On an ordinary bright spring day in Fresno, the birds are singing, the daffodils are peeking through the soil, mothers are playing with their children at the park and the sidewalks are filled with the sounds of gigging children and roller blading. However, by the year's end approximately 35,412 women and children will pass through the doors of the Marjaree Mason Center seeking shelter from an abusive domestic situation.

The face of domestic violence is multi-faceted. The victims and abusers come from all walks of life and all socio-economic levels. A good majority of the time you cannot see domestic violence. It doesn't wear a certain type of clothing; it doesn't live in a particular neighborhood; and its youth do not attend a particular school. Domestic violence is without boundaries.

A few years back, I made a commitment to myself to get involved with the Marjaree Mason center and to focus my energy on bringing social awareness to this wonderful cause. In January 2002 at SJALA's meeting of the Planning committee, I suggested that we, as an association, get involved with the Center and promote awareness through the legal community. Shortly thereafter, I met with Tim Reese, Executive Director and Dr. Jacqueline Ryle, Past President of the Center. When I told them of our intentions, they were thrilled and they were even more excited about Tim speaking at our general membership meeting on March 20th.

On February 11, 2002, Teresa Petty, Fern Burnett, Charlene Bullock, Pam Ramirez and myself met with Tim Reese at the Center for a tour of the facility and the opportunity to ask a lot of questions. It was absolutely life changing. You don't truly appreciate what you have and the security you take for granted until you visit a shelter for those dealing with domestic violence. The rooms at the shelter are safe and clean, but in separate need of paint and a little decor, just to make them more comfortable. After all, the women and children that live at the shelter often arrive in the middle of the night with nothing more than a brown paper bag containing a few personal possessions.

With all of this in mind, here is our proposal. SJALA would like to raise awareness to the unspoken and politically incorrect crime of domestic violence. It may not be the socially acceptable topic of conversation, but it needs to be out there, and SJALA has made a commitment to the Marjaree Mason Center to raise the awareness and reach out to the legal community for involvement.

Please, please, please (yes, I am begging) attend the March 20th general membership meeting and listen to what Tim Reese has to say. Ask questions, get involved and more importantly, be a part of the solution.