STOP the Violence
News & Updates
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The City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Office exists to change the community narrative about violence and stop the spread of the disease of violence in the City. While we are concerned as well with the surrounding areas and will share solutions and events in those areas, we only have jurisdiction in the City. We would be pleased to share our knowledge and strategies with any jurisdiction outside of the City.
Table of Contents
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Something You Can Do: Visit the Healing Rivers Project Interactive Exhibit
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Something You Can Do: Volunteer As A Mentor or Refer a Mentee
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Something You Can Do: Pray for Peace and Against Violence
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Something You Can Do: Special Prayer Event January 15, 2022
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Training: Group Violence Intervention; Gun Violence and Public Health Webinar Series; Conflict Resolution Training
- Facts and Stats
- Tips for You
- Coming Events
- Community Resources
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If you're interested in helping STOP the violence, please send us an email by clicking HERE.
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STOP The Violence Newsletter
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Something You Can Do:
Visit The Healing Rivers Interactive Exhibit
Uncover the Causes of Behaviors
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How can we understand what trauma does to our behavior? Or why we do the things we do? We can read books or attend lectures or speak with experts or watch online videos. OR we can take a guided tour through the Healing Rivers Project interactive exhibit at the Center for Victims on Pittsburgh’s South Side.
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Darnell Drewery, Community Outreach and Intervention Specialist and
Gail Fleckenstein, Healing Rivers Project Coordinator
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The exhibit is a unique mix of science, psychology and sharing. It’s so unique that it’s hard to explain. “No one knows what to expect when they arrive” said Valerie Dixon, Director of Family and Community Support for the Center for Victims. “I’ve seen youth and adults come in very skeptical about this, some were required by their employers to attend, others were court ordered. But by the end, the transformations can be remarkable. People start realizing things about themselves and opening up about serious matters that have happened to them (childhood sexual assault, family turmoil, rejection) and were never addressed.”
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Valerie Dixon
Director of Family and Community Support for the Center for Victims
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The Healing Rivers Project provides a creative, safe and trauma informed learning environment to learn what trauma is and how it affects people. It provides for many different types of learning experiences including professional training and education programs, therapeutic support services, and experiential workshops. Together, these components work to improve the understanding of the impacts of direct and vicarious trauma from violence, abuse, chronic adversity, toxic stress and social inequities on children, adults, families and communities.
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According to Dixon, “some participants came to realize that life experiences have caused them to do self-destructive and/or community destructive things like substance abuse, fighting and violence. I’ve even seen youth that considered themselves rivals come to see each other as people just like them. We tell them that ‘you’re not a bad person, but some things have happened to you that show up in your behaviors. Your behavior is reflecting your unaddressed trauma.’” |
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After understanding causes, the Healing Rivers Project also emphasizes research informed healing and wellness strategies that foster growth, resiliency and well being. Project Coordinator Gail Fleckenstein stated that “if you understand what’s causing your issues, you may be able to change the chain of behavior that may lead to violence. Once you go through the exhibit and start realizing why you feel the way you do, we give tools to begin to get off that negative roller-coaster ride.”
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“This is a journey to healing,” according to Darnell Drewery, Community Outreach and Intervention Specialist for the Center for Victims. “At the end of this journey, you learn how to create a lifestyle of healing. Healed people heal people, just like hurt people hurt people. Once people understand what’s happening to them, then they can take steps to heal and not repeat the patterns that are destructive.” Said Dixon, “once you know what you’re facing, now you can repair some of that damage. When you recognize this, then you can have hope and your life can change for the better.”
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Darnell Drewery
Community Outreach and Intervention Specialist at Center for Victims
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Healing Rivers is recommended for anyone who wants to better understand themselves, their community, or the people they work with. Because it is a guided exhibit, the content can be tailored to the audience. Participants have included students, teachers, community members, police officers, child care workers, probation officers, judges and others. |
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A scene from the Healing Rivers Project |
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The Office of Violence Prevention is arranging a visit to the Healing Rivers exhibit for anyone who’s interested. Please notify City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Coordinator Jay Gilmer for further information.
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#1. Does the Healing Rivers Project sound interesting?
