Wash High students partnering with DVS
A collaboration between Washington students and Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA aims to educate police officers and the public.
Using a new television and recording studio, Washington High School students enrolled in the media and communications course are producing informational videos that will be available online.
The first three productions will cover protection-from-abuse orders, general information about domestic violence and services available, and the Domestic Violence Lethality Assessment, a questionnaire that can be used by officers to identify domestic violence victims at risk of being killed by their abusers. If a victim answers “yes” to a certain number of questions, officers are required to put them in contact with domestic violence services.
In a planning meeting Thursday with state Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane, who facilitated the project, teacher Sarah Boice said students are working on creating situations that they will act out and record.
Information will be contained within the dialogue between characters.
“Creating a story pulls people in, as opposed to just giving information,” said Allison Weakland, domestic violence counselor and education specialist.
Canonsburg police Chief Alex Coghill said the videos will solve a training deficit.
“The problem with training is that it’s not accessible to every officer,” he said.
Because of scheduling, only one or two officers are able to attend an available course at any given time. The videos, he said, will make it easier for his entire department to receive consistent training on responding to domestic violence situations.
While real-life drills are the most effective, they are not always possible.
“Scenario-based education is the next-best thing,” he said.
Domestic violence legal advocacy manager Maggie Novotny is working to ensure the videos can count as credit for the officers’ ongoing education. She also wants the videos to help destigmatize victims of domestic violence.
“People don’t understand why people stay,” she said. “There’s always a stigma. (The video) would educate police why people go back.”
Weakland, Novotny and Boice attended the meeting with principals Paul Kostelnik and Chet Henderson and teacher Matt Fuchs. The group decided two sets of videos – one for the public and one for police officers – would be produced.
“There are two separate needs,” said Kostelnik.
The PFA video will walk viewers step by step through the process and feature Domestic Violence Services staff and at least one local officer.
The general information video will address facts about domestic violence as well as the many services provided by the organization.
“We need to tell people who we are and what we do,” said Weakland. “We’re more than a shelter.”
Domestic Violence Services provides free counseling, relocation funds, transitional housing, a hotline, legal advocacy and services for teens.
For information on Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA, visit www.peacefromdv.org.