Women’s Center Volunteer, ‘Newtown Bee’ Editor

Among CCADV ‘First 100 Plus’ Honorees

DANBURY — Rafael Cordwell, the chair of the Women’s Center’s Men’s Initiative, and Newtown Bee Associate Editor John Voket were recently chosen as two among 100 exceptional male leaders throughout Connecticut to be honored at a Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) for their leadership in heightening awareness to the availability of and access to state domestic violence services.

The 2012 honorees will be recognized at a CCADV breakfast in Hartford on Friday, September 21.

Mr Cordwell is a leader in the antiviolence movement at Western Connecticut State University where he is a residential director. He implemented and ran a highly successful Operation Jungle Red awareness campaign to end domestic and sexual violence in conjunction with the Women’s Center in October 2011 and is busy planning this year’s event as well.

As part of the program development team, he was instrumental in the implementation of the center’s newest eight-week antiviolence college program, “Slice of Life,” in the campus residence halls.

Mr Cordwell has also worked with Women’s Center prevention educators as a volunteer educator in the area schools.

“We feel very lucky to have him as part of our team at the Women’s Center and believe he richly deserves this formal recognition for all of his hard work and dedication,” said Kelly Mullins, the center’s program manager of education and outreach.

The Men’s Initiative at the Women’s Center is a volunteer program providing men and male youth opportunities to be allies in the work to end domestic violence and sexual assault by promoting respect, equality, and healthy definitions of masculinity.

Mr Voket, who is also an award-winning broadcaster, is being recognized for his support of the CCADV and its network of domestic violence agencies in the region. In his capacity as a writer for The Bee, he recently produced a two-part series in the newspaper detailing the protocols and training local police officers and emergency communications operators employ when responding to domestic violence calls.

As a Board Member of the New England Newspaper & Press Association representing The Bee, he organized and moderated a panel discussion at the association’s winter conference in Boston featuring CCADV and Jane Doe No More officials, teaching journalists about how to effectively and responsibly report on domestic violence.

He also served on a CCADV panel providing input for the agency’s first media guide for reporters and editors. Mr Voket additionally has provided support to CCADV and its agency network in his capacity as director of public affairs for the Cox Media Group of radio stations, and on his award-winning syndicated public affairs program, For the People.

Mr Voket has also lent his technical assistance for the Milford Rape Crisis Center’s Walk-A-Mile In Her Shoes fundraiser for several years, as well as for various events including the Bowl-To-Benefit fundraiser for the Umbrella program at Birmingham Health Services and the Domestic Violence Services of Greater New Haven.