Running head: FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

Fighting Domestic Violence Through Writing

Andria L Kester
Antioch University Santa Barbara

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

Fighting Domestic Violence Through Writing

Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara is an organization that has been a pioneer
in helping our community better itself. They come to the rescue of the countless women and
sometimes men that need assistance in finding a safe place to live while they get their lives
figured out. Domestic violence is something that happens more often than the public thinks. A
lot of people are affected by this troublesome issue daily, we are just not exposed to it like we
should be. This organization helps the public get familiar with what goes on in this community.
For years domestic violence has been an overlooked social justice issue, now Domestic Violence
Solutions for Santa Barbara has put together strategic writing artifacts such as pamphlets and
newsletters, that demonstrate a strong message of advocacy while maintaining their
compassionate genre they produce for the victims of domestic violence to feel safe.
Into The Organization
I met with Ddalo Purificao at the Handel Bar caf in downtown Santa Barbara. He
came with the writing artifacts that I will be addressing. Such as the Safety Plan, the
Newsletter, and the Alexandra Tang Volunteer Program. I was very impressed with how
young he was-how much he has accomplishedin using writing to effect the people he is trying
to help through Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara. He was very insightful in
answering my interview questions, and seemed to be excited that I was addressing this issue. He
elaborated on the questions that I brought to the point where I wouldnt have thought of it going.
A lot of the questions that he brought up and answered were ones that I dont think he had
thought about either. We had a great conversation that almost seemed like a brainstorming
project from his end. I think this is because being a non-profit organization they dont always
seem to get down to behind scenes; they are more about just discussing the issue loud and clear.

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

By asking the questions I did I think that he was able to reach deeper, and give more personal
answers to his own work.
Purificao is the outreach coordinator for DVS for SB. I was very surprised by how
multifaceted his job was on a daily basis. He manages transition programs, support groups,
concerns on site, and 40 HDV training. He generally walks throughout the office helping where
need be, and being a non-profit that is in a lot of departments. One thing that really struck a
cord with me was that he helps with getting victims tattoos removed. This means that they have
the name of the pimp that used to own them tattooed on their body. Purificao mentions, This
was a program that was initiated and made possible by past victims themselves and approved by
myself.
DVS for Santa Barbara has been able to intergrade their system of fighting against this
horrible crime in many ways. One-way is being an active part in crime scenes as is needed.
Often when the police are called to a domestic violence scene, they are confronted with the issue
of where and who to go to about giving the abused a safe place to go. This is where DVS for SB
comes into play. They have volunteers come to the crimes scene and take the victims to the
closest anonymous shelter. They will follow up with them, and help them get back on their feet.
By using rhetoric in their media they make sure that everything the volunteers do is confidential
and secure. Because they want people to feel that they will be safe they use this to their
advantage in not divulging any more information that they have to. This is one of the reasons
why so many victims become volunteers after they get help. They see that they can make a
difference in the lives of people just like them.
DVS for SBs mission statement is Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara
County works to end the intergenerational cycle of domestic violence by providing prevention

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

and intervention services and by challenging society's attitudes, beliefs and behaviors to effect
social change (2014). This gives the readers a clear picture of what the organization does. It
lets the public know that they have a variety of goals that they are working towards fixing in our
society. They give you the feeling they want to change the way the society is affected, and make
others want to join the cause. This mission statement encompasses every aspect of their goals
while using a genre of compassion and loyalty though out.
When constructing any sort of media to be presented to the public the writer must think
what the most effective way to get their point across is. Depending on their audience they can
use different sets of genre to make their message heard. Drik states, Because you know how
these genres function as social actions, you can quite accurately predict how they function
rhetorically (p.253, 2010). Meaning the public will receive the point you are making based on
their past experiences and allocate them towards your new point. Genre is a big part of how
Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara keeps the people they reach feeling secure. They
have built a reputation on giving consistant and accurate help and information.
When writing they might want to tug on the heartstrings of the reader like giving a past
story of abuse then they can use pathos. Pathos is the use of emotion in debate or argument
(Losh, Alexander, Cannon& Cannon, p.44, 2013). This will make their writing or photo very
memorable because your point emotionally affects the reader. A more direct way that the media
uses when an issue needs to be strategically talked about, and well thought out they use logos.
Logos is the appeal to reason to the forcefulness of a well-thought-out and well-structured
position (Losh, Alexander, Cannon& Cannon, p.44, 2013). When there is a matter that involves
great importance like speaking about domestic violence the public needs to see a trusted, and
reputable person they will use ethos. Ethos is the credibility [good standing credibility] that a

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

speaker or writer brings to the subject that he or she is communicating about (Losh, Alexander,
Cannon& Cannon, p.44, 2013). All of these forms of writing go back to the art of writing and
argument, which is rhetoric So an argument can be any text- written, spoken, aural, or visualthat expresses a point of view (Lunsford, Ruszkiewicz, & Walters, p.3, 2010)
They appeal to the community by giving them ways to get educated about domestic
violence issues through volunteer programs, writing artifacts, and their website. They give out
brochures that are up front, and to the point. This is helpful because when you are in a situation
that needs urgency you often arent thinking straight. By giving clear and concise informationrather than trying to make it pretty-it is more effective in getting their message across. This
theme spreads across their whole advertising scheme. Their website gives all the information
needed in an orderly fashion to convey a convenient way to find information.
They use red font and boxes around their most important information because it is the
universal symbol for urgency. People who visit their website are looking to help, for information,
or for how to help. By using logos they use the colors in their site to either draw attention or give
a calming feel. The genre they produce is one that is felt through out their site, once of
compassion and safety. Their color pallet is light purples and white because they can give a clear
slate for all of their information to be presented in a non-overwhelming way. Therefor in contrast
they leave all of the more important and urgent information to be placed in the red boxes. This is
because red is a color of urgency and will grab their attention. This shows that they know how to
effectively reach their audience and know the tone that they want them to receive upon visiting
their site.

