Workshop enlists youths to help prevent domestic violence
MUNSTER, Ind. (AP) - Dozens of youths stood together recently in the cafeteria of Washington Township Middle School as part of a training workshop, vowing to unite and "make a difference" in combating domestic violence.
They gathered under the auspices of the Amanda Forum, which was created in 2013 through The Caring Place. It is funded by a Porter County Women's Impact Fund grant and is aimed at teaching local youths about healthy relationships.
The initiative was a response to the slaying of Portage 19-year-old Amanda Bach, who was found shot near ex-boyfriend Dustin McCowan's Union Township home. He was convicted and sentenced to a near-maximum of 60 years in prison for the Sept. 16, 2011, murder.
"The tragedy of Amanda will never ease the pain for her family and friends," Kaytie Zaharias, Amanda Forum youth mentor, told The Times (http://bit.ly/1uSvpaA ). "All we can do is hope that this painful act can change people's perspectives on violence."
Students from Purdue North Central, Valparaiso University and Morgan Township, Washington Township and Valparaiso High Schools sat in groups discussing family values, social media, videos, character building and designing an action plan to combat violence in their environments.
"We are here to support our youth," said Denise Koebcke, Amanda Forum youth outreach coordinator. "We are proud of the momentum they are generating and the enthusiasm our youth have to making a difference in their communities."
During one exercise, the students watched a video of Italian boys, aged 6 to 9, who were asked to describe a girl their age that approached them. All of them sheepishly described her as pretty, and then they were encouraged to hit her. All of the reactions of the young boys included pure shock at such a request. The boys refused to hit the girl.
"I think that watching this video really made me realize the difference in cultures," said Aaron Gast, workshop participant. "Seeing these young boys and their respect for this young lady made me think about cultural differences and how unaffected we can be to seeing aggression."
The Amanda Forum's mission is centered around education and mentoring and in their its conference last year, it drew more than 250 participants. The Youth Task Force meets monthly for education, discussion and planning. It also is charged with awareness initiatives like last summer's Chalk the Walk event in downtown Valparaiso, where participants created a design on three sidewalk panels promoting their anti-violence message.
Bach's mother, Sandy, initially had reservations when The Caring Place approached her about The Amanda Forum because "our loss was and continues to be so devastatingly painful."
However, after further discussion, the Bachs gave the initiative their blessing.
"As time passed, I thought The Amanda Forum could bring hope to the lives of future youth," Sandy Bach said. "It's really a great way to honor Amanda's memory and let people know that her life may be responsible for saving others. The young people that dedicate their lives to educate others is very inspirational and is greatly appreciated."
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Information from: The Times, http://www.thetimesonline.com