Osage Nation Domestic Violence Program Hosts Men Only Pancake Breakfast

PAWHUSKA, Okla. (June 1, 2015)—This past Thursday, the Osage Nation Counseling Center (ONCC) and Domestic Violence Program hosted a pancake breakfast for men only. LaVina Spotted Bear Clark, an Advocate with Domestic Violence, addressed the audience. She first talked about the White Ribbon Campaign. This program first began in Canada and according to their website, www.whiteribbon.org, has become the world’s largest movement of men and boys with a goal to end violence against women and girls. They promote gender equality, healthy relationships and a new vision of masculinity.

LaVina stressed the importance of getting more men involved in the stand against domestic violence. She explained there are just not enough advocates taking up the cause.

This event is part of LaVina’s grant requirement of hosting various venues to promote awareness. She told the men in attendance that in October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the ONCC and Domestic Violence Program will be hosting “Walk a Mile in her Shoes.” This is a walk for men, women and children. Their website describes the occasion as “a playful opportunity for men to raise awareness in their community about the serious causes, effects and remediation to men’s sexualized violence against women.”

The pancake breakfast began with prayer and a meal of hotcakes and sausage links prepared by Osage Nation employee, Jasper Clark, and spouse of LaVina Clark. Jasper has been the cook at this get-together for the past seven years.

Anyone can be a victim

The guest speaker was Dena Cosby, a survivor. She began her monologue talking first about the brutal murder of Janett Reyna, a well-educated, young woman. Reyna had been a former Blackwell police officer before becoming the director of the Ponca Nation’s Domestic Violence program.

On August 8, 2013, Reyna, who was 29 years old, was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in front of their three small children. Unfortunately, anyone from any walk of life can become a victim. Domestic violence affects many people and when committed before children, they too become victims.

Dena Cosby, who will deliver this speech to the state capitol this fall, stated that Oklahoma is 3rd in the Nation for domestic violence. This abusive behavior outlined by the U.S. Department of Justice “can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person.” And what Cosby pointed out was a lack of focus upon the children who witness this action. Whether the end result is death as in Janett Reyna’s case or secret abuse, if a child or children are exposed to this he or she are victims. However that is not being talked about despite statistics gathered by The National Domestic Violence Hotline. They state that “a child witnessed violence in 22% (nearly 1 in 4) of intimate partner violence cases filed in state courts.”

Children will be the ticket to change

Cosby is launching the Lavender Ribbon for Children campaign. It is a variation on the purple ribbon used by domestic violence awareness, but specifically for children. Cosby said, “Children are our ticket to changing this [violence] in the state of Oklahoma.”

Cosby read Title 21, Statute 644E that, “In Oklahoma when a man beats a woman in front of her children he goes to the county jail for six months to a year and he is given up to $500 in fines. If he does it a second time in front of children then he goes to being in the custody of the Department of Corrections for 1-5 years and it goes up to $7,000 in fines.” Cosby said harsher penalties are required. Multiple counts need to be filed in regard to each child witnessing the violent crime.

The Hotline reports that “on average, 24 people per minute are a victim” of some type of domestic violence by an intimate partner which amounts to “more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year.”

To learn more about ONCC or the Domestic Violence Program contact the main office number 918-287-5422 or visit the Nation’s website www.osagenation-nsn.gov

ONCC 24-hour crisis line, 1-800-897-4747

National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Native Alliance Against Violence, (405) 325-4070

In case of an emergency, call 9-1-1.

For Media Inquiries:

Osage Nation Communications 918-287-5599 or email communications@osagenation-nsn.gov