse organization to provide an educational experience for birth parents who may have experienced or were seeking to learn more about what an abusive relationship looks like. Abuse is often disguised as love or care, but this Workshop helped break down the differences, allowing the attendees to spot the signs and steer clear.

Dr. Gallagher is a community educator for Women Against Abuse and has been with the organization for three years. While enrolled in university, she studied American literature and Gender and Minority studies at Morgan State and now serves as an advocate for women.

The purpose of holding these workshops is for us as an agency to create spaces where our clients can be open and vulnerable. To have trusted peers and professionals who can comfort, share, educate, and raise awareness of ideals one may not have considered. Our 411 on Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner Violence workshop with Dr. Gallagher focused on four key objectives:

  • Learning to identify characteristics 
  • Barriers
  • Trauma 
  • Services available for victims or survivors. 

Sometimes people hear domestic abuse or domestic violence and automatically think it’s physical when abuse can be emotionally and verbally compelling. As these brave individuals embark on new journeys, we want to ensure they have all the necessary tools. Our participants provided great feedback, especially how wonderful and “down to earth” the presenter, MaryBeth Gallagher at Women Against Abuse, was. With that being said, let us dive into this recap and share how it all went, what was covered, comments from our attendees, and more!

“This workshop helped me realize how strong I am, and how much I have survived from what I went through…” birthmother, Caitlin. 

Some of The Topics Discussed: 

  • Defining an abusive relationship vs. an unhealthy realtoipnshiop 
  • Warning Signs/characteristics of a person acting abusively 
  • Types of Abuse
    • Physical
    • Sexual
    • Financial
    • Emotional/Psychological
    • Digital
    • Spiritual 
  • Power and Control Wheel
  • Adoption Coercion
  • Know Your Rights 
  • Layers of Abuse
  • IPV and Pregnancy 
  • Cycles of Abuse
  • Why is it so difficult to leave
  • Impact on Survivors 
  • IPV as Trauma 
  • How can trauma affect us? 
  • Supporting the Survivor 
  • Trauma-Informed Responses 
  • Resources 

“The meeting about domestic violence definitely made me feel not so alone, gave me much more knowledge and resources available to me, and lastly, gave me a place to discuss the trauma during and after domestic violence. Thank you, AFTH, and all the mentors who make this possible…” birthmother Kristen. 

Acknowledgments

Thank you so much, Dr. Mary Beth Gallegher, for sharing your time and speaking to our Birthmothers. This Workshop is so essential, not just to birth mothers but to everyone. By providing individuals with knowledge about healthy relationships, consent, and communication, we can empower them and those around them to recognize and address abusive behavior. If there’s one thing we know, it’s that education has the power to break societal norms and attitudes that perpetuate violence. By spreading awareness and promoting education, we can work towards creating a safer and more equitable society for all.

Visit #WomenAgainstAbuse to learn more about their mission and resources! Also, thank you to our Birthmothers who came out and participated in the Workshop. None of this would be possible without you! If you missed this Workshop but want to come to the next one, check out our events page.