by Lois Lawrence

Created on: April 06, 2009

As anyone who struggles to assist the victims of domestic violence knows well, a strong network of support consisting of friends, family and service providers is essential to building and maintaining the resolve necessary to escape a violent relationship. After all, leaving an abuser is not a decision, it is a process.

In the same way, those who dedicate their lives or their free time to assisting victims of domestic violence benefit can often feel a profound sense of frustration and a desire for empowerment to do more to reach those individuals who either need help themselves, but have been resistant to accepting it , or to enlist those, such as local law enforcement officers, who are in a position to help, but lack the understanding and training they need to make a difference.

Just as the victims of domestic violence can make enormous strides given the right support, so, too, can those who seek to help them.

Social networking is a phenomenon that has taken off with one generation of people but which is in its infancy with another. Effective networking websites can provide, in moments, the kind of connection and support that would otherwise take years to assemble. Linkedin.com is one such highly effective networking site. It bills itself as a professional networking site and promotes most strongly its ability to enhance business promotion and job hunting. In both respects, it may be unsurpassed. However Linkedin.com offers much more. Its group search function allows members to access others across the world who share their passions.

A recent search for groups on Linkedin using the search term "domestic violence" produced five pages of results and included some 47 organized groups of Linkedin users interested and, more importantly, educated, in the problems of preventing domestic violence. Registered users of the site need only click a button to request permission to join any or all of these groups who have a common focus but, often, an even more focused mission. For instance, "Not Without My Pet" is a group offering insights and ideas to deal with the fear faced by victims of violence that leaving their situation will require abandoning their pets and exposing them to even more severe violence than they may already have suffered. Many groups are locally based, but nevertheless offer up information and ideas worth considering for the larger community. Still others are highly specialized, such as "Iron Cowgirls, H.O.G. Chapter for Women" which offers support to victims of abuse who have a passion for motorcycles.

Joining most of these groups will greatly enhance the resource and support network of service providers. What's more many of these resources can be passed along directly to individuals reaching out for ideas, understanding, and support. As is the case with most social networks, membership and participation is free. As all of us counsel our clients, take all the support you can get.

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