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Something You Can Do:
Mount Ararat Community Activity Center Community Based Mentoring
Become a Mentor or Sign Up A Mentee
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Help a 6th to 8th grade student by volunteering two hours per week at the Mt. Ararat Community Activity Center’s Community Based Mentoring project. Located at 745 North Negley Avenue in East Liberty (at the corner of Negley and Stanton Avenues), students from a variety of schools receive a meal, discussion on a faith-based topic, activity and open discussion time every Thursday night from 6 to 8 pm. Each mentor is paired with one or two mentees, depending on attendance.
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The program is seeking both adult mentors and student mentees for the spring semester. Any child is eligible to enroll.
Mentoring is a way to prevent violence, according to Jeffrey Nash, Youth Programs Director for Mt. Ararat Community Activity Center, because “the influence from a caring adult helps young people to make better decisions, as a result children who have positive mentors in their lives are less likely to make poor choices which can sometimes result in catastrophic consequences”.
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Jeffrey Nash, Youth Programs Director
Mt. Ararat Community Activity Center
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To register for this free program as a mentor or mentee, please contact program director Jeffrey Nash at 412-441-5405 or [email protected]. Additional information can be found on their website by clicking HERE.
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Something You Can Do:
Pray For Peace and Against Violence
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For the past year, the STOP the Violence Newsletter has been encouraging people and houses of worship to pray against violence and for peace. So far, this plea has been accepted dozens of times and many prayers have been offered!
One church that has taken this challenge seriously is Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Liberty. Eastminster describes itself as "an intentionally cross-cultural church family".
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The Reverend Paul Roberts
Senior Pastor
Eastminster Presbyterian Church
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Eastminster prays weekly for peace in the City, for Outreach workers who are attempting to reduce violence, and for law enforcement. Senior Pastor Paul Roberts says that they adopted the challenge to pray against violence and for peace because "we are called to be peacemakers and regular prayer is a foundational step in doing that."
Regular praying "keeps peace in the mind and heart of out community. It causes us to discuss and ask questions like what should we be doing."
"I would encourage others to pray for peace and not just to stop the violence." For more information on Eastminster Church's efforts to increase peace and reduce violence, see their website by clicking HERE.
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“I believe that prayer changes things and the more people praying for the same things, the better,” said the Reverend Cornell Jones, Director of Outreach for the City of Pittsburgh Group Violence Intervention initiative. He adds, "I'd like to see all churches praying against violence."
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Reverend Cornell Jones
City of Pittsburgh Director of Outreach
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Anyone can pray for peace and against violence either alone or as part of the STOP the Violence Prayer Team. If prayer is important to you, please pray whenever and wherever possible against violence.
If you, your pastor or spiritual leader or your place of worship or church sign up for the non-denominational prayer team, you will receive periodic prayer request emails and notices about faith-based initiatives to prevent violence and increase peace in out community.
Thank you to everyone who has been praying. Don't stop!
If you would like to play a leadership role in this effort or would ike additional information, please let us know by sending an email HERE..
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Something You Can Do:
Special Prayers For Peace and Against Violence
January 15, 2022
The STOP the Violence Office and its partners will be offering a special prayer opportunity on the morning of Saturday January 15, 2022. The exact time and location have not been determined. If necessary, the session may be virtual.
If you would like detailed information on this prayer opportunity, please send an email by clicking HERE.
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Training:
Group Violence Intervention +
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Pittsburgh's Group Violence Intervention initiative (GVI) is a proven strategy to reduce shootings and homicides in urban neighborhoods by using a multi-aspect strategy:
- informed street outreach and social services to prevent violence,
- involved community members reinforcing community norms rejecting violence; and
- law enforcement in partnership with the community when other means are not effective.
For additional information on GVI, including its history and rationale, see this hour-long webinar from Mayors Against Illegal Guns entitled Re-imagining Public Safety: Group Violence Intervention and Intimate Partner Intervention: Webinar. The password is: MAIGUn1versity!
Pittsburgh’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) violence prevention strategy, including the complete logic model, was featured in the October 2021 STOP the Violence Newsletter which can be accessed HERE.
The non-law enforcement elements of GVI are coordinated by Rev. Cornell Jones, Director of Outreach who can be contacted at [email protected].
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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore and Seattle Council President Lorena Gonzalez headed the list of speakers in a ten hour webinar on August 18 and 19, 2021 organized by the Center on Media, Crime and Justice at John Jay College to help journalists and the public gain greater understanding on efforts to address the rising levels of gun violence in at-risk communities. |
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The series focused on prevention and intervention strategies. Leaders of community intervention strategies and programs in Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia and Sacramento discussed what is and isn’t working in their cities. Pittsburgh’s efforts compare quite favorably with these efforts.
