The LBCC Office of Student Affairs & Healthy Vikings hosted the first in a series of workshops focusing on sexual violence prevention and education on Wednesday, September 18 in T-1046 at LAC.
Interval House is a comprehensive domestic violence agency located in Long Beach who presented the bystander training workshop.
“Given Interval House’s specific history with dealing with so many people with so many different backgrounds, we wanted to develop a similar curriculum that matched the audience,” said staff member of Interval House, Brian To.
Founded in 1979, Interval House has worked passionately to develop and provide programs and services to victims of domestic violence.
Programs and services provided by Interval House include crisis shelters, hotlines, counseling, legal assistance, community service centers, community outreach education, and specialized cultural programs.
“The really cool thing about Interval House is that we are offering our services in over 70 different languages, which is really unheard of,” said Lorena Ponce another staff member of Interval House.
Ponce has been involved with Interval House since the age of 5 due to domestic violence in her home.
She credits Interval House for providing her with the tools to remove herself from an unhealthy relationship as a teen.
Ponce added that she considers herself fortunate for the assistance she received from Interval House and views those that helped her as role models.
Ponce is just one of the 98% of Interval House’s employees that has been personally affected by domestic violence.
Courtney Taylor, Thibo Martine, Jodi Eddington, and Lydia Henderson are also Interval House employees who presented the bystander training workshop.
Like Ponce and To, they have also been personally affected by domestic violence and have their own stories to tell.
In closing, Lydia Henderson wanted people to know that there is value in being a bystander.
“Always remember a helpful bystander can save a life,” Henderson said.
Interval house hotlines are available 24 hours per day, anyone in need of assistance should call (562) 594-4555.