NEWS

Within Reach Campaign | February 11, 2018

It Can Happen

An Interview with WCA Champion,
LaShonna Dorsey

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LaShonna is an active member of Omaha’s young professional community. She co-founded Interface, a web development school which was acquired 3 years after it’s launch by AIM Institute and now leads AIM’s marketing and sales teams.
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HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE WCA?
I never knew the WCA existed until I needed them. The police referred me to the WCA when I made a report about a physical assault I experienced in 2015. It was a building I had driven by on my way to work many times but never noticed it there at the old location at 29th and Farnam. [The new location is at 3801 Harney Street.]

 

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SINCE BECOMING A CHAMPION OF THE WCA?
My biggest takeaway is that abusers and survivors don’t have a profile. I once thought that abusers would be easily identifiable by other bad choices they’ve made in life, and victims were in abusive situations primarily due to financial dependence. No. It can impact anyone. It doesn’t care about race or status. It was eye-opening for me to learn that domestic abuse and sexual assault are so common and happen to so many types of people.

 

IN YOUR MIND, WHAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR COMMUNITY?
It’s important for people to understand the cycle of domestic violence, how it can escalate, and how power, control, and manipulation work in order to have the best chance of removing themselves from unhealthy relationships before they become dangerous. I also believe that we need to educate people in our community about the many resources available at different stages of an abusive relationship. This information should be easy to find and shared on a consistent basis at our schools and workplaces.  

 

YEAH, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WCA BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM, NOT AFTERWARD!
What if we helped girls, boys, and adults in relationships understand what a healthy relationship looks like? This could include mandatory training on topics such as healthy relationships and emotional intelligence, for example.*

 

HOW DO YOU SEE THE WCA’S NEW LOCATION IMPACTING THOSE WHO RECEIVE SERVICES FROM THEM?
I’m excited for WCA’s clients to have access to a welcoming space with amazing resources to help them work through a very difficult and often traumatic experience.  

We cannot ignore the fact that the building they were in did not feel like a place you’d want to go to and talk about one of the worst experiences in your life. Your back was to the front door while you waited in the lobby. You may have experienced stress or anxiety about your abuser coming through the door because a strange level of paranoia sets in when violence happens to you. I can see how that could have been unnerving to people. 

 

WHEN WE SAY THE WCA IS WITHIN REACH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
To me, it means that the WCA team understands what domestic violence looks like, has resources to help, and people to process with. The WCA can help you access the support you need to heal from PTSD, providing legal services, alternative housing referrals, and more. The WCA is saying, “we’ll meet you where you are and we’re here to help you every step of the way.” 

 

*The WCA hosts Girls Leadership Academy for 5th and 6th grade girls, MADVAC for boys and men, and a host of classes for adults of all types. Please visit our Classes and Support Groups page to learn more.