No More Violence! No More Silence! Awareness Event 2012

About CCADA

The Christian Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (CCADA) has as its mission to empower the community and its leadership by bringing awareness to the issue of domestic abuse so that through prayerful collaboration, education and intervention we end and prevent abusive behaviors. Our desire is that everyone finds the freedom to live healthy and productive lives so they can be all that they are created to be. CCADA began in 2007 and was granted 501(c)(3) Nonprofit tax-exempt status in October of that year.

A key program that CCADA provides is trainings, seminars and conferences as well as presentations and speaking at community events, sharing not only information but when appropriate or requested, dynamic testimonies that show God’s redemptive hand. We have provided seminars in various parts of Florida and in other states on the many facets of domestic abuse, including recognition protocols, counseling needs and advocacy/support issues. Many times, people have a desire to help when they see someone hurting, but do not have the information or resources to do so. We can help and have assisted various churches, ministries and individuals throughout the world with information, educat

Through our email ministry, we receive requests from those needing assistance locally, nationally and internationally and have helped these individuals find help, hope and healing. We are asked about current relationship patterns and how to identify what they are experiencing. CCADA/LiFE is able to provide this information which increases the likelihood that they will realize healthy and unhealthy relational patterns. CCADA through its ministry of LiFE (Living in Freedom and Empowerment, this website can be found at www.LifeAbundantlyFree.org) encourages healthy relationships and the prevention of child abuse, dating violence, spousal abuse and abuse against the elderly. Additionally, we have been able to provide information and help to pastors and ministry leaders as they seek to understand the issues of abuse and are a referral ministry for their parishioners needing assistance. We provide resources to inform the community about domestic abuse (child, teen, dating, spousal and elder) and human sex trafficking and host tables at various community and church events.

LiFE Counseling Center offers counseling services (both individual and group), provided by trained professional counselors, to women, men, teens and children in the community. Counseling services are supervised by Kate Johnson, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and State Qualified supervisor who has extensive training and experience working with individuals and groups. The focus of counseling is often healing from the past and learning to live with healthy relational patterns. We provide support groups for women who have suffered abuse (using Healing the Broken Places, a book written by Kate Johnson) and Boundaries groups to assist women in living in healthy relationships. We also provide counseling to those who abuse to change behavior patterns and prevent future violence.

In 2009, CCADA began working with Miami-Dade Department of Corrections to

provide domestic abuse batterer’s groups to men incarcerated in Dade County jails. These groups are facilitated by a trained Batterer’s Intervention Program facilitator and trained volunteers. These groups have transitioned into “Life Relationship Groups” and it has been reported that they have been so effective that the interactions in the jail wing itself have changed dramatically. We have also added groups in the Women’s jail to help those who have experienced abuse in their lives find healing.

We also have two large awareness events each year.

No More Violence! No More Silence! Is a walk with other activities and speakers to bring awareness to domestic violence is held in October.

Race to Erase Child Abuse and Neglect 5K Run/Walk is held in April to highlight Child Abuse Awareness Month.

We wish and pray that our ministry will not be needed, but sadly it is. We join with the Prophet Isaiah who cried out “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, But you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” (Isaiah 60:18}

With one voice we cry out, “No more violence, no more silence.” Until all abuse is stopped we will speak out.