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It is nice to meet you – my name is Brandon Harvey. I am highly enthused to be working as an intern with Becky’s Fund this winter. I have recently graduated from Towson University in 2016 with a degree in Art & Design. From my time spent at Towson until now, I have been in pursuit of finding an organization where I may utilize my skills to best provide a pronounced impact in some manner. My most important objective while here is to not only create for such a great purpose, but to effect and bear witness to those that I am ultimately creating for.

I believe assisting with Becky’s Fund will allow me to accomplish this objective in the most direct method possible. After my first introduction, I was excited to learn about the Men of Code program and head to Ballou Senior High School, delving right into the people and environment for which we would be supporting. Joining Becky’s Fund brings forth the chance to directly spark the influence I am looking to make personally within my own community.

I look forward to learning about the nonprofit sector and all it has to offer regarding different areas of social impact. I would like to be competent and aware of what is going on around me socially, so that I may be able to target and communicate these issues to a wider audience. I believe this opportunity in working with Becky’s Fund will allow me to better develop this competence in learning how to support and impact my community in a positive way.

My name is Sara Moretti and I am a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I came to Washington DC in search of a new adventure, and little did I know, I found an internship that gave me a life-changing experience. From managing the social media accounts for Becky’s Fund, working on Men of Code and Becoming Your Own Heroine programs to participating in social events like 2017 Walk This Way, I have gained so many insights on how a non-profit organization runs. I was able to personally witness how Becky’s Fund positively impacts individuals that seek for help and the constant effort put into spreading awareness on domestic violence.

I find myself extremely thankful for the type of upbringing I have had. I was raised in Italy surrounded by a loving family that shaped me with the strength of valuing my own persona. Being able to learn about domestic violence opened a door into a world for me unknown. I have always been interested and passionate about women’s rights, but it never occurred to me that those rights could be violated directly from someone’s home. I consider my house a sacred space, a safe haven to come back to each night. I can only imagine how violated and lost I would feel if I was teared away from that right.

My time spent at Becky’s Fund is a memory that I will cherish with great affection. From her awesome team to Becky herself, this internship opportunity gave me the possibility to not just learn so much about domestic violence, but also about myself and the people around me. As a compassionate person, I find the need to advocate for human rights, especially for those that do not have a voice. There is so much work to do in order to break the cycle of intimate partner violence that shapes the upbringing of children growing up in that type of environment. These children are the world of our tomorrow and we are the ones to be hold accountable for the outcome of it.

The enormous effort that Becky’s Fund does in order to shine a light on domestic abuse and invest in preventative programs is something that I view with great respect. It was truly a blessing and an honor to have had the possibility to be part of an organization that is driven by passion, but most importantly, by the human heart. Thank you Becky for the work you do! You make the world a safer place.

October 11 is National Mental Health Awareness day, which happens to fall during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Due to this fact, it is important for us to understand the double stigma that affects women and men of all races, ages, genders and sexual orientation. Domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence (IPV), doesn’t always involve sexual or physical abuse as there are many different forms of it such as psychological/emotional abuse and economic abuse. All these situations can include unwanted attention like stalking or harassment (CDC). Domestic violence is a major cause of mental illness in the United States and across the world (Campbell et al.,2006). In domestic violence cases, psychological effects such as depression and PTSD are influenced by severity, duration and type of abuse.

An adverse effect of domestic violence is the increase in the occurrence of clinical depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, also called PTSD (Anderson et al., 2003). In an article written about the co-occurrence of intimate partner violence + mental health diagnosis, it is shown that compared to women who have not experienced domestic violence, survivors have nearly doubled the risk for developing depressive symptoms. Survivors are three times more likely to develop major depressive disorder, while mothers who experience domestic violence are nearly twice as likely to develop postpartum depression (Beydoun et al., 2012;Cerulli et al., 2011). One study suggests that experiencing multiple forms of abuse can increase the odds for PTSD, depression and suicidality by 6-17 times (Houry et al., 2006).

Statistics from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey of 2010 show that 80% of women who experience rape, stalking or physical violence by an intimate partner had reported short-or-long term effects including PTSD. Women who have experienced domestic violence are three times as likely to meet the criteria for PTSD as those who had no kind of experience with domestic violence (Bonomi et al., 2009).In addition to PTSD and depression, evidence suggests that experiencing domestic violence increases the likelihood of developing other mental health conditions such as suicidal tendencies, eating disorders, anxiety/mood disorders, and substance abuse (Bundock et al., 2013;Ellsberg et al., 2008; Scheffer & Renck, 2008).

Not only does domestic violence affect the two partners directly involved, it affects the children who witness the abuse and fighting.  Children tend to have poorer health when exposed to domestic violence which is linked to telomere shortening in their brains. Telomeres are at the tip of the chromosomes that hold DNA in their strands and are crucial in affecting how people age and get cancer. Domestic violence can increase the risk of mental health disorders in children that affect them well into adulthood. Issues with substance abuse, depression, anxiety and suicide are found also as a result of minimal family support, lack of parental involvement and isolation (Drury et al., 2014).

The stigma attached to being a victim of domestic violence is often enough to prevent one from reporting or calling the police.When one ties in factors of self-doubt and feelings of guilt, shame and self-blame, victims are plagued with questions such as, “Will anyone believe me?” “Why is this happening to me?” Victims tend to identify with statements like, “It’s my fault, I was asking for it when I bothered him/her”, after months and/or years with their abuser. As a society, we are becoming more aware due to the increased vocality of those affected but it is important to start talking about domestic violence and mental health to completely remove the stigma behind both of these issues.

