AAUW Brainerd Branch recognized NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH in October, with our visits, programs and book selection, Why Dose He Do That by Lundy Bancroft. We visited The Mid-Minnesota Women’s Center that has been empowering victims of domestic violence through a variety of programs since 1978. The Center provides a 24-hour intake to emergency shelter for individuals experiencing domestic violence including women, along with their children and pets, and men. In addition to physical safety, the shelter provides personal advocacy, information and referral, support groups, and community education. We also visited The Alex and Brandon Child Safety Center provides safe, neutral child-oriented supervised visits and exchanges for families needing these services. Since 2,000, non-custodial parents and their children have been able to spend quality time together at the Safety Center while having a supervised visit in a family setting. Trained staff ensure the safety of families and that parenting time is appropriate and fun. Some 1200 supervised visits take place annually.

Staff from the Women’s Center participated in the Book Dinner group’s discussion of domestic abuse and of Why Dose He Do That? by Lundy Bancroft. The Center uses the book in its educational programs. The branch obtained a grant last year with which we bought copies for the Center. We also gave slightly used copies to the Center after Book Dinner group. In total we have given enough copies for one year.

In November the Book Dinner group discussed our classic for the year, The Cider House Rules by John Irving.