Writing Artifacts Explored

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

Domestic Violence Solutions of Santa Barbara uses a compassionate genre, and feminine
colors to represent the people they serve most. They have to appeal to the mainstream culture,
and be up to date with their advertisements. For example in their Safety Plan pamphlet their
colors are mostly light shades of purple, giving a mellow and non-jarring feel. Most of the page
is taken up by their butterfly logo that is recognized as a their organization. Their information is
upfront at the bottom of the page with all the 24-hour hotline numbers listed. Inside we find a
clean 3 page layout giving information on what to do if you come across a domestic violence
situation, all the phone numbers that you can call in various counties, and tips on how to stay
safe in your own home. All of these points are separated with bullet points or clearly underlined
headings. This provides insight into the logos argument they are making. When you turn the
pamphlet over to the back it is focused on helping you move forward in your life if you are
leaving your abusive situation. Purificao explains, They provide a small but concise checklist
for quick access if leaving in a hurry, with a space for other so you can make it personal and
write in what you feel is needed. They also are generous enough to give instructions on filing a
restraining order if need be. By giving this extra information DVS for SB is providing a
doorway to logos.
Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara has chosen their logo for a deeper
meaning than most would realize. Their logo is a butterfly- that is seen in all of their writing
artifacts and on their website- because it symbolizes the growth of a person, which appeals to the
publics pahtos. This was brought to my attention in my interview when Purificao suggests
We start as caterpillars and then grown and change into a beautiful butterfly. This message is
conveyed to help the victims have hope. Trying to keep them of anonymous they hardly single

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out people using photos or names. This gives a good feel to the people who are looking for a safe
place to provide them with support.
They produce a seasonal Newsletter that is targeted for the people who have donated
and appeals to the donor and readers ethos, pathos, and logos through their writing. This is a
valuable writing artifact because it is infrequently published and constantly changing. This gives
the donors a chance to see where their money goes and how they are helping the community
showing logos. Inside it gives a description of the most recent events and photos from them with
various speakers that contribute to the organization, demonstrating ethos. There is also a pie
chart to clearly show where their money goes that is rose, as well as a long list of the names of
the people who have donated and how much they contributed. This is important because the
reader can put a face to a name of the generous supporters, therefor showing pathos.
In their most recent pamphlet Alexandra Tang Volunteer Program they break their norm
and give a photo, and a story with their publication. They show Alexandra Tangs photo, who
has sadly died as a victim of domestic violence. In the background that is written they tell about
Alexandra, this touchs everyoneespecially locals ethos. Born on July 2, 1988, Alexandra
spent her childhood in Santa Barbara. Her love of the city and her family kept her there though
college. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology.
Alexandra was full of compassion and love towards other people; she was a girl with a beautiful
spirit (Alexandra Tang Volunteer Program). There is a graphic in their normal purple but this
time darker to signify an important point. It shows how the cycle of abuse works and what to
expect next, showing their logos. The next main point this makes is how you can become a
volunteer. There are 5 requirements that you need to accomplish to become a 40-Hour Volunteer.

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

This shows that everyone must be qualified, and responsible to be a part of this organization,
while drawing interest.
Closing
Through the use of all of these kinds of media DVS for SB is appealing to the pathos of
the public. This means that they are tugging on the heartstrings of the readers. They can use this
to their advantage because then the public will feel more compelled to donate to help the cause.
Another side that they convey to the public is ethos. By using ethos the victims are related to the
public and the communities morals.
DVS of SB is an organization that is multifaceted within the community. Whether it is
helping domestic violence victims to a shelter, or the victims coming back to be a volunteer.
DVS for SB is a place to feel safe and secure in your time of need. You can take comfort in this
by their professional staff, and the writing artifacts they produce. Their role is not only helping
the local community, but it is helping anyone who needs it. Their website and shelters are open
to anyone with complete anonymity. This provides a wonderful environment in which growth is
possible. If you find yourself in need of their services they can be contacted through this direct
link http://www.dvsolutions.org/programs/EmergencyShelter.aspx or this number (805) 9645245.

FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THROUGH WRITING

References
Losh, E., & Alexander, J., Cannon, K., Cannon, Z. (2013). Why Rhetoric? In
Understanding rhetoric: A graphic guide to writing (1st ed., Vol. 1, p. 44).
Bedford/St. Martin's; First Edition edition (March 15, 2013).
Lunsford, A., & Ruszkiewicz, J. (2013). Reading and Understanding Arguments. In
Everything's an argument (6th ed., p. 3). Boston, Mass.: Bedford/St.
Martins.
Lowe, C., Dirk, K. (2010). Navigating Genres. In Writing spaces: Readings on
writing (Vol. 1, p. 253). West Lafayette, Ind.: Parlor Press.