Works Cited

1. Violence Prevention. (2017, August 22). Retrieved October 13, 2017, from CDC
2. Campbell, J, Laughon K, Woods A. (eds G Roberts, K Hegarty & G Feder). (2006).  Impact of intimate partner abuse on physical and mental health: how does it present in clinical practice? In Intimate Partner Abuse and Health Professionals: New Approaches to Domestic Violence. 43-60.
3. Anderson DK, Saunders DG, Yoshihama M, Bybeem DI, Sullivan CM. (2003). Long-term trends in depression among women separated from abusive partners. Violence Against Women. 9:807–838.
4. Beydoun, H.A., Beydoun, M.A., Kaufman, J.S., Lo, B, Zonderman, A.B. (2012). Intimate partner violence against adult women and its association with major depressive disorder, depressive symptoms and postpartum depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 75(6), 959-975.
5. Cerulli, C., Talbot, N.L., Tang, W., Chaudron, L.H. (2011). Co-occurring intimate partner violence and mental health diagnoses in perinatal women. Journal of Women’s Health, 20(12), 1797- 1803.
6. Houry, D., Kemball, R., Rhodes, K.V., Kaslow, N.J. (2006). Intimate partner violence and mental health symptoms in African American female ED patients. American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 24(4), 444-450.
7. Bonomi, A.E., Anderson, M.L., Reid, R.J., Rivara, F.P., Carrell, D., Thompson, R.S. (2009). Medical and psychosocial diagnoses in women with a history of intimate partner violence. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(18), 1692-1697
8. Bundock, L., Howard, L.M., Trevillion, K., Malcolm, E., Feder, G., Oram, S. (2013). Prevalence & risk of experiences of intimate partner violence among people with eating disorders: A systematic review. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 47(9), 1134-1142.
9. Ellsberg, M., Jansen, H.A., Heise, L., Watts, C.H., Garcia-Moreno C; WHO Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women Study Team. (2008). Intimate partner violence and women’s physical and mental health in the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence: An observational study. Lancet, 371(9619), 1165-1172.
10. Scheffer Lindgren M, Renck B,J.(2008).’It is still so deep-seated, the fear’: psychological stress reactions as consequences of intimate partner violence. Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs Apr, 15(3),219-28.
11. Drury,Stacy S, Emily Mabile, Zoë H. Brett, Kyle Esteves, Edward Jones, Elizabeth A. Shirtcliff, Katherine P. Theall.(2014)The Association of Telomere Length With Family Violence and Disruption, Pediatrics 134 (1) e128-e137.

Hello! My name is Rachab Abdie and I am excited to be working at Becky’s Fund as a new Student Intern.  I’m from Downtown Silver Spring, Maryland and I go to Villanova University just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am majoring in Liberal Arts and am going to start graduate school at the University of Maryland in the Spring Semester. Next June, I plan to start the application process for medical school.

I have always wanted to be a part of an organization that really helps the community. Becky’s Fund is a wonderful opportunity prior to my career as a physician because of the fact that many different kinds of patients come through the hospital doors. Knowing how to talk, respond and handle these types of situations takes a lot of experience and learning. I don’t want to be naïve and think that just because I don’t see it, it is not really happening or that it could never happen to me. I want to learn so I’m a better professional for myself and for my future patients. I am excited to gain knowledge on Domestic Violence and learn more about the ins and outs of a nonprofit organization.

Let the Picasso in you shine!

New at Nats Park for 2017, join us for an evening of Paint at The Park on Thursday, September 28^th! Fans will be treated to a pre-game paint class led by Art by the Glazz in our Family Picnic area with views of Nationals Batting Practice. You’ll have the opportunity to paint an exclusive Nationals design and enjoy a drink from one of our nearby concession stands. No experience is required for this fun, one of kind experience.

$75 Ticket includes-

• Paint party (canvas, paint, supplies)
• LF/ RF Corner seat
• $10 concession credit
• Donation benefiting Becky’s Fund!

For more details or to purchase visit www.nationals.com/paint

For groups of 13 or more tickets or questions contact Jennifer McCarty; 202-640-7648 or jennifer.mccarty@nationals.com

Anthony Perez worked as an intern for Becky’s Fund since July. He was a blast to have around and will surely be missed!

Below is Anthony’s reflection on his time here:

Before entering Becky’s Fund, I remember imagining how my internship at the organization would be. I pictured myself in front of a crowd of students, even more, a crowd of people, talking about the issue of domestic violence and creating big changes. Of course, to myself, I knew my imaginations were too idealistic, but even then I could not have expected what I experienced at Becky’s Fund.

Knowing that I would take part in the Men of the Code program, I was ready and excited to start training and going over the lesson plan. However, as my first few weeks passed, I began realizing that my position and role in Becky’s Fund was much larger and important than just an instructor. Being an instructor is vital to the Men of Code program, but there are so many other critical pieces and steps at play and that is what I learned during my time here.

I was reminded about the importance that seemingly small tasks have in the grand scheme of things. My views about running a nonprofit organization before my internship were too black and white. I never realized that in order to run a successful run a non-profit one must run the organization as if it was a business. This meant creating a brand, learning how to properly spread the word of your cause, finding out what makes donators and sponsors interested in nonprofit organizations, maintaining public relations, partnering with other businesses, and much more.

I recall myself at times sluggishly making social media posts, writing letter after letter, or taking on various other tedious tasks. I mentally labeled the tasks as irrelevant and would try to get it done as soon as possible, but my way of thinking then was very flawed. I had forgotten to look outside of myself and realize that any work I produce on behalf of Becky’s Fund will represent not just me but the organization itself. As much as I want to help domestic violence survivors and spread awareness, I also needed to work hard in enforcing the image and structure of Becky’s Fund so that the organization can continue its mission long after I complete my internship.