The webinar consists of seven sessions, each lasting from 30 to 90 minutes. A table of contents is available so you can watch a particular session. Please take a look HERE.
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Conflict Resolution Training
If you would like more information on violence prevention and some suggestions on ways to be involved with anti-violence activities, please click on and watch the two-hour training video to the right. This training was conducted in January 2021.
Our outreach teams include violence interrupters, but there are lots of other roles to play. After viewing the training video, please let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to be involved!
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Mind Always Matters Webinar
For more on grief support and mental health, see: Mind Always Matters, a POISE Foundation Community Conversation recorded November 18, 2021 with Jessica Gurley, LCSW and Julius Boatwright, LMSW (Licensed Master Social Worker). This 75 minute discussion can be found HERE.
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Facts & Stats:
From November 2021
Below are selected crime statistics from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. These statistics are from the period January 1 to November 30, 2021. These only cover the City, not any areas of Allegheny County which are outside of the City.
A few statistics of note from January to November 2021:
- There have been officially 53 homicides and 162 non-fatal shooting incidents this year.
- Three of the official homicides reported for November actually occurred in different months (one was from 2020). They are included in this month's statistics because in November the Medical Examiner reclassified them to be homicides.
- Homicides are up 6% from 2020 and up 62% from 2019.
- Non-fatal shooting incidents are up 30% from 2020 and up 53% from 2019.
- 19 non-fatal shooting incidents is lower than last year.
- Zone 5 had 7 non-fatal shooting incidents and 1 homicide in November - more shootings than in any other police zone.
- Zones 2, 3 and 6 had no homicides in November (although one incident in zone 3 from a previous month was added to this month's total).
The causes of shootings are many, so the solutions will vary. Using a public health approach means attempting to understand the proximate and secondary causes of violence and tailoring solutions to fit the impacted population. There is no one answer.
If you are interested in working to change these statistics and increase the peace in the City of Pittsburgh, please click HERE to contact the STOP the Violence Office.
What will you do to help?
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City of Pittsburgh Police Zones |
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Tips for You:
#1: Don't leave your gun in your car overnight
Every month, Pittsburgh Police report that guns have been stolen out of cars. Often, these thefts occur overnight.
If you own a gun, please keep it out of the hands of someone who will cause harm to your community by not leaving it in your car overnight.
#2: Store your gun properly
An obligation of all gun owners is to store your gun safely at all times. This year, there have been several incidents when improperly stored guns have been used accidentally to shoot relatives of the gun owner. Tragically, some of these shootings have resulted in deaths of young children.
Guns should be stored unloaded, uncocked and securely locked out of sight or reach.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is providing free gun locks for all members of the public while supplies last. Locks may be picked up at Pittsburgh Police Headquarters or at any of the 6 Pittsburgh Police Zones. For addresses, click HERE.
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Call Us If You Become Aware of a Dispute
If you hear of a school, social media or community dispute that needs to be defused before it leads to violence, please let us know. We would like to take positive steps to resolve such disputes before law enforcement must be called.
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Domestic Violence Help:
Violence is not an acceptable method to resolve issues between friends or partners. If there are threats, please seek help!
When in danger, call 911 immediately.
Some other resources are in the Domestic Violence Resource Guide is reproduced below and can be accessed HERE.
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November Survey Responses
Survey #1:
Do you know anyone, including yourself, who could benefit from grief support?
- Yes 83%
- No 9%
- I'm not sure 8%
Survey #2:
Is there anyone you can refer this information to?
Survey #3:
Is there anyone you know that
needs a gun lock?
Survey #4:
Can you pray for peace and
against violence?
Survey #5:
Would you prefer shorter STOP the Violence Newsletters that are delivered more frequently?
Thank you for responding.
How will you help?
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Previous Newsletters
Click on the dates below to find past issues of the City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Newsletter:
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Do You Have Any Ideas?
The Stop the Violence Newsletter is produced monthly by Jay Gilmer, Coordinator of the STOP the Violence Office of the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.
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Coming Events
If you want to receive periodic event announcements or are aware of an anti-violence event that is open to the public, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you.
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Community Resources
If you are aware of an resource that can contribute to violence prevention or reducing the impact of violence, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you.
