by Meesha Emmett
Communications Manager, YWCA Central Alabama

During the month of October, the YWCA Central Alabama is spreading hope, health and healing throughout the central Alabama community by recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic violence crosses all economic, racial and social lines. It affects thousands of women and families each year. In fact, Alabama is now ranked second in the nation in the rate of women killed by men. Domestic violence is one of the least obvious crimes in our state, and its prevalence often goes unnoticed.

The YWCA has played a vital role in the prevention of domestic violence through its Healthy Relationships Program. The Healthy Relationships Program is an outreach program that provides dating violence education to area high school students and is facilitated by YWCA Americorps members. The program is provided by the Domestic Violence Services and Social Justice departments at the YWCA.

To kick off Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Services unveiled “The Price of Love,” a video featuring YWCA staff member and former Birmingham Chief of Police Annetta Nunn. The video, sponsored by Verizon, contains the YWCA-version of the popular hit song “Bust Your Windows” by Jazmine Sullivan. It will be added to the Healthy Relationships curriculum this year.

The song’s message and the information provided in the video emphasize how to recognize an unhealthy relationship, the dangers of taking the law into your own hands, and the importance of seeking help early through the YWCA or a local domestic violence program.

Here is a verse from the YWCA version of “Bust Your Windows:”

You ignored all the warning signs,
Thinking it was true love all the time,
He wasn’t worth the trouble, I’m sure you agree,
While you’re locked up, he’s out playing family,
Might lose your job and get kicked out of school,
For doing something you thought was cool,
Costing you money that you can’t afford,
All you can say is help me, Lord.

The song captures how what may be seen as a simple act of revenge could ruin the rest of your life. Don’t ignore the warning signs; get help. Love shouldn’t hurt!

Designed to make comprehensive domestic violence information available to youth, the video was produced by the renowned arranger and producer Dr. Henry Panion and directed by B Mason. Click here to view the video.

The YWCA Central Alabama constantly works toward our mission of empowering women by providing safe emergency shelter for women and children fleeing abusive homes, court advocacy and legal services to women in abusive situations, and by maintaining a 24-hour crisis line, answered by staff and volunteers trained in crisis intervention.

We look forward to a future in which Alabama families, and the rest of the nation, will no longer be affected by domestic violence.

Meesha serves as the Communications Manager of the Donor Relations and Communications Team at YWCA Central Alabama.  She has been with the organization for two years.  Visit YWCA Central Alabama on Facebook, Twitter or the web at www.ywcabham.org.

This post is part of the YWCA Week Without Violence™ blog carnival on issues of violence in all forms. We invite you to join the dialogue! Post your comment below, share your story on your blog or website, and follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #ywcaWWV.