11172015 - News Article - Domestic violence social media campaign lauded

Domestic violence social media campaign lauded
POST-TRIBUNE NEWS
November 17, 2015
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/opinion/ct-ptb-murder-victim-memorial-st-0515-20150514-story.html
The death of a Porter County employee in a murder-suicide on Mother's Day weekend is prompting a social media campaign for greater awareness about domestic violence.

Porter Circuit Court Judge Mary Harper and Alison Cox, director of the Juvenile Detention Center, told the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday about the campaign in light of the shooting death of Brianna Hefner Ballor, 31.

Hefner Ballor, a Morgan Township resident and supervisor at the center, was killed by her husband, Glenn, who then turned the gun on himself in a murder-suicide on May 9.

Harper and Cox are working with the Porter County Community Foundation and The Caring Place, as well as Ballor Hefner's mother, Elizabeth Hefner, on the campaign, which is called Bri's RACE, or Raising Awareness Changes Everything.

The work will include Facebook, Twitter and a web page.

"We have a lot of pamphlets out there to tell what people to do if they're a victim of domestic violence, but nothing in social media," Harper said, adding she and Cox were coming before commissioners because they are using county computers for the work.

The effort, which will inform people about the resources available in the community, also will require the assistance of the county's information technology department. "We want to saturate the community but we also know we are using county resources," Harper said.

Commissioners gave the effort their blessing and commended the plan.

"Social media is a great way to reach out," said Commissioner Laura Blaney, D-South.