Hurricanes, Nurse Shortages, Domestive Violence and S.O.F.I.A
Welcome to our fourth edition of the Hot Button.
Hi there- I’m Tiffany DePass, Chief of Staff here at POM. Our mission at POM is working to empower a better world for all through personal safety, community, and education. Happy to have you as a part of our POM Community.
I wanted to share with you a topic that has been on my mind recently—women’s safety. I have been trying to find a groove in taking care of myself during the pandemic. Eating well, time with family, rest, and this also includes working out. I’m sure many of you can relate. I haven’t yet returned to the yoga studio that I love, but I enjoy my walks outside. It’s a chance to take in nature while focusing on my health. But I have to admit that my daily walks haven’t been as relaxing and energizing the past few weeks. I set out one week to take early morning walks before work. One morning, as I crossed my street, I received a few inappropriate comments and unwelcomed gazes as cars drove by. You know those moments where you just feel uncomfortable but at the same time frustrated because you are just trying to live your life and enjoy some me-time? I soon realized that I needed to be even more attuned to my surroundings. As Fall approaches and we adapt to it getting darker earlier and make other adjustments as the season changes, I felt it necessary to focus on women’s safety and send out a gentle safety reminder.
I would also like to introduce to you our private community dedicated to the discussion of personal safety at work and in everyday life.
Hurricane Ida
Hurricane IdaHurricane Ida was one of the strongest storms “ever to make landfall in the continental U.S.” according to NASA Earth. The Category 4 hurricane made landfall in Louisiana in late August and much of the mid-Atlantic states experienced heavy winds, torrential rain, and flooding.
What Happened
Hurricane Ida left over 1 million customers without power and excessive flooding that caused widespread damages to homes and businesses in Louisiana alone. States like New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia experienced at least two tornados, heavy winds, and flooding.
Read More
The Philadelphia Inquirer: A Timeline Of Ida’s Philly Destruction
NPR: These Images Show Just How Bad Hurricane Ida Hit Louisiana’s Coastline
The Growing Nurse Shortage
The prolonged pandemic is creating a large nursing shortage in many hospitals across the United States. The New York Times found one in five I.C.U.s are at least 95 percent capacity partially due to a lack of nurses. The overall shortage has led many hospitals to offer traveling nurses up to $8,000-$10,000 a week.
What Happened
The American Nurses Union sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services urging the agency to declare the ongoing nursing shortage a national crisis. The ongoing pandemic has overwhelmed hospitals and caused many nurses to experience burnout, extended leave, or retire early.
Read More
- Fierce Healthcare: ANA Urges HHS To Declare National Nurse Staffing Crisis
- The Washington Post: Burned Out By The Pandemic, 3 In 10 Healthcare Workers Consider Leaving The Profession
Domestic Violence
One in 3 women has experienced intimate partner violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and over half of female homicide victims in the U.S. are killed by a current or former male intimate partner.
What Happened
Gabby Petito was on a cross-country expedition with her fiancé while documenting much of it on social media. On September 11, her family reported her missing and the case drew national attention. Her remains were found in Grand Teton National Park and a preliminary autopsy determined the manner of death was a homicide.
Read More
Featured Organization: S.O.F.I.A.
Start Out Fresh Intervention Advocates, fondly known as S.O.F.I.A., is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to Domestic Violence awareness, prevention, and the promotion of healthy relationships. The organization’s focus is helping clients become self-sufficient, positive, and successful. With community outreach that includes informational workshops and presentations, S.O.F.I.A.’s goal is to spread awareness about unhealthy and abusive relationships in order to eliminate the stigma of domestic violence and help our community become a supportive and healthy place. Through direct service programs, S.O.F.I.A. provides advocacy, supportive services, and referrals for temporary housing to “at-risk” women and children of domestic violence. In addition, the non-profit responds to client needs with flexibility to provide tangible items as well as ongoing support through programs for therapy and financial stability. During COVID, the #WeCare program provided COVID-related hygiene and high-need items to clients as well as individual counseling sessions through community grants. S.O.F.I.A.’s guiding mantra is “With Awareness There Is Hope.”
That wraps us up for this edition. Thank you for reading, please share with us any feedback or suggestions.
-pom team
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