Domestic Violence Victims Gain Support on NSAB

Photo By Andrew Damstedt | Fleet and Family Support Center social workers Lawanda Dezurn, left, and Talia Bryan are the moderators for a Women’s Empowerment Group that helps women who have been victims of domestic violence.  

BETHESDA, MD, UNITED STATES

05.05.2016

Story by Seaman Matthew Hobson 

Naval Support Activity Bethesda

By Andrew Damstedt
NSAB Public Affairs staff writer
A rekindled Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) support group is seeking to empower women who have survived a domestic violence relationship or are currently in one.

“Domestic violence is such a special topic that a lot of people don’t really discuss it,” said Talia Bryan, an NSAFFSC licensed clinical social worker and one of the group’s moderators. “People that do open up and share that they are in a domestic violent relationship – there are a lot of stigmas associated with it. Because of that, people are so withdrawn from even bringing it up. It’s beneficial for women to know they are not alone in the situation.”

Sometimes, she said it can be easier for women to open up in a group session with others who have had similar experiences than to open up one-on-one with a social worker.

The other moderator, Lawanda Dezurn, an FFSC domestic abuse victim advocate, said she’s seen women empower other group members during a session after sharing their stories of abuse.

“I’ve seen victims who’ve come to us prior to the group who have very little motivation to do or go forward with anything, whether it be a protective order or getting out of the situation,” Dezurn said.

Then, after hearing of other women’s stories, she said those women gain confidence and they’ve been able to get jobs to support themselves and their children, and go through with a divorce.

“A lot of times they said they didn’t have the strength to do that,” Dezurn said.

At the start of each session, Dezurn and Bryan go over different types of domestic violence so people understand that it’s not just physical abuse and can occur emotionally, physically, psychologically, sexually and financially.

While the group exists to assist women who have been victims of domestic violence, any woman is invited to attend.

“We call it the Women’s Empowerment Group because we want all women to be able to participate in it,” Bryan said. “For those who haven’t gone through domestic violence, we use a lot of tools showing effective communication and dealing with uncomfortable situations; and learning how to communicate with their partner if they’re looking at how to resolve conflict.”

The class is more participatory than instructional as the goal is to get women to share their experiences and engage with others. Bryan gave an example of how one woman, who, when she first attended the support group was withdrawn and quiet, but after hearing other women’s experiences of abuse, she opened up.

“Her story has now helped someone else, so it’s kind of like this domino effect; one person opens up and says something, then someone else gains something and they become empowered by it,” Bryan said.

And those relationships have lasted outside of the support group.

“A lot of them tend to build bonds with each other; talk to each other outside of the group,” Dezurn said. “We have some women – it’s been a year now – and they still talk.”

Bryan said the motivation behind the support group is to give women the tools necessary to take control of their situation.

“We’ve seen women empower other group members right before our eyes,” Dezurn said. “We can talk and conduct a group but when they actually share their stories, it’s more powerful than what we can ever do.”

Any woman with access to Naval Support Activity Bethesda can attend the support group, which meets on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Building 11. The last session for this quarter will be May 12, but another eight-week course will be scheduled later in the year. For more information, contact Dezurn or Bryan at 301-319-4087.

• Date Taken: 05.05.2016
• Date Posted: 05.05.2016 14:10
• Story ID: 197412
• Location: BETHESDA, MD, US