Domestic Violence Agency Announces Social Media Awareness Campaign

Backed by prominent members of Men Make a Difference, Men Against Domestic Violence™, the Interval House came to Simsbury Friday to promote its "Stay Safe, Pass It On" social media awareness initiative. 

The campaign, announced at The Riverview, involves daily safety tips shared on the organization's facebook page, twitter feed and web site. 

"The use of social media will certainly enhance our outreach efforts," said Cecile Enrico, executive director of Interval House, a nonprofit agency serving 24 towns in Greater Hartford. 

The organization offers support groups, emergency shelter, legal advocacy, children's programs and more. While its lifeline for helping victims remains a 24-hotline at (860) 658-7227, social media is another great awareness and educational tool. 

During this month of domestic violence awareness, the organization will share daily technology safety tips using the hashtag #StaySafePassItOn.

Supporting the effort Friday were several members of Men Make a Difference, Men Against Domestic Violence, a group the organization co-founded in the fall of 2009 with then-Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. 

On Friday, Blumenthal spoke via phone from Washington, D.C. He was due to be at the event but said an important vote in relation to the ongoing government shutdown required his attention. 

He praised another attending member of the men's group, Howard Dickenman, the men’s basketball head coach at Central Connecticut State University. 

"This is one of the guiding principals — to supply role models," Blumenthal said. 

Paul Schlickmann, CCSU’s athletic director, who has been a member of the men’s group for more than three years, said he will ask all his school’s athletes to follow Interval House’s Stay Safe, Pass It On campaign.

“We are standing here today with Interval House to ask for the help of our generous community,” Schlickmann said. “Stay Safe Pass it On is designed to reach the ever-growing audience of social media users. These daily tips throughout the month of October, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, are meant to be shared, liked, tweeted and retweeted.”

Another guest was Dr. William Petit, who lost his wife and two daughters in the horrific 2007 Cheshire home invasion.

The Petit Family Foundation has committed $10,000 a year for three years to the organization. Petit has also joined the Men Make a Difference Group. 

"We're pleased to be a part of it," he said. 

The Men Make a Difference, Men Against Domestic Violence group is also celebrating its fourth anniversary and following the press conference met to speak about initiatives.