Health, Wellness and Fitness for People & Pets JUNE 2015 | Page 52

Visual Representations
of The Link

The concepts behind The Link are
intuitively simple, but trying to put
them into words can be devilishly
difficult. In addition to our standard
Venn diagram showing how the four
types of family violence are
intertwined, we have also come up
with some other ways to help
visualize The Link. We are pleased to
share these with you to help you
better present this topic to your
colleagues.
The domestic violence world is
familiar with the Duluth Model depicting the power and control mechanisms of intimate partner violence.
Here’s a way to represent that in the context of animal abuse as a coercion and controlling device.
The graphic is available for your use at http://nationallinkcoalition.org/faqs/what-is-the-link. Just give
attribution to the National Link Coalition.

Orlando “Paws for Peace” Walk Raises Funds, Fun and Awareness

Harbor House of Central Florida, Orlando’s primary
domestic violence resource center, held its fifth annual
Paws for Peace Walk on Saturday, April 25. The fun and
leisurely stroll for pets and their people raises
awareness about domestic violence and its adverse
effects on pets and their owners. Harbor House has the
only on-site kennel in central Florida for the pets of
domestic abuse survivors, removing a key barrier to survivors seeking help and safety and ensures that
no family member is left behind in an abusive home. Since the kennel opened 28 months ago, 111 pets
have been sheltered, including 82 dogs, 24 cats, 3 guinea pigs, 1 bird and 1 turtle. The event featured a
Blessing of the Pets and a raffle.

Connecticut Teens Spread
Link Message in Supermarkets

The Center for Youth Leadership at Brien McMahon High School in
Norwalk Conn., is continually conducting student projects to promote
and support youth activism through grantmaking, public awareness
activities, volunteerism, and social change campaigns. Programs were
ratcheted up in April for Child Abuse Awareness Month. One such
activity was part of the Center’s “Shop Drop” campaign. Several
members, such as Leticia Sanchez (right) flooded local supermarkets to
post information about the Link between animal abuse and violence
against people in pet food aisles. Let’s hear it for Youth Power!

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