Trapped in Poverty, Trapped by Abuse, and Trapped by Poor Health!

Normal, AL, 1998

Trapped! was rooted in the context of Alabama's invisible population of resource-limited victims of domestic violence. Most of these victims are women who suffer from mental and physical health problems; a majority are urban welfare recipients. Although Trapped! focused on families who receive public assistance, the medium of delivery-telecommunication social marketing strategies-enabled a comprehensive outreach to all present and potential victims, perpetrators, policy analysts, human service providers, legislators, and the general public.

While a variety of human service agencies address the issues of family violence, poverty, and poor health, Trapped! developed a comprehensive social marketing strategic plan and implementation agenda. Social marketing strategies include the use of telecommunication resources to heighten client and public awareness of domestic violence and the services available to address this problem. Public service announcements, brochures, freestanding displays, radio and television programming, resource directories, billboards, flyers, simulations, plays, and client testimonials are examples of the tools Trapped! used in a collaborative media campaign to combat family violence in resource-limited families.

Trapped! also offered service providers professional development training in the areas of anger management, welfare reform, servant leadership, conducting interventions, and working with at-risk families trapped by abuse. Using simulations, drama, music, stories, newsletters, public radio, and role-plays, Trapped! incorporated traditional learning techniques with innovative methods to retool family life advocates in the field.

Trapped! took the lead in identifying some of the ways that social marketing telecommunications can help direct service agency staff in their work to enhance the personal and family well-being of families with limited resources. Trapped! was not a counseling service, but it did provide media outreach and staff development in consultation with family violence advocates.

Contact Information

Trapped in Poverty, Trapped by Abuse, and Trapped by Poor Health!
Elizabeth Sloan-Ragland, Director
Tel: 256-851-5790

Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Marilyn Simpson-Johnson, Social Worker-Family Specialist
Tel: 256-851-5710 x 290