The Austin Safety Net Works (ASNW) is a violence prevention coalition created in March 2008 by Westside Healthy Authority and is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services. The Austin Safety Net Works continues to organize through the Austin Peace Force, a network of community volunteers and youth who develop and implement the coalition’s peace-making strategies. In addition to prevention and outreach, the Peace Force also provides pastoral care to victims of violence and holds demonstrations to increase public awareness.
In September, the Peace Force responded to the brutal rape of a young woman, canvassing the neighborhood with a description of the attacker, raising funds for the family, and securing a $10,000 reward from a private citizen for information leading to the arrest of the attacker.
Rape Victim Advocates, who provide services to survivors of sexual violence at their Austin office, has joined the Net Works in organizing a Stop Violence Against Women campaign. “To combat the issue of violence against women you have to be willing to transform our culture, challenging sexism, misogyny and other forms of oppression,” says Anika Sterling-Florez, who does public education with RVA. Peace Force members held a Take Back the Night vigil on November 11, 2008 to kick-off the campaign, which featured prayer and speeches by survivors.
The Net Works will also be launching an Adopt-A-School Safety Initiative in the coming months, to work with parents, youth and educators at local schools to coordinate violence prevention education and organize safety patrols around the schools. The Peace Force implemented its first safety patrols last year at Spencer and May schools, and has learned from these early efforts how vital the patrols are to creating positive school climates. To find out more about Austin Safety Net Works efforts and events or to report a violent incident, please call Chanel Glover at 773-378-5034 x23.
In September, the Peace Force responded to the brutal rape of a young woman, canvassing the neighborhood with a description of the attacker, raising funds for the family, and securing a $10,000 reward from a private citizen for information leading to the arrest of the attacker.
Rape Victim Advocates, who provide services to survivors of sexual violence at their Austin office, has joined the Net Works in organizing a Stop Violence Against Women campaign. “To combat the issue of violence against women you have to be willing to transform our culture, challenging sexism, misogyny and other forms of oppression,” says Anika Sterling-Florez, who does public education with RVA. Peace Force members held a Take Back the Night vigil on November 11, 2008 to kick-off the campaign, which featured prayer and speeches by survivors.
The Net Works will also be launching an Adopt-A-School Safety Initiative in the coming months, to work with parents, youth and educators at local schools to coordinate violence prevention education and organize safety patrols around the schools. The Peace Force implemented its first safety patrols last year at Spencer and May schools, and has learned from these early efforts how vital the patrols are to creating positive school climates. To find out more about Austin Safety Net Works efforts and events or to report a violent incident, please call Chanel Glover at 773-378-5034 x23.
