The Camden Conference and New Hope for Women present Kelly O’Connor at the Rockland Public Library on Thursday, January 9 at 6:30pm. Her talk “The Impact of Language-How Do We Talk and Write about Domestic Violence?” is free and open to all.

New Hope for Women will lead a discussion about the power of accountable language and how the way that we talk and write about domestic violence impacts the way we engage with survivors and perpetrators alike. In particular, we will explore ways in which the everyday language we use when talking with family and friends is often unintentionally perpetuating a cyclical narrative of victim-blaming. This need for accountable language extends far beyond our dining room tables and text groups. Traditional and social media have a growing influence in the ways in which we learn, write, and speak about many topics, including domestic violence. This presentation will examine accountable language at two levels: the individual and the societal. In this interactive presentation, we will engage audience members in a variety of accountable language activities. We will also look at some reporting headlines about domestic violence to identify where the language is helpful and where harmful.

Kelly O’Connor is the Education & Outreach Director for New Hope for Women. In this role, she oversees New Hope’s violence prevention programs which provide technical assistance, support, and training to an array of community partners, including law enforcement, schools, and medical and mental health providers throughout Maine’s Midcoast Region.

Prior to her work in the Domestic Violence field, Kelly worked on a range of related and cross-cutting international human rights issues including civilian protection in armed conflict and girls’ access to education in conflict-affected areas. Kelly believes that gender-based violence is the most pressing global health crisis the world is facing today. This issue can be solved with sustained and targeted primary violence prevention programs.

Kelly holds a BA in International Relations and Middle East Studies from the University of Arkansas, and an MA in International Human Rights & Humanitarian Assistance from the University of Denver. Her specialties include South Sudan, violence prevention, and gender-based violence.