On Thursday, Jan. 12, community members have been invited to gather and celebrate Kate McGuckin's 26 years of service to My Sister's Place, the shelter for victims of domestic violence serving Athens, Hocking, and Vinton counties.

The Athens First Presbyterian Church donated $24,000 to My Sister's Place on Sunday, Sept. 27.
The donation will cover renovations at the My Sister's Place establishment, including reconstruction of the ventilation system and the purchase of a larger oven, and will cover the cost for the relocation of a dishwasher.

The donation is part of the First Presbyterian's bicentennial celebration, whose theme is "œBuilding the Future through the Legacy of Service," said bicentennial chairperson Harold Robison.

Editor's note: This is a letter from Catherine Pierce, acting director of the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women.

Dear Friends,

Fifteen years ago, we saw the result of the hard work of dedicated advocates throughout the nation, when landmark legislation, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), was signed into law on Sept. 13, 1994.

In lieu of jail time, men charged with domestic violence can be admitted to the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP), which is a group-based treatment program overseen by My Sister's Place.

Two groups "“ one run in Athens, and another in Logan "“ are each facilitated by two clinicians with at least a master's degree in counseling or psychology. Topics covered in the 24 sessions include understanding various types of abuse; distinguishing between assertive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive communications; the consequences of abuse on families and children; and understanding male privileges, explained Dr. Paul Castelino, training director at the Carruth Center for Psychological and Psychiatric Services at West Virginia University, in an e-mail. He worked as a staff psychologist for Counseling and Psychological Services at Ohio University until August of this year.

An appellate court decision recently handed down in a local domestic-violence case should make it easier for battered women to get continued police protection from abusive ex-husbands after they get divorced.

In a ruling issued in May, the 4th District Court of Appeals overturned a decision by the Athens County Common Pleas Court, which had refused a woman's request for a five-year civil protection order against her ex-husband, based at least in part on the view that because the couple was getting divorced, she wouldn't need further protection.

My Sister's Place, the Athens-based domestic-violence shelter, has worked for more than 30 years to empower women in the surrounding communities, and this year the shelter was the recipient of the first-ever Athens Foundation Women's Fund endowment.

The grant of $2,058 is being used in collaboration with Girl Power, a national campaign that's being conducted in Trimble, Federal Hocking and Amesville elementary and/or middle-school classrooms.

An emerging crisis in the state of Ohio is being combated with an executive order signed by Gov. Ted Strickland in April 2008.

According to the state Office of the Governor Web site, domestic violence is an issue of public health, as well as an economic issue and a workplace safety issue.

Over the past year, lawmakers at the Ohio Statehouse have introduced a number of items dealing with domestic violence. What follows is a status update on some of those measures. The information comes from the Ohio Domestic Violence Network steering committee, with updates from the Ohio Legislative Service Commission.

My Sister's Place received about $34,000 in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It plans to use the funds to hire a coordinating counselor to help build bridges with people in each county the organization supports, said Kate McGuckin, executive director of the Athens shelter for victims of domestic violence.

In fiscal year 2008, the shelter lost $40,000 of Title 20 funds from the Ohio Department of Job and Family services. The stimulus funds, as well as increased support from the community, have helped offset the cuts.

You can see your loved one is in trouble.

Maybe you witnessed your friend's partner verbally, emotionally or physically abusing her. It could be that your friend has come to you in confidence to talk about her abusive relationship. Or maybe you only suspect abuse while your friend has distanced herself from her loved ones, including family and friends.