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1-412-330-4328
Offering world-renowned expertise in evaluating and treating children who have experienced traumatic life events or live with post-traumatic stress disorder. A program of Allegheny Health Network.
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Center for Victims
Hotline: 1-866-644-2882
Caring, professional staff is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to respond to emergency needs of crime victims and witnesses, answer questions, and provide support. You can also call:
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412-661-2802
A Federally Qualified Health Care Center providing a full range of medical, dental, pediatric, prenatal, and behavioral health services including staff therapists and workforce development. Locations in East Liberty, Lincoln-Lemington and Wilkinsburg. Even if you don’t have insurance, please come.
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540 Suismon Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Offering a variety of programs to prevent incarceration, chaplaincy and pre-release to serve individuals in Allegheny County Jail and aftercare to prevent recidivism. For information on their support community for reentering citizens, their families and community members, send an email HERE.
Please call if you need help or want to help:
Adult or Youth Diversion: 412-321-3343
Allegheny County Jail Chaplaincy: 412-350-2057
Allegheny County Jail Pre-Release: 412-350-1322
Jail or Prison Aftercare: 412-321-3343
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GriefShare
Numerous Locations
in Allegheny County
GriefShare is for people grieving the death of a family member or friend. GriefShare groups meet weekly to help you face these challenges and move toward rebuilding your life. Each GriefShare session has three distinct elements: a video lesson, in-person group discussion, and personal reflection.
This weekly group is free (just purchase the workbook online), open to anyone, and is offered in numerous locations in western Pennsylvania. The 13 week series features a video and optional discussion. To be part of the next series starting in early 2022, just find a location and sign up on the website at www.griefshare.org.
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Highmark Caring Place
620 Stanwix Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
888-224-4673
As a peer support program, the Caring Place provides an environment where children, teens and adults can receive support from others their own ages who are going through very similar experiences, such as the loss of a parent or other loved one.
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Jeremiah’s Place
6435 Frankstown Avenue
15206 (Larimer)
412-924-0726
Pittsburgh’s only crisis nursery. It provides emergency child care services for children ages 0-6 for a few hours or days based on the needs of each individual family. All services provided are free, available for 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
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Melanin Mommies
Latrice “Phoenix” Rose started Melanin Mommies after watching how social media rallied around George Floyd, but no one mentioned his family members, who were also affected by grief and trauma. After doing a survey of families who lost someone, she realized that mental health services weren’t always offered to them. Even for those few families that received some counseling resources, they needed more for their families and children because the grief didn’t stop.
Do you need help coping with your loss? Is your child struggling to cope with the loss of a parent or sibling? Please sign up for the next Melanin Mommies Mental Healing Cohort which starts in February 2022. It will meet for 12 weeks every Saturday at 10:30 am. For more information, see the Melanin Mommies Facebook page or contact Latrice Rose at at [email protected].
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Men’s Huddle Group
Paul B. Jones, Sr. experienced the death of his 19 year old son Jeremiah in 2017. He formed The Men’s Huddle Group as a support group for fathers who have lost children to gun violence and otherwise.
The Men’s Huddle Group meets the fourth Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Liberty (250 Highland Avenue, 15206 – across from Home Depot).
For additional information, contact Paul Jones via email at [email protected] or call anytime (24/7) at 412-613-1912.
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The MOMS Group
Support For Mothers
Tina Ford of Clairton formed Mothers of Murdered Sons (The MOMS Group) after the loss of her son in 2019.
The MOMS Group meets in Clairton on the third Saturday of each month. All are welcome, just call Tina in advance for the location. If transportation is a problem, just call Tina – MOMS sometimes arranges transportation or makes home visits to provide support.
For more information, see the MOMS Group Facebook page HERE or contact Tina Ford at 412-219-7157 or [email protected]..
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412-261-1234
The Trauma Response Team cares for the acute needs of family and friends of homicide victims of gun violence across all of Allegheny County.
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Other:
- Alma Illery Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Services Office:
412-244-4700
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s 24 hour Helpline:
1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741
- City of Pittsburgh Dept. of Public Safety’s Victims of Crime Office:
412-707-2988
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Dr. Staci Ford: 412-277-4616
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Jessica Gurley, LCSW: (412) 204-6934
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RESOLVE Crisis Center - 24 hours: 1-888-796-8226
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#4. Do you think violence issues are getting enough attention from the City of Pittsburgh?
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Sign up here to receive the monthly City of Pittsburgh
STOP The Violence Newsletter
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