Specialist on Violence Against Women to Speak at 4th Friday

Mineral Area College’s Fourth Friday Club Luncheon will feature Jennifer Carter, specialist for The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (formerly the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence), at 11:45 a.m. Oct. 27 in the North College Center at MAC.

The presentation will address the recent changes in the organization, how domestic and sexual violence affects the community, how to act on suspicions of abuse and how to work together to end violence against women. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and the presentation will also highlight the coalition’s accomplishments and future plans.

The catered lunch is $7 per person and reservations should be made to Peggy Gillespie at (573) 518-2146, no later than noon on Oct. 24.

As a specialist for the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Carter is responsible for planning, developing, providing and evaluating training and technical assistance related to direct advocacy with victims and survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence, developing strategies for advocating within communities, and organizational policy and development.

Carter has worked with victims of domestic and sexual violence and their children at two dual domestic and sexual violence programs and at a Legal Aid office.

While a student at the University of Texas at Austin, she served as the volunteer coordinator and director of the Women’s Resource Center, which she helped establish. Her varied experience and knowledge of community education, organizing and research contributes to her role at the coalition, a position she has held more than three years.

Carter received her BSW from the University of Texas at Austin and MSW from the University of Missouri-Columbia.