TCSW honors supporters of domestic violence victims
CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION – Receiving certificates of appreciation and awards during the 2024 Domestic Violence Awareness, Prevention and Recognition Program held last week were (front row, from left) Sally Arnold, guest speaker; Mary Elizabeth Miller, accepting award for Margie Wollam; Melanie Allen-Barker, TCSW Batterers Intervention Program; Nina W. Seiler, Assistant District Attorney General; Carol Oliver, Victim Witness Coordinator for the District Attorney General’s Office; (back row) Bradley Arnold and Will Lovelace, Community Service (awareness); Kevin Odom, TCSW Batterers Intervention Program and Jamie Kay Berkley, Assistant Public Defender.
TCSW honors supporters of Domestic Violence victims
By Logan Watson
Stacy Miller, President and CEO of Tennessee Correctional Services West, celebrated Domestic Violence Awareness Month by honoring a number of individuals who have gone the extra mile to support victims of Domestic Violence.
On Monday, October 14, Miller and the TCSW staff held the annual Gibson County Domestic Violence Awareness, Prevention and Recognition Event on the lawn of the Gibson County Courthouse, spotlighting 10 people who have stepped up to impact the lives of survivors of domestic violence: State Representative Brock Martin, Kevin Odom and Melanie Allen-Barker of the TCSW Batterers Intervention Program, community volunteers Bradley Arnold and Will Lovelace, Margie Wollam, Sally Arnold, Assistant Public Defender Jamie Kay Berkley, Assistant District Attorney General Nina Seiler and Carol Oliver, Victim Witness Coordinator for the District Attorney General’s Office.
Nina Seiler was presented with the 2024 Voice for Victims award, which was presented by District Attorney General Frederick Agee.
“Nina is all about victims,” DAG Agee said. “She’s all about accountability for violent offenders, and she has made our office better. She’s the voice in our office that pushes us when she doesn’t feel like we’ve done enough, and it makes our cases stronger.”
Carol Oliver was named Advocate of the Year.
SPECIAL MUSIC – Miss Milan Crown and Scepter’s Teen Brooklyn Reed sang “Till It Happens to You” during the 2024 Domestic Violence Awareness, Prevention and Recognition Program held last week.
“She has absolutely been instrumental in everything,” Miller said of Oliver. “Her heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears and everything else in-between is poured into the work that she does for survivors in Gibson, Crockett and Haywood counties.”
TCSW STAFF – Tennessee Correctional Services West (TCSW) staff members coordinating and presenting the 2024 Domestic Violence Awareness, Prevention and Recognition Program held last week were: (front row, from left) Doris Estes, Director of Programs; Kevin Odom, Batterer Intervention Program; Melanie Allen-Barker, Batterer Intervention Program; Lisa Massengill, Community Outreach Director; (back row) Tina Fox, Director Community Relations TN Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence; Stacy Miller, CEO Tennessee Correctional Services West and Mark Hamlin, TCSW.
Arnold, who was also the guest speaker for the event, shared the story of her experiences with domestic violence and urged those that are currently in abusive relationships to break the silence and stand up for themselves.
“My introduction to domestic violence came at age 18,” Arnold said. “My husband began using me as a punching bag. I got used to the violent acts, but I never got used to the love that I was missing in the relationship. How could a person who has professed to love you attack you?”
Arnold said that she finally left when she realized she could not subject her child to the same violence, but the cycle continued in her next relationship, and the one after that, until she finally took a stand.
“You’re not alone,” Arnold said to those in abusive relationships. “You don’t need to stay. They will not change. You have the power and you are worth so much more.”
“This event was spurred by the need to have a community-coordinated response to domestic and sexual violence,” Miller said. “We knew that we needed to take a proactive stance against this in our community, and that’s why each of you are here today.”
