The St. John’s Status of Women Council says one of the ways people can help address violence against women in the community is to understand what’s called the “cycle of violence.”

Executive Director Lisa Faye says the organization recently did some focus groups with survivors of violence and their family members.

Faye says many of them want the general public to know more about the cycle of violence.

She was told that “if people really understood what’s happening in my home…(and) in my life they might be able to support in new ways, they would get it.” Faye says the centre has a free online course, called Empowering Them, that helps people understand the cycle.