Seminar offers tools of healing

WORLEY - Violence and domestic abuse are subjects in which Christina Crawford is well versed.

The best-selling author, actress and human rights activist was the lunchtime keynote speaker Friday at Stop Violence Against Women Day in the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel. She spoke to more than 50 people, who gathered in the event center around tables draped with violet cloths.

"Violence creates long-term health problems, alienations, lack of self-esteem and loss of self-respect," she said. "It is an unnecessary health hazard. The long-term effects of violence, that I have been talking about for 35 years, I'm happy to say, are finally now being included in social science research and in research for doctors, medicines, psychology and being able to treat patients in a different way."

Crawford is the adopted daughter of actress Joan Crawford. Her 1978 book "Mommy Dearest" chronicled the alleged child abuse she suffered at the hands of her adoptive mother. She told the audience she lived with fear until she was 50.

"I didn't want it running my life anymore," she said.

Violence was a main topic of the all-day seminar, with guest speakers who also discussed human sex trafficking, healing processes, help options, self-defense techniques, bullying and other forms of abuse.

Melanie Warner of Post Falls is the chief instructor of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Training Center in Post Falls. She gave demonstrations about what to do when approached by someone who seeks to cause harm.

"I'm here because domestic violence, but also all violence, is a huge concern in our society and it's not being addressed the way it should be," Warner said. "I'm happy to be a female role model for people that they can see, at 5 feet 6, I have the skills and attitude both to actually defend myself. It's not a game."

Gail Turley of Hayden, the family planning coordinator for Panhandle Health, sat at a table with a spread of health and wellness brochures. She said it was a learning experience for her to participate in the seminar so she can see how other people are dealing with abuse issues so she can better serve clients.

"Some people get stuck in a rut, where they feel like they deserve abuse, or there's no other life outside an abusive relationship," she said. "The woman or the man are both affected and then any children, they don't have any idea what's going to happen in their lives in the future based on this kind of chaos that their life is centered around."

Attendees were encouraged to ask questions and many shared their stories. Crawford said she enjoys the question-and-answer sessions because it allows her to hear what's on people's minds "in a way that you just never get in any other setting."

"The reason people should care (about abuse) is that nine times out of 10, it's happening to somebody that you really know," Crawford said. "It affects all of our health care, it affects our schools ... most kids that bully at school were bullied at home, so they are duplicating the behavior that they see and feel and learn at home. A lot of the issues of violence are hidden, but as soon as people start talking about them, all of a sudden it comes out."

The seminar lasted until 8 p.m. and included educational booths, free massages, vendors and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's STOP Violence Against Women Program, which is dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, elder abuse and stalking on the Coeur d'Alene reservation and in surrounding communities.