Independence House to Host Free Violence Prevention Conference

HYANNIS – As part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Independence House will present a call to action conference on Saturday at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School.

The #SoMuchAbuse: Let’s End it Together conference will bring together community leaders, multi-disciplinary professionals, individuals, employers, first responders, parents and high school students to increase their knowledge about current thinking around the prevention of sexual and domestic violence.

The free conference is from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To register, visit independencehouse.org.

Independence House Director of Prevention, Education and Outreach Chris Morin says the event will bring together community members from each town to receive resources and tools to help prevent abuse.

“On Cape Cod, we have the ability, because we are kind of a small place, to really look at it as a community,” Morin said.

Workshops will be presented by professionals to address related topics that intersect with sexual and domestic violence.

“They’ll be about 10 workshops on different forms of abuse with information about it, and tools and resources,” Morin said.

The final hour of the conference will bring the attendees from each town together to brainstorm the next steps that can be taken in their community.

The keynote speakers for the event are Jetta Bernier, the director of MassKids, the Massachusetts Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America and the Executive Director of the Enough Abuse Campaign, and Duane de Four, the founder and sole proprietor of DD4 Consulting.

Bernier has developed an interactive evidence-informed training designed for school personnel, a policy guide for schools and youth orgaizations and a series of prevention guides for parents.

De Four is an educator, media critic, and activist with than 20 years of experience developing strategic initiatives, policies and curricula. He also facilitates discussions focused on sexual dating violence prevention, masculinity, privilege, power and accountability for sexual health.