Orange City, Iowa — Some students at Unity Christian High School in Orange City had a unique opportunity last week to see domestic violence from another angle.
According to Sioux County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer, Deputy Waylon Pollema, Mr. Jon Holwerda’s law class at Unity Christian participated in a Domestic Violence Awareness Simulation called “In Her Shoes®”, which is developed and owned by the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence out of Seattle, Washington. He tells us “In Her Shoes®” is a community education tool designed for participants to learn about domestic violence and its impact on survivors. He says participants can also experience some of the hurdles a victim may come up against. Pollema says this was a collaborative effort with members of the Sioux County Attorney’s Office, Family Crisis Center, as well as the sheriff’s office.
Pollema says this type of kit has been in use for over 20 years, and is not just for students, but for everyone.
He says it’s also a way to get people to think creatively about how to end domestic violence or help victims.
Pollema said, “This was a great experience for the juniors and seniors in Mr. Holwerda’s law class; they were very engaged in this activity and had some great questions.”
Click here for more information about the “In Her Shoes